On the surface, Fish Tank seems like the white, British version of awards show-darling Precious. Both films feature teenage girls with big dreams in seemingly hopeless situations, living in poverty with negligent mothers and little guidance. Like Precious auteur Lee Daniels, writer-director Andrea Arnold refuses to sugarcoat her protagonist’s struggles. Instead, she highlights them in an unflinching character study.
First-time actress Katie Jarvis stars as Mia Williams, a fifteen-year-old in the British suburbs with an affinity for street dancing. She lives with her mother and younger sister in a small apartment and finds her only release in practicing dance. When her mother’s new boyfriend, Connor (Michael Fassbender) begins to hang around more, Mia finally finds someone to support and encourage her.
Jarvis’ performance is the film’s nucleus; she rarely leaves the screen, thus the picture’s success or failure falls squarely on her shoulders. She delivers, though, by capturing perfectly Mia’s tortured transition to adulthood. The supporting cast provides able backup, too. Fassbender is undeniably charming as Connor, and Kierston Wareing is pitch perfect as Mia’s boozy, selfish mother. At times, Arnold’s work feels more like a documentary than a drama, captivating audiences with a startling look into the harsh realities of Mia’s world.
Director: Andrea Arnold
Starring: Katie Jarvis, Michael Fassbender
Rated R, 123 min.
