Fish Tank

Viewer Rating:paula galvin has rated Fish Tank rating: 5 Star

You cannot escape the realism of this film;there are no soft touches or angles or people.They are hard,with a capital H .This family spells dysfunction without the "funk" The film takes place on a high rise ,low rent,low morals ,low self-esteem estate in Essex.It tells the story of Mia,a foul-mouthed,aggressive,bullying girl who loves to dance and dances brilliantly losing herself in the music,obliterating all that is foul and damaged and damaging in her awful life.Her mother is a screaming alcoholic harridan with a faded blowsy sort of sexiness who regularly picks up men down the local.Mia has a younger sister,also an accustomed swearer,drinker and smoker.the women all address each other by that most horrible c**t word and are equally appalling and cruel to each other. Into this suburban Bedlam comes Conor,a charming Irish man picked up by Mia's mum,who seems to take a parental interest in Mia,encouraging her to dance,lending her music and giving her(probably for the first time in her life)some respect.He takes them on a fishing trip and all seems to be going along almost normally and then.....circumstances change and Mia's life goes into freefall.There were parts of the film where I pulled my coat up over my eyes because I simply could not watch any more of the degradation and the spiralling tragedy. Andrea Arnold is utterly uncompromising in her directorial approach and Ryan's jerky hand-held camera work make this a rivetting film.You will be shocked,horrified,sickened and angered by this film but ultimately moved. Kate Jarvis is powerful,in your face ,obnoxious ,wearing,vulnerable,needy in her debut role.Michael Fassbender is brilliant as the flawed Conor.The last scene is beautiful and leaves one with some hope for Mia,that she is capable of some sort of redemption,however small. A stunningly brilliant film.

Review published on the 29 October 2009 13:05