Fish Tank (2009)

Drama

Director: Andrea Arnold
Writer: Andrea Arnold
Starring: Michael Fassbender, Katie Jarvis, Kierston Wareing, Rebecca Griffiths

"Live, love and give as good as you get."

Mia is a socially isolated fifteen-year-old girl living with her mother and younger sister in the housing projects of Essex. She is a reckless and rebellious teenager, unhappy and angry with everyone, she's been thrown out of school for bad behavior and mocked by her friends. She takes comfort in hip hop and dancing, dreaming of becoming a B-girl, practicing her moves when alone. Her moody existence makes a gentle shift when Connor (Michael Fassbender), her mother's new bright and charismatic boyfriend, enters her and her family's lives, and she slowly develops a strong and unnatural relationship with him.

Fish Tank accurately captures the harsh economic and domestic realities of the British lower class, but it's also an emotionally stunning and satisfying coming-of-age story, electrified by the breakthrough performance of its young protagonist Katie Jarvis.

The film has brought writer-director Andrea Arnold the Jury Prize award at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival and some serious critical acclaim for both Jarvis and Fassbender, for their strong performances.

Plot summary from IMDb: Mia, an aggressive fifteen-year-old girl, lives on an Essex estate with her tarty mother, Joanne, and precocious little sister Tyler. She has been thrown out of school and is awaiting admission to a referrals unit and spends her days aimlessly. She begins an uneasy friendship with Joanne's slick boyfriend, Connor, who encourages her one interest, dancing.

Awards: 20 wins & 25 nominations.
Runtime: 123 min
NOT R