Christopher Coppola, who is related to Francis Ford and Sofia Coppola and also Nicolas Cage’s older brother, has a knack for creating watchable low-budget independent films, as demonstrated by movies like “Dracula’s Widow,” “Gunfighter” (1999), and “Clockmaker” (aka “Timekeeper”). This film is a jungle-set story that blends drama with mystery and crime thriller elements. The narrative centers on a young photographer, Lacey Dorn, and her connection with an author she meets in San Francisco, portrayed by Vincent Spano. She reconnects with her grandfather, played by John Savage, and seeks healing from a past trauma involving a Catholic sister (Deborah Kara Unger). Rita Moreno appears as her singing aunt early in the film. It seems most of the funding was allocated to securing the cast and crew, along with location fees, travel expenses, accommodations, and food services. This is noticeable because the cinematography occasionally feels amateurish; for instance, there’s a pan across the jungle village that isn't particularly well-executed. However, if you can overlook these shortcomings, I became invested in the main character’s journey and hoped she would recover and find contentment. Spano embodies the honorable Gabriel, evoking Ricardo Montalban. He was around 55 years old during filming but appeared closer to his late thirties. I felt that the script could have unfolded more naturally. Still, upon further consideration, I recalled two personal experiences strikingly similar to events depicted in the movie. I won't elaborate further to avoid revealing too much, but it offers a valuable life lesson. Although many viewers might assign a lower score, there are several aspects that influenced my rating of 5.5/10 despite the film’s limited budget. These include its willingness to allow moments for character development, the grandfather's bungalow, the respectful atmosphere, and the beautiful Central American scenery, which showcases various local wildlife. The movie has a runtime of 1 hour and 40 minutes and was filmed in both San Francisco and Belize. GRADE: C+/B-

Source on TMDB