Skip to main content

Fish Tank (2009)

A promotional image from the movie "Fish Tank" featuring actress Katie Jarvis as the character Mia. Shot from a low angle, the young woman stands with a defiant expression, wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt with the hood up. In the background is a blue sky with clouds, and a line of apartment buildings in the distance.

Plot Summary: Mia, a troubled and isolated 15-year-old living in an Essex council estate, dreams of becoming a dancer. When her mother brings home a charming new boyfriend, Connor, the family dynamic shifts. As Mia develops a complex relationship with Connor, their interactions lead to consequences that change her outlook on life.

Director: Andrea Arnold
Writer: Andrea Arnold
Producers: Nick Laws, Kees Kasander
Cinematography: Robbie Ryan
Editor: Nicolas Chaudeurge
Music: Steel Pulse

Starring:
Katie Jarvis as Mia
Michael Fassbender as Connor
Kierston Wareing as Joanne
Rebecca Griffiths as Tyler
Harry Treadaway as Billy
Sydney Mary Nash as Keira

 Freddy and Krasnaya Movie Review
***SPOILER ALERT***

KRASNAYA:
Fish Tank was shot by award-winning, but unfortunately unknown to me, director Andrea Arnold. So, again, thank you to Freddy for showing me this movie and making me learn more about it. This is an extremely sad film which gives you some hope in the end. Mia (Katie Jarvis) is a completely lonely girl in her fifteens, living in a depressing gray, lower-class neighborhood in London. There are two things that make her life easier - hip-hop dancing and alcohol. The realism in the movie shows the daily life of such neighborhoods where kids drink alcohol, smoke, and swear like adults. This made me feel very sad.
Watch the director speaking after receiving the BAFTA award:

FREDDY:
Second time I've seen this film, and it's now officially one of my favorite drama movies, which means I might buy the poster pretty soon. I love the way this movie is shot; love how the camera follows Mia. When she dances, it gets blurry and the camera closes on her, giving the impression that there isn't enough space or freedom. This is her life, a fish tank. Katie Jarvis' performance is amazing; she makes her character so credible, it's hard not to believe that she's from that neighborhood. Oh wait, she is! This movie gets me very emotional and I come crumbling down with Mia when she's told about the horse. Every other actor does a great job, and you gotta love pottymouth Rebeca Griffiths. "Your scary feet will scare those fish away" - favorite line from Tyler.
KRASNAYA:
About the cast. It's perfectly chosen, and Katie Jarvis, who hasn't acted before and was suddenly heard by a casting agent while having an argument with her boyfriend, played her role amazingly and truthfully. She hasn't done much since, but I hope we'll see her playing again. Michael Fassbender is awesome as usual, playing a sweet bitter mother's boyfriend. Andrea Arnold only handed out the second part of the script after the first part was recorded. This is a great idea that probably ended up giving more realism to the whole movie.
Watch the interview with Fassbender here:

FREDDY:
"Life's a Bitch" by Nas is so spot on, so nicely put in that scene. They're dancing to this laid-back and jazzy beat after all the shit that went down, and this closing scene leaves me reflecting in a melancholic mood. Andrea Arnold did an outstanding original piece of film.
KRASNAYA:
My resume - this movie should be on every cinema fan must watch list, you definitely will find something of your own to think about and probably change something in your life. Mia was totally into dancing, and freedom came along with the sun every time she practiced. But even her favorite hobby played a cruel joke on her.
FREDDY:
Watch it, comment on my blog and listen to the awesome single "Life's a Bitch":

Krasnaya's Score

95/100

Freddy's Score

96/100

🎬 You Might Also Enjoy:

Sticky Notes (2016) A film exploring the story of a struggling dancer trying to make it in LA, with similar themes of ambition and difficult family dynamics
Night Always Comes (2025) Another gritty, realistic drama focusing on a young woman navigating difficult circumstances and class struggles
Ali & Ava (2021) A contemporary British love story set against the backdrop of working-class Bradford, with similar social realism to Fish Tank

Comments

🎬 Join the CineIt Movie Club!

Get exclusive reviews and recommendations delivered straight to your inbox. Never miss a great movie again!

Popular posts from this blog

Frank Oz: From Worst to Best

I've finished my Frank Oz filmography a while back and hadn't had the time to post here the rank and some thoughts about his work. Let's try to refresh my memory and give you some of my opinions... man. Frank Oz is a true legend. At 81, he's not just a brilliant filmmaker but also a puppeteer and writer whose characters, from the Muppets to Sesame Street, have touched countless lives. His directing career is full of outstanding, entertaining movies; out of 14 films, there's really only one rotten apple in the bunch. I'm not sure if he's planning to make any more movies, but I'd love to see him try his hand at a serious drama, just to see him flex a different creative muscle. I wouldn't like to be that famous, I value my privacy. Mind you, Miss Piggy enjoys every moment of it. If it were not for me, she would spend all her time in the limelight. Frank OZ This is his entire fi...

The Life of Chuck (2024)

Plot Summary: Told in three acts moving backward in time, the film chronicles the life of Charles 'Chuck' Krantz. It begins with his death at age 39, which coincides with apocalyptic events, and moves back to his childhood in a supposedly haunted house, exploring the universe contained within a single life. Director: Mike Flanagan Screenplay: Mike Flanagan (based on the novella by Stephen King) Producers: Trevor Macy, Mike Flanagan Music: The Newton Brothers Cinematography: Eben Bolter Editor:   Mike Flanagan Starring: Tom Hiddleston as Charles Krantz Mark Hamill as Albie Chiwetel Ejiofor as Marty Anderson Karen Gillan as Felicia Gordon Jacob Tremblay as Young Charles Krantz   ***SPOILER ALERT*** Let me start with wtf is wrong with people... After a quick trip to the IMDb page for The Life of Chuck, I have one thi...

The Wandering Earth (2019)

Plot Summary: Set in a future where the sun is dying, humanity builds enormous engines to propel Earth out of the solar system toward a new star. When Earth passes Jupiter, a gravitational spike threatens the planet, and a group of heroes must race against time to restart a failed engine and save humanity from extinction. Director: Frant Gwo Screenplay: Gong Geer, Frant Gwo, Junce Ye, Yan Dongxu, Yang Zhixue, Ruchang Ye (based on the novella by Liu Cixin) Music: Roc Chen, Liu Tao Cinematography: Michael Liu Starring: Qu Chuxiao as Liu Qi Li Guangjie as Wang Lei Ng Man-tat as Han Zi'ang Zhao Jinmai as Han Duoduo Wu Jing as Liu Peiqiang   ***SPOILER ALERT*** A Belated Promise and a Grand Premise A few months ago, I promised my friends on the Chinese social media app Red Note that I'd review some Chinese movies. Unlike other platforms whe...

Freaky Tales (2024)

Plot Summary: Set against the vibrant and chaotic backdrop of Oakland, California, in 1987, Freaky Tales weaves together four interconnected stories inspired by the city's culture from that era. Narrated by Oakland rap legend Too Short, the film unfolds over a single day and night, following a diverse group of characters on a collision course. Directors: Ryan Fleck, Anna Boden Screenplay: Ryan Fleck, Anna Boden Music: Raphael Saadiq Cinematography: Jac Fitzgerald Starring: Pedro Pascal as Clint Ben Mendelsohn as The Guy Jay Ellis as Sleepy Floyd Dominique Thorne as Barbie Normani as Entice   ***SPOILER ALERT*** Dude, I Think I'm Too Old For This So I decided to check out a popular new movie, and dude... I think I'm too old for this sh**. The film is set in 1987 and uses all the camera tricks and cinematography to go for that '...

The Surfer (2024)

Plot Summary: A father and son arrive at a remote beach for a surfing vacation, but are met with hostility from the territorial locals. As the father attempts to prove himself worthy of surfing the beach, he descends into an increasingly surreal and menacing experience that challenges his sanity and physical limits. Director: Lorcan Finnegan Screenplay: Thomas Martin Music: FranΓ§ois TΓ©taz Cinematography: Radek Ładczuk Starring: Nicolas Cage as The Surfer Julian McMahon as Scally Nicholas Cassim as The Son   ***SPOILER ALERT*** Welcome to the Church of Cage Someone once said that "Nicolas Cage" is its own movie genre, and I couldn't agree more. I specifically chose to watch The Surfer because I was in desperate need of a fix, and this film, directed by Lorcan Finnegan, couldn't have been a more perfect vehicle for him. One of the absolute...

Top 5 - Luc Besson

Hey everyone, and welcome back! While I've been posting regularly, it took me a little while to wrap up my thoughts on Luc Besson's filmography and put together this top 5 video. It's been 384 days since my last post on this topic, so I know this video is long overdue, but I hope you'll agree that it was worth the wait! Video Format: For the Visual Film Lovers For those who prefer watching over reading, this video is an easy-to-digest introduction to Luc Besson's movies. I've been wrestling with how to present my thoughts on a director whose career, for me, went from "CinΓ©ma du look" to "cinema don't look." I apologize for the monotonous AI voice in the video; I'm just not that comfortable speaking English with my accent just yet. But...