Written and directed by Bryon Jones, a determined journalist makes a startling discovery when he’s visited by an unexpected stranger. Starring: Theo White and Timothy J. Cox.

As soon as you wander into Creatures of Habit’s joint, it has a feel of a noir comic book, giving it a slightly timeless quality, with the atmosphere and style mixing eras between the 1960s to today. Bryon Jones’s direction is very clear in its attempts to build mystery and intrigue, it’s a familiar style in an inviting way. The cinematography (by Joe Palmer) is strong, doing a great job of balancing the shadowy edge with colour, only being obscured when it wants to be.

Jones also does a great job of creating an atmosphere that’s enigmatic and curious. It moves well and holds itself with confidence but it feels like the story isn’t giving us enough. It has a great foundation but as we’re arriving towards the end, it’s all a touch too vague which doesn’t make for a satisfying conclusion. There needed to be a bigger progression to help the story land more strongly before wrapping things up, because it is has interesting beginnings for a complicated journey.

A lot of the mysterious qualities for Creatures of Habit land on the shoulders of Timothy J. Cox as their elusive stranger and he doesn’t disappoint. He neither makes himself too obvious nor too withheld, it’s just the right balance to portray the character’s unusual wisdom. Whereas Theo White struggles slightly to find a comfortable ground, he’s trying a little too hard which makes his performance somewhat stiff. However, there’s a good chemistry between the two of them, a push and pull with a hesitancy yet eagerness.

Creatures of Habit strikes a mysterious note and does a great job of creating that noir, old-school feel. It has a very purposeful style and a solid atmosphere that’s arguably the biggest driving factor. Timothy J. Cox adds nicely to the curiosity but Theo White doesn’t feel quite at ease. It opens up a lot of questions but doesn’t quite answer enough of them to make for a satisfying experience.

Verdict: ✯✯✯ | 6/10