User reviews

David Dastmalchian, crafted an enigmatic story about two adults dealing with brutal childhood traumas while living in poverty. At first, viewers who can the film's low production value maybe like ok where's the story? but the joint performance by David Dastmalchian and Karen Gillan, gives the film incredible value.

The film evokes off a strong human feeling to story's end plot twists. Dastmalchian 's acting carries the story through, as Gillan's performance as a disillusioned person. The film also functions as a road trip film; it follows their tragic story.

The acting in this little film was outstanding. Throughout the whole movie I could feel the emotions of the main characters. They did an outstanding job telling this sad tale. 6.9

It is not a pleasant movie at all but a very good character study of two people on the fringe of homelessness in Los Angeles. As the movie begins he and she each lose their jobs, for different reasons through no fault of theirs. Trying to make a go of it anyway they soon end up on a road trip in someone else's car that takes them to Kansas City.

David Dastmalchian, who also wrote the script, is Gensan. His partner is Karen Gillan as Ruby, who appears to be a bit "slow" and also naive. They clearly care for each other, she depends on him greatly, but every day seems to be a massive speed bump in the road of life.

I have only seen Gillan on TV talk shows, with her smiling face and very red hair. Here she has short black hair, hardly any makeup, and doesn't really look like herself. But it is a very appropriate look and she plays her role superbly.

This is a movie without happy endings but it probably reflects well on how some people living on the fringes of society have difficulty dealing every day. It is a well-made movie of a difficult subject.

For the first half you will feel what the hell is this you are watching but as the movie progresses it makes you understand the depth of the characters. Really well acted and story line is good. It is disturbing and sad but the characters you will hate in the beginning will make you understand why they did what they did in the end.

This is much more a short story than a feature film.

For the first 80% of it, I kept wondering "is this it? Is this movie going anywhere beyond a dysfunctional bonnie and clyde story?

Then it becomes something. It achieves something I don't encounter too often in film, and it does it ever so gently -- it's a jerry springer film, without the bitter humor. It's sad, it's depressing, and surprisingly touching just when I was about to give up on it. It makes you glad that your life is not like theirs -- cursed from the beginning of their lives, to the end. And while they're still young.

I can't get overjoyed about the acting -- most of it is held tight to the emotional vest. And forget the dialogue -- while the story may be lyrical, the dialogue most definitely is not. But what it surrenders in poetic ways, it makes up for in simple, grim realism. This movie's realism makes it that much more unpleasant. But in a good way.

Ann Jillian and David Dastmalchian star in this star-crossed lover drug/roadie flick about a working stiff who has a drug addicted girlfriend and a limited income.

He gets fired and bets his paycheck on a cock fight. He wins, but the fight is broken up by the police and the bookie/drug dealer runs away with the money. David catches up with him and stabs him in the leg. He takes the money and the dealer's car and runs away with his girlfriend to another state.

So, what is the big deal. We have seen this a hundred times already. Oh wait, they discover a baby in the back seat after a few hundred miles. This certainly complicates things. Now, there is a potential kidnapping charge, in addition to other charges.

The story gets authenticity in my book because of Dastmalchians early adulthood in the Midwest as a drug runner/dealer, who eventually cleaned up his bad habits and migrated to LA. That authenticity shows in the film.

However, there are few surprises here, other than the baby, and we are left with an empty feeling at the end of the movie. However, that is what the writer intended.

This feels like an Indie film from get go, and it sort of ropes you right in from the beginning; you are curious about these odd and rather sad characters and stick around to see where this is going to go. The acting is top notch, really quite incredible performances from people you don't see often (I've never seen either of the two leads). HOWEVER. If this was based on a true story, it should never be retold. If it's just fiction, the writer should seek other topics. This thing is just drenchingly sad. The story winds down and down, you know midway through that there can be NO possible good outcome. Towards the end, we can see what is happening in that hotel room and then just hope and wish that it doesn't turn out to be what you think it will; it does. From there on out to the bizarre ending, it is just purely unnecessary sadness. Why tell a story like this? Who could possibly enjoy watching such tragedy? I don't get it. Everything about acting and music and cinematography top notch, but damned if I know why anyone would dream up such depressing dreck to film for others to see. John Doe turned in a top notch performance too, albeit quite brief. Can't wait to see X again, they never let you down, unlike this movie...

Gensan and Ruby are a young couple living hand to mouth in Los Angeles on Gensan's job in fast food, while Ruby's diminished mental capacity makes it difficult for her to hold a job. Ruby wants a child, but Gensan refuses to father one with her.

When his restaurant is permanently closed, Gensan gambles on a backyard cockfight, then murders the man who won't make good on the bet. That same day, Ruby abducts a neighbor's infant daughter, adding further complications when Gensan steals the dead man's car and picks her up to flee Los Angeles. The three travel cross country, with Ruby, and more cautiously Gensan, bonding more with the baby, whom Ruby names Irene, though she lacks even the most basic knowledge of childcare.

The 2 main cast had chemistry and brilliantly gave a stunning performance.

This movie is absolutely worth watching, and I liked it. The tale it tells is disturbing to say the least, but it's well acted, the story line is deceptive at first, but it is thought provoking. If you liked "The Virgin Suicides" you might find you like this - the story is very different, but the mood you're left with at the end is similar - it's sad, but it might leave you thankful. Sometimes sad stories should be told.

I could write a list of questions this movie brings up.

However I am content to say

Why make this movie? What was the goal? To make me sick? Well you succeeded.

The world does it need any more sadness it needs some joy!

And there was no joy in this movie.

Wow! This one sure takes the cake, when it comes to depressing storylines. We first meet this young couple. Neither one has much going for them. She's in trouble at her menial job cleaning a church. He's a pizza slinger. Then things get way worse.

He's let go from his job because the restaurant where he works is closing. Se he gets his last paycheck. Now a normal person would hang on to the money and look for another job. But he decides to put the entire $250 on a cockfight. As luck would have it, the fight gets raided. On his way out, he runs across the person who has his money. He ends up stabbing the guy to get his money and hightails it.

So now he's on the lam. Well, his girlfriend ends up kidnapping a baby who lives across the alley. So both of them are on the run. And things only get worse. They make just about every bad decision you could make. It's absolutely cringeworthy. And it just keeps getting more and more depressing.

Watch this one if you want to feel lousy for the rest of the day.

This is a powerfully acted film about a destitute couple who make poor decisions that eventually spiral out of control. But if you are in a bad mood, this film won't lift your spirits, but make you more depressed.

I echo the sentiments of other reviewers here who question why a movie like this gets made. I guess there is this rather obnoxious trend of some directors thinking that the darker a movie is, the more artsy and worthy it is. This 'trend' needs to stop. All Creatures Here Below starts off depressing, and then gets more, and more, and more so. And just with you think it can't get any more depressing, it does. Sure, the acting is good, and for awhile, you hope things might possibly improve for this couple on a downward trajectory, but alas, they don't. Why make something like this? Life is already so difficult and depressing. This movie just leaves you feeling awful.

Karen Gillan was a favourite of mine as the delightful Amy Pond in Doctor Who but this role in All Creatures Here Below is totally different, as a struggling young woman living on the fringes of society, with little to no income and prospects for her future. Her relationship with Gensan is marred with gloom as he too can't manage to function in society to establish any semblance of stability in his life. Understandably, this scenario isn't an uncommon or unbelievable one, it's just that I struggled to accept the choices that they make throughout this story, particularly that final act which had me extremely perplexed. In any case, the story had me somewhat interested in how things would turn out for the pair, despite there being a complete absence of action scenes and not much suspense either, even though their predicament would want us to believe there's more going on when there plainly isn't. I feel they were unsuccessful in building any momentum in tension, because the story moves very slowly and hasn't got the much needed spark to draw me in any further than the already long established premise. It certainly is not a light hearted watch and some people may find it too morbid to see it through to the end, and I could understand that even though I did manage to finish it. But I was disappointed in its conclusion and felt like nothing had been achieved by any of the characters. So, my opinion is, it's definitely not a must see movie. It provides nothing new or anything memorable, and it should have developed much better than this very ordinary outcome.

This is an inanely stupid waste of time. Theres no redeeming qualities to anyone involved, it's just a baby crying for the vast majority of the film while these people fail to return the baby to it's mother. Their decisions make no sense, the soundtrack is annoying for the most part, the baby is just nothing but an obnoxious irritance and serves no narrative purpose. Yes, we know the girl wants to be with her real child, but this movie took an hour and 12 minutes for someone to just say "hey you should probably give the baby back". It's not relatable, it's well acted but the script is utter trash. I would not trust this director to create anything but crappy snuff films that fetishize the poor, and i think that animals was just something he lucked out with.

This movie starts out having you believe it is like any other and it triggers you to form an opinion early on to the affect of "is this another one of those movies"? Stay with this because the movie then becomes remarkable, takes off and you have a front seat. As the story progresses, we are let-in on what is really going on and here is where the viewers emotions take over. We gasp, we wonder and we start to identify and follow the course of the movie with shock and twist thrown in. You may find it hard to keep quiet or not leap out of your seat. At another point we are introduced to a bad situation going to worse and from worse to below worse and beyond but we remain with mouth open and scratched heads. It is at this point that this movie qualifies for being one of the saddest and most tragic stories that can befall mankind but is not new until you visit with it or in the case watch a movie about it. I was stunned and deeply moved and the ending is perfectly delivered up to you to do with as you please. Long after it was over, I found myself reviewing this as did my co-watcher making us reflect and visit with the haunting effects of where the movie landed us. You will not be same. One thing stands out and that is how precious a normal childhood is and how the lack of one takes us down dark roads.

Interesting storyline from David Dastmalchian. Very good performances from both him and Karen Gillan. Interesting choice of movies for her between her outings in the MCU and Jumanji films. She's one of my favorite actors these days and it's good seeing her in more diverse roles. Overall a very dark, disturbing and tragic tale.

This movie needs more recognition.

A sad life tale who will make you cry.

There's always more to people than what you see and the actors played the characters to perfection.