Disappointment for a huge fan!

Boring, long, and too preachy.

It is not only a funny movie, but it allows a great amount of joy for anyone who watches it.

if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

I had to comment on this film after reading some of the annoying remarks about it. It's just so sad that there are people who failed to enjoy this film because it didn't feature a "movie star" gorgeous lead female. People who couldn't get past the actress's butch haircut and appreciate all the hard work and clever touches which make this movie work.First of all, Habit is obviously a "no budget" indie film. There are no stars. Part of its charm are its real life locations and real people performers. If you need Sandra Bullock or Jessica Alba or Tom Cruise in state-of-the-art vampire fangs to feel you've gotten your money's worth, stick to big studio films.Like Abel Ferrara's early films and the underrated "Kiss Daddy Goodnight," Habit is a nicely directed low budget New York indie. Gritty and sexy and intriguing.Larry Fessenden does a great job as writer-director-star. Believably sexy despite a missing front tooth, he is completely convincing as an alcoholic trust fund slacker, whose aimless and seemingly pointless existence is interrupted by the intrusion of a vampire into his life.The theme of the movie is made clear in an early scene at a Halloween party, where the east side hipster guests indulge in their favorite habits: passing joints, stashing beers, obsessively munching hors d'oeuvres. All the little oral addictions which make life bearable for most of us.Meredith Snaider plays against the clichéd image of a vampire. Instead of the syrupy Goth cartoon spawned by Anne Rice, she is a wholesome, psychologically stable everygirl, wearing sexy but sensible outfit, hair shorn short, emblematic of her unburdened psyche. Anna has but one habit: feeding on human blood. Unlike her victims, she is not tortured by it, but has adapted perfectly to her one human failure.Fessenden the writer unravels his story with a languid, naturalistic pace. He makes excellent use of existing locations, including boats and street fairs and a house in the Hamptons. He tosses in just enough in the way of red herrings to create the illusion of hope for a hopeless character.As a director, he keeps the romance between Anna and her victim steamy without being exploitative. He makes full use of New York's pool of acting talent, mostly unknowns. A blessing for those of us who'd rather lose themselves in a good story than feast their eyes on over-hyped eye candy.

This movie really bothered me. It was incredibly slow and although the sex scenes were really unique, the plot line DRAGGED...this guy was such a drunk you felt bad for him, but after a while it was like COME ON even this guy's addiction was boring... The funny thing I noticed was his front tooth was missing in most of the movie but in the scene at the funeral/memorial for his father he has two front teeth. I dunno...I usually LOVE independent films, but this one dragged on for quite some time. The relationship he has had with the woman that is hooked up with his friend is hinted at throughout the movie, but you never really get a feel for what it was about. What the hell did the boat have to do with anything? Lenny has sex with the girl on the boat, supposedly...then he got sick, how come the main character didn't ever go ON the boat? Then at the end, everyone was on the boat...the biggest tragedy to me was the death of the cat. I hoped our main man would die from scene one when he was drunk off of his butt at the party. Not a very likable guy...

I was very impressed with this movie. As someone who has spent part of her youth working the nightlife of lower Manhattan in the 90's, I found this film's portrayal of a downtown bar owner's grappling with addiction and madness real enough to be terrifying. New York is one of the main characters as Sam, the protagonist deals with the death of a distant dad, and a break up with a girlfriend while starting up with a woman who develops a taste for his blood during sex. Apartments, parks, rooftops and subways have a prominent role in the sometimes claustrophobic and hallucinogenic experience that is NYC in the wee hours. The actor who plays Sam (who is also the director and the writer) is believable as a disheveled youngish bohemian type who has been on self destruct for some time. His sanity is pushed to the limit once he starts to believe that his feeling ill might have something to do with the bite marks that his new girlfriend has been giving him. The actress who plays Anna, the alleged vampire, is a refreshing change from the Gothic fanged hotties of Hollywood, She is a short haired, brunette, and has a quiet yet demanding presence. While there are scenes that could have used some editing, and plot development that could have used some tweaking, I would recommend this movie to anyone interested in a truly independent, story and character driven movie. If you want a Hollywood gore-fest, don't bother. If you want a creepiness on par with "Rosemary's Baby" and "The Hunger," take a deep breath, and enjoy the ride.

Contains possible spoilers. If you get this thinking you're going to see Bram Stoker's Dracula or Blade, get back in line for the latest Hollywood blockbuster and drop your subscription to IFC & Sundance because it just isn't that kind of vampire movie. If you like dark-themed movies about self-destruction, then definitely check out Habit. What I like best about this film is that it leaves it up to the viewer to decide for themselves whether Anne is a vampire or if Sam just totally flips his lid. I think that with the death of his father and his girlfriend moving out, that Sam, already an alcoholic, is near the breaking point. When he discovers his new sex interest's unusual fetish, his paranoid, delirious mind runs with her taste for blood and causes him to see her as a vampire. Take note of the scene where Sam is receiving the award for his father: when Anne approaches him and the professor, there is a brief glimpse of her as another woman completely, which could be alluding to her either being completely physically different from how Sam sees her or, if she is a vampire, that she's a shapeshifter. Both possibilities apply depending on how you look at the question of is she real or is it all in his head. I think the same question could apply to the sex scenes: are they real or did they do an excellent job of simulating them?