sol-
Initially repulsed by her mother's much younger new boyfriend, a teenage outcast finds herself slowly becoming attracted to him herself in this British drama starring first time actress Katie Jarvis. For an amateur actress, Jarvis offers quite a convincing performance with some great moments as she silently watches her mother dance in her underwear with a mix of pity and contempt. Whenever Jarvis opens her mouth though, it is hard not to squirm. Her character is written as someone so foul-mouthed, obnoxious and burning up with hate that it is hard to warm to her even when we see the upbringing that has led to be being so antisocial (she breaks another girl's nose simply for a rude remark within the first five minutes of the film). None of the other characters here are particularly likable either, and while her mother is probably the most intriguing character with her desire to still party and flirt like a teenager herself, she remains a secondary supporting character throughout. The film comes off as quite repetitive too. A kidnapping plot turn in the second half almost pulls the movie in a daringly different direction, but the potential of this subplot is never quite maximised. Between the innovative camera-work (full of shots that both walk and run with Jarvis) and desolate urban landscapes, 'Fish Tank' is a pretty good looking film, but one may find its appeal as mysterious as the title.
Mike Guratza
It's so nice to watch a film like this. No BS, gets you straight to the reality the characters are facing, no need for clichés and over the top production, just straight, grim realism. It's so nice not to know what's gonna happen next, it's so nice not to have "black and white" force fed perception of morality, and it's always nice to have Michael Fassbender in a lead. In a movie world dominated by blatant sexuality and exposure, making us indifferent to the view of sexual acts, this film succeeds in depicting one of the most truly erotic scenes at least of recent years. Not your typical "three-act" piece, this movie offers nothing of didactic nature. Just an imprint of what is happening all around us. Most of the times nothing gets better, people stay the same, and hope is just little people making their little plans.
angrypancho
I imagine it's no small thing even for someone as obviously talented as she to choose a movie career as a young mother, but the UK movie industry would certainly benefit from someone of her charisma and talent.I just now saw this movie on satellite and have no recollection of its being shown around me back in 2009 when it was released. Checking several sources to see how it had been reviewed, I'm glad to see it was critically acclaimed in several movie festivals. Andrea Arnold in particular, its writer-director, should have been proclaimed a cinematic wizard. There are so many brilliant choices in this film that I wonder whether the problem was too many industry people were rightly intimidated. Jarvis, for example, had never acted before.The plot of 'Fish Tank' borrows from Arnold's and Jarvis' own experiences growing up in working class England, I think. A young girl dreams of being a dancer while navigating a mother who can barely keep herself afloat and her unexpectedly attractive, and yet fatherly, new boyfriend played by Michael Fassbender. The movie follows Mia, at 15 and quite spirited, as she struggles to find a foothold in the rough world that's molded her and promises to entrap her.This is an overlooked film that you will never forget; the scenes are so true to life, they're hard to see as fiction. I'm only sorry I didn't see it when it was circulating.
esterch
I watched this movie because of the high rating and because Michael Fassbender is in it, but it left me quite disappointed. The acting was alright but I didn't find any of the characters interesting, so the only reason I didn't quit watching the movie was because I thought it would get better. There is no clear plot, it's more like a documentary about a low class family, filled by anger all the time, and their relationship with a higher class man, who has much better manners but is definitely not a better person. The message of the movie could be just that no matter how educated you are that doesn't make you a better person, but then the approach could have been much more interesting. The movie is not pleasant to watch since the characters are simply being an ass to each other all the time, and what makes it worse is that it has no entertaining value at all. One can argue that the whole point is to be realistic, but there is nothing special in the movie that makes it worthier to watch than simply observing real life if there is not going to be character growth or insights during the 2 hours anyway. What leaves you thinking is simply why would you even care about people who have no moral values and are difficult to bear with?
AD
