FISH TANK (2009)

Country: U.K.

Genre(s): Drama

Director: Andrea Arnold

Cast: Katie Jarvis / Michael Fassbender / Kierston Wareing

Plot

A wayward fifteen year old girl develops feelings for her mother’s new boyfriend.  Meanwhile she finds inspiration when her secret love of dance might provide a way out of her lower class surroundings.

What I Liked

Katie Jarvis gives one of, if not the single best debut performance I have seen in a movie, portraying the passionate but unruly Mia in “Fish Tank.”  Apparently having no previous acting experience, Jarvis was approached for the role when a casting agent saw her argue with her boyfriend at a train station.  Despite her lack of a professional background in film, Jarvis is flawlessly convincing in a complicated role that is the focus of an entire two-hour film.  That she was only seventeen years old or so during filming is all the more impressive.

Indeed all of the performances, from Michael Fassbender as the always casual Connor to Kierston Wareing and Rebecca Griffiths as Mia’s mother and sister respectively are terrifically fleshed out and seem powerfully authentic.

That the movie is shot with mostly handheld cameras provides the audience the feeling of an intimacy with the action and emotions on screen.  Like a silent friend or family member, we run, dance, and wander with Mia as she traverses the wilds of tenements, trailer parks, streets, and junk yards.  It is a similar approach as to reality TV or a documentary, bringing a very authentic feel to what the audience sees.  However, the technique never seems contrived or gimmicky, only perfectly natural.  Thus a film about everyday people living in ugly conditions and behaving equally ugly becomes somehow riveting.  Though my original intentions were otherwise, I had no choice but to finish watching this movie in one sitting.

The soundtrack is at key times punctuated by terrific music, including classic hip hop from Gang Starr and Nas, as well as a stunning version of “California Dreamin’” by Bobby Womack.

What I Disliked

I don’t have anything here that I really disliked.  But I will note here that some may find the events and especially the language of this film offensive.

Most Memorable Scene

*spoiler alert*

When Mia finally gets the courage to dance in front of someone else, it is for Connor, her mother’s boyfriend, whom she is beginning to view as something similar to a much needed father figure.  Though her dancing is somewhat stiff and amateurish, the combination of the soundtrack (the aforementioned Womack track) and cinematography turn her rare moment of open vulnerability poetic.  Then it all turns from tender to ugly in a way that seems frighteningly plausible.  This is the real turning point for Mia and her life, setting in motion some more heart-wrenching moments as Mia’s desperation turns to anger and despair.

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5