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All Creatures Here Below (2019): Cast, Ratings & Plot

All Creatures Here Below (2019) movie poster

All Creatures Here Below is a 2019 drama directed by Collin Schiffli, starring David Dastmalchian as Gensan, Karen Gillan and David Koechner. It runs 1 hour 31 minutes. Critics gave it 71% on Rotten Tomatoes and 67 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 5.7/10.

IMDb rating
5.7/10
Rotten Tomatoes
71%
Echo Score
62
Metascore
67
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All Creatures Here Below (2019) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 31m (91 min)
Director
Collin Schiffli
Genre
Drama
Original language
English
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is All Creatures Here Below About?

The premise of All Creatures Here Below without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

In the dark and desperate underbelly of Los Angeles, Gensan and Ruby struggle to survive. A risky opportunity arises, leading them to make a rash decision that plunges their lives into chaos. Forced to flee, they head back to Kansas City, confronting past troubles and facing the threat of familiar dangers that could destroy everything.

All Creatures Here Below Themes & Keywords

· 40 tags
  • abduction
  • brother sister relationship
  • cockfight
  • killed with a shovel
  • singing in a car
  • car game
  • reference to the wizard of oz
  • short pants
  • losing a job
  • pizza parlor
  • redheaded woman
  • cockfight gamble
+28 more
  • stabbed in the side
  • stabbed to death
  • poverty
  • stealing a baby
  • road trip
  • red shoes
  • reference to nick lachey
  • getting someone's name wrong
  • surveillance camera
  • motel clerk
  • breaking a cell phone
  • abusive boyfriend
  • shovel as weapon
  • uncle nephew relationship
  • uncle nephew talk
  • sororicide
  • hit with a shovel
  • accidental killing
  • brother kills sister
  • gray hoodie
  • reference to superman
  • voice over letter
  • calling someone buddy
  • character says i love you
  • suffocation
  • suffocating a child
  • calling someone a dumb fuck
  • calling someone a dummy
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Cast & crew

All Creatures Here Below Cast & Characters

David Dastmalchian leads the cast as Gensan, with Karen Gillan as Ruby and David Koechner as Robert. Directed by Collin Schiffli; 14 actors are credited in all.

Also Starring in All Creatures Here Below

· 10 more
From the director

More from Collin Schiffli

More films directed by Collin Schiffli, best-rated first: Animals and Die in a Gunfight.

Full filmography
Ratings

All Creatures Here Below Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave All Creatures Here Below 71% on Rotten Tomatoes and 67 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 5.7/10. Our Echo Score gives it 62/100, strongest in character & emotion (90) and weakest in rewatch factor (40).

62 /100

All Creatures Here Below Echo Score Breakdown

The film demonstrates strong technical and performative elements but is hampered by an unrelentingly bleak narrative that undercuts its thematic intentions. Direction and cinematography exhibit a consistent, understated style that supports the material, while the leads deliver emotionally grounded performances. In contrast, the plot’s heavy-handed melodrama and contrived pathos diminish pacing and originality, and the intense despair curtails lasting appeal. Overall, the movie offers commendable craft and character work but struggles with engagement and limited rewatch value.

Our own 0–100 rating, built from five aspects: art, character, story, the sensory experience and how well a film rewatches.

  • Art & Craft 75

    In terms of Art & Craft, the film’s direction and visual design present a subdued yet coherent aesthetic that reinforces the story’s tone. Cinematography favors an understated color palette and measured framing, while the editing maintains steady pacing in the early sections. Production design is functional, bolstering the setting without drawing attention. Altogether, these technical choices yield a polished sense of atmosphere that aligns with the narrative’s somber intent.

  • Character & Emotion 90

    When it comes to Character & Emotion, the leads deliver nuanced performances that convey the depth of their interdependence. Acting remains consistently strong, with both principals portraying vulnerability and compassion in fraught circumstances. Emotional resonance is heightened by well-developed chemistry that makes their bond believable despite escalating tension. In sum, character work serves as the film’s primary strength, grounding the melodrama in authentic feeling.

  • Story & Flow 50

    In terms of Story & Flow, the narrative unfolds with steady momentum but is weighed down by contrived melodrama and predictable arcs. Early character moments provide engagement, yet later plot twists lean into bleakness without offering clear thematic payoff. Pacing becomes uneven as the film progresses, shifting from contemplative observation to relentless despair. Overall, the story’s strong foundational ideas are undermined by formulaic elements and reduced originality.

  • Sensory Experience 65

    When considering Sensory Experience, the soundtrack and sound design are unobtrusive, reinforcing the film’s tense atmosphere without distraction. Visual style employs a restrained palette coupled with clean compositions that mirror the protagonists’ emotional state. Audio cues amplify moments of danger and uncertainty, though they rarely deviate from established tonal patterns. Ultimately, the sensory elements work cohesively to support the narrative mood while remaining largely background.

  • Rewatch Factor 40

    Regarding Rewatch Factor, the film’s bleak tone and unrelenting tension limit its replay appeal. While strong performances and technical craft might invite a revisit, the pervasive despair and heavy-handed melodrama discourage subsequent viewings. The narrative’s lack of ambiguity or thematic complication reduces opportunities for new insights upon repeat watches. Consequently, the film offers modest lasting appeal and is unlikely to sustain high rewatch value.

Plot

All Creatures Here Below Plot Summary

What happens in All Creatures Here Below from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 14 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

In their desperate quest to flee the relentless harshness of life in Los Angeles, young couple Gensan and Ruby find themselves ensnared in an unending cycle of poverty and hardship. With Ruby’s fragile mental health preventing her from maintaining employment, Gensan works tirelessly at a fast-food restaurant to make ends meet. Despite Ruby’s intense desire to start a family, Gensan remains adamant in his decision against fatherhood.

Their lives fall apart when Gensan loses his job due to the restaurant’s closure, driving him to a life of desperation. He gets involved in an underground cockfighting ring, and as the stakes escalate, he resorts to an unthinkable act as he commits a brutal murder, triggering a series of catastrophic consequences.

Full summary

The whole story of All Creatures Here Below, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Videos

All Creatures Here Below Trailers & Videos

2 videos: 1 trailer and 1 teaser.

Official Trailer
  • Teaser Official Teaser
Quiz

How Well Do You Know All Creatures Here Below?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

What job does Gensan hold to support himself and Ruby?

Seen All Creatures Here Below?

FAQ

All Creatures Here Below FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date

Runtime, release date, director, cast, ratings and post-credit scenes of All Creatures Here Below, each answered in a sentence.

How long is All Creatures Here Below?

All Creatures Here Below runs 1 hour 31 minutes (91 minutes).

When was All Creatures Here Below released?

All Creatures Here Below was released on May 17, 2019.

Who directed All Creatures Here Below?

All Creatures Here Below was directed by Collin Schiffli.

More films by Collin Schiffli

Who is in the cast of All Creatures Here Below?

All Creatures Here Below stars David Dastmalchian as Gensan, Karen Gillan as Ruby and David Koechner as Robert, among 14 credited actors.

How is All Creatures Here Below rated?

All Creatures Here Below has 5.7/10 on IMDb, 71% on Rotten Tomatoes, 67 on Metacritic and 50% on TMDB.

Does All Creatures Here Below have a post-credit scene?

No. All Creatures Here Below has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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