Slappy Ray Johnson (GL McQuary) has a problem - he has a little over two weeks to pay back $10,000.01 in taxes to the IRS on his little restaurant. Take a look inside the restaurant and it's easy to see why this is an issue; aside from his son Rollo (Courtney Richardson), there is nobody whatsoever eating there. Sure, a few people stop by every once in a while, but they are doing everything but buying food.

Rib Shack is an amusing short film by John Charles Reedburg. In a little less than half an hour, he sets up some colorful characters, presents the dilemma, and comes up with a solution. The middle of the film works best, after the introduction of the Johnson character. He's loud, brash, and not afraid to say what is on his mind. Of course, this gets him into additional trouble, but Johnson's a guy that sticks to his guns. And he's pretty funny when he gets pissed.

The film begins a bit slowly, with some annoying minor characters. The whole point is to establish the Johnson character as a no-nonsense guy. Once the plot gets rolling and Johnson gets increasingly desperate, things get funnier, especially when Rollo inadvertently comes up with a solution. Rib Shack then seems to end rather abruptly. It's a lot to squeeze into twenty-four minutes, but Reedburg does a decent job of doing so. The restaurant looks a bit dim due to a lack of lighting, but this actually helps contributes to the atmosphere.