FISH TANK (includes trailer)
September 8th 2010 14:39
In the film Fish Tank, one thing is clear, there’s no telling where it’s main character Mia will land up. Fish Tank tells the story of this snotty, defiant 15 year old girl, living in a lower class neighbourhood in London. Her life seems to be constantly playing one big, cruel joke on her.
Directed and written by Andrea Arnold (Red Road), her second film is a moving, extremely effecting peer into the life of one girl who seems absolutely buried in the angst and frustration of her own small world. Unlike any other films which sound like they fit this description Andre Arnold’s character’s are looming and sullen, they seem lost at times, constantly looking to provoke, just to see if they are still able to have any effect on the world around them.
Mia has one hell of an attitude on her, sunk down in a world that confines her. Mia’s mother doesn’t look much older than her, and along with her small sister, these three live in a cycle of indifference and contempt towards each other that has snow balled to a point where this three piece family have become tangled up in an irreversibly destructive family dynamic. Mia is bold and insolent towards everyone around her. She has just been expelled from high school over an incident we never see, though it’s not hard to imagine what she might have done to get the boot.
Mia seems to be drifting in limbo, apathetic yet full of anger. Despite her seeming like a disrespectful troublemaker you can’t help but feel for her. Despite Mia being in the thick of puberty, it’s clear than she has gotten this behaviour from her mother, who treats Mia like she is the bane of her existence. Mia’s younger sister isn’t far behind, only a preteen and already smoking and swearing her head off. Mia is clearly on her own, no friends around her and no real parental role models in her life.
Mia finds escapism in dancing in private in a secluded building, she retreats to practise her own dance routines. She’s had no training and the dance routines are rough but shows her potential talent. Mia’s knack for mischief and youthful curiosity make her seem intriguing at first, along with her fighting spirit. As you get to know her, she grows on you until your hearts beats loudly for her. Despite her at times vile, course behaviour, you get flashes of her vulnerability too, until you truly care about everything that happens to her.
When Connor, a new boyfriend of Mia’s mother enters the picture, it causes some changes in her life. Her anger reveals itself as awkwardness and most of all as a defence mechanism. She has a turbulent moment to moment relationship with Connor filled with ups and down, but underneath this there is a muted sexual tension building between her and Connor, and where this all heads makes for a moving and amazing character journey, that never at any point heads in an obvious or expected direction.
I absolutely loved this film. Having not been a fan of Andrea Arnold’s first film, Red Road, I resisted seeing this film for some time but when I did I was thoroughly effected by it, it’s one of the best character driven dramas I’ve seen in a few years, and certainly the best film to come out of England in a while. Mia is played by Katie Jarvis, who astoundingly is a non-actor in her first role and she’s amazing, revealing a hugely fleshed out, multivalent portrayal which brings such insight into this girl’s inner life. By the end you wish you could stay with her and continue to see what could possibly become of all the mistakes, as well as choices, that she might make as she heads down the unknown road. It’s an astoundingly beautiful debut performance from her.
Connor, Mia’s mother’s boyfriend, is played by Michael Fassbender (Hunger, 300, Inglorious Basterds) and he’s quickly becoming one of my favourite actors. Even though Fassbender’s devastating work in Hunger is technically his best acting, his performance here is my personal favourite of his. Fassbender has an effortless ability to bring an unspoken, sly duality to this character. His reaction towards Mia is fascinating to watch and could be reinterpreted endlessly.
The entire cast is excellent. The film is an entirely unexpected journey, the smallest moments take you to the most unexpected of places in a way that transcends your expectations. Life twists and turns for Mia, as nothing ever seems to be straight forward. What you see on screen has a constantly fluctuating effect from scene to scene, at once surprising, then disappointing you, at once elating and then in the next moment turning repulsive, beautiful, tender or even devastating.
Director/writer Andrea Arnold eradicates our preconceived notions of these characters, constantly forcing us to surrender to the free falling poignancy and emotional truths of Fish Tank. We really feel like we understand Mia and feel a closeness towards her. The under stated but sharp hand held camera work picks up all the subtleties of mercurial emotion. The lively production design creates a bright, feminine world that highlights Mia’s point of view as well as contrasts with Connor’s unexpected masculine presence in this girl’s life.
Utterly effecting and memorable. Fish Tank is astounding and the best drama I’ve seen in along time. The emotions that you succumb to in the film stay with you long afterwards.
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Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
I've heard good things about this and I did like Red Road. Not the type of thing I will rush to see but one that I will soak up on DVD where the nuances will come through clearer than in the cinema.
Comment by ShaunK
Screen Adventure
Thanks Johnny Doe - DVD is the only place you can see it now, if you want to see a good drama thats driven by character not plot then this should be high on your list in the future.
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Comment by Michaelie
Flick Wit
Comment by ShaunK
Screen Adventure