Four minutes. Wow.

In a mere four minutes, writer/director Nicholas Verdos has assembled the deeply moving and disturbing Adrift, starring Meagan Flynn (Up in the Air) and Craig Coyne (Lonelygirl115), as a couple at the end of a fight who are each about to reveal the secrets they've been keeping from each other.

The film was shot with the RED on location in Kansas City, with D.P. Michael Stine's lensing offering the film a natural, earthy view that perfectly companions the sparse yet powerfully written dialogue from Vedros. Despite packing hardcore truths into a mere four minutes, Adrift never feels rushed and, in fact, by placing the action squarely at the end of an argument Verdos creates both a logical and emotionally resonant place for the intense and uncomfortable words and feelings we're about to experience alongside this young couple.

It helps, of course, for Verdos to have a talented cast and he's blessed with the presence of Meagan Flynn and Craig Coyne. In addition to her supporting appearance in Jason Reitman's Up in the Air, Flynn has appeared in a couple of other shorts recently reviewed by The Independent Critic, Patrick Rea's Get Off My Porch and Now That You're Dead. Flynn adds just the perfect touch of humanity to a rather surprisingly reveal, infusing the film with a rather twisted blend of woundedness, darkness and vulnerability.

Coyne may have the biggest challenging, maintaining his character's humanity despite and rather quick and powerful big reveal that could easily turn audiences against him. To his credit, Coyne's resignation and surrender adds such a rich humanity to his character that you can't help but stay invested in this young couple.

Scott Murray's production design is stellar, capturing both intimacy and the dark and disturbing nature of this aching human drama. Tech credits are solid across the board, providing further evidence that one not leave America's mid-section to find rather remarkable up-and-coming voices in indie filmmaking.