OLD habits

Old Habits is a crime drama short film that follows a washed-up former criminal whose attempt at living an honest and ordinary life is disrupted when an old partner unexpectedly reappears. The film explores themes of guilt, identity, masculinity and the inescapability of the past through a morally ambiguous protagonist who is forced back into criminal activity despite trying to distance himself from his former lifestyle.

The film opens with the protagonist working a dull retail job, visually establishing the contrast between his quiet present life and the excitement of his criminal past. His routine is interrupted when a mysterious figure enters the store. Through low-angle shots and restricted framing, the audience initially cannot see the visitor’s face, creating intrigue and suspense. The audience soon discovers this man is the protagonist’s former partner in crime, who later reconnects with him at a diner. During this conversation, the old partner romanticises their previous criminal lifestyle and pressures the protagonist to participate in another “job.” Although the protagonist initially refuses, he is blackmailed when the partner threatens to expose a dark secret from their past that would destroy the respectable reputation he has built.

The second act focuses on the pair preparing for the job, blending tension with moments of dark humour as the ageing criminals attempt to relive their former glory. Their conversations reveal unresolved resentment, nostalgia and differing attitudes toward crime, while subtle comedic moments emerge through awkward interactions and overconfidence. The heist itself centres around retrieving hidden evidence or money connected to their past crimes, but the situation quickly spirals out of control when unexpected complications arise. As pressure builds, the protagonist realises he cannot truly escape the consequences of his former life.

The film concludes with a bleak and morally ambiguous ending that subverts traditional crime drama resolutions. Despite complying with the job, the protagonist’s secret is leaked anyway, destroying the peaceful life he attempted to create. Returning to the same ordinary environment seen at the beginning of the film, he is left isolated and defeated, reinforcing the central idea that the past can never fully remain buried.

To create engagement, I will use low-key lighting, close-ups, handheld camera movement and muted colour palettes to establish tension and realism. Editing techniques such as montage, rapid cuts and suspenseful pacing will immerse audiences in the protagonist’s unstable emotional state, while moments of silence and carefully selected music will emphasise both tension and dark humour. Inspired by the stylistic approaches of Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino, Old Habits aims to combine grounded crime storytelling with morally complex characters and stylistic cinematic techniques.