Was rocked to the core by the kick-ass brilliance of Andrea Arnold’s latest film. It’s a warts and all showcase of life in an Essex sink estate and the incredible sense of nihilism – born out by the main character’s ‘fuck you, fuck everything’ attitude. But although through a glass darkly, there are moments of light comic relief!
Katie Jarvis’ gutsy performance as Mia – a feral teen with serious attitude, but genuine vulnerability grabs you like a rottweiler’s teeth around the throat. Equally captivating are Rebecca Griffiths as smoking, snitching, swearing little ‘sista’, Tyler and Tennent’s, the dumb pit bull terrier.
Probably the best scene, straight out of Phoenix nights complete with costa del sunbed club owners, is Mia’s dance audition. Hastily aborted when she clocks that all the other ‘turns’ have false boobs, bleach blonde extensions and come fuck me shoes, whereas she’s strictly street dance with pram face high pony, trackie bottoms and trainers. Class, class, class!
Michael Fassbender’s portrayal as Connor is akin to Brad Pitt’s J.D in Thelma and Louise. His good looks, easy Irish charm, buff body and willingness to play dad put both Mia and her mum in a spin. At first, he seems like the only likeable character of the piece. But he’s not all he seems – leading a double life on a middle class estate but looking for a bit on the side, which he finds in Mia’s mum – a vulnerable dipso, disco, dysfunctional bitch of a mother. Then turns his ‘affections’ on Mia to disastrous effect. After a walk on the wild side, he retreats back to the safety of his middle class existence. Big mistake! As the characters unravel, Arnold shows a real insight into the fragility of teen spirit, the power of sexual attraction and the flaws in human nature.
Like Red Road, set on a grim Glaswegian housing estate, Fish Tank is a gritty take on social realism, which grabs you by the balls and then some. In three words; fucking bastard brilliant!
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