Alan (Jeff Roop) works at a resort and, for the most part, leads a comfortable life. When his brother goes missing, Alan confronts Carl Len (John Boylan), an expat from the United States. Quickly, Alan realizes that his brother was in way over his head and, before his conversation with Carl ends, the same may very well be true for Alan.

Essentially a 2-man crime thriller, Canadian filmmaker Adam MacDonald's In the Dominican is an intelligently written and well acted short in which one man's search for a lost loved one unfolds in ways both expected and unexpected. Jeff Roop balances his character's naivete with his fierce determination to uncover the truth, while John Boylan is a picture of steely calm as a man who reveals himself only when he's absolutely ready.

D.P. Jonathan Walton gives In the Dominican both picturesque and seductive qualities, while MacDonald's dialogue fits his characters quite nicely and gives the film a natural, authentic feeling.

While In the Dominican lacks the underlying tension that would really sell the conflict between Alan and Carl, the film serves up notice of MacDonald's ability to create solid dialogue, frame a decent shot and effectively manage a film's pacing.

In the Dominican has played in four film festivals so far and will be making an appearance at August's Atlanta Horror Film Festival. For more information on the film, visit the film's website above.