Drew's

Date Reviewed	3/12/2010
Title	Fish Tank
Rating
Directed By :	Andrea Arnold
Starring :	Katie Jarvis, Michael Fassbender, Rebecca Griffiths, Charlotte Collins, Kierston Wareing, Harry Treadaway and Jason Maza
Review	Welcome to the slums of London. This coming of age story doesn’t involve a mild broken heart from a summer love experience. “Fish Tank” is a hardened and realistic learning experience for our lead character. Newcomer Katie Jarvis stars as fifteen year old Mia Williams. She has a nasty disposition with a penchant for conflict. Coming from a single parent home without a male role figure, she has difficulty finding peace and growth. Mia has aspirations of becoming a hip hop dancer. This appears to be her only positive outlet that doesn’t involve trouble-seeking pleasures. A one-way exit ticket from the overcrowded streets and shoebox apartments is her long-term goal. She’s one desperate act away from becoming possession of the intolerable. Kierston Wareing co-stars as the boozy man seeking awful influence mother named Joanne. All she seems to do is yell at her two daughters, smoke, drink and party. She looks like she’d be Ellen Barkin’s trash mouthed U.K. niece with her squinty eyes, thick lips and a gaze for mischief. Michael Fassbender’s character as Connor enters the picture as Joanne’s latest male companion. Mia begins to open up as the mystery man gingerly breaks down her defense. Director Andrea Arnold manages to maintain a terrific tension throughout the first two thirds of the film. During certain moments, she uses a wonderful method pacing motion with heavy breath and curious observation from Mia’s perspective. The visual appearance of the feature is gritty, coarse and bleak. The budget wasn’t broken concerning wardrobe as our private dancer mostly wears tank tops and sweat gear. There is no dressing up with lower class London. Arnold has an honest way of alerting her audience that most folks dwelling from a location like this remain where they originate. There are very few windows that expose an opportunity to climb out of the hamster/gerbil-like existence. Due to the exhausting path of adversity on screen, the picture does feel long approaching the third act. “Fish Tank” is one of the more suggestive films in quite some time. I realize dance is an expression of physical emotion, but it can also come across as upright dry humping. All that pelvis thrusting can inadvertently attract the wrong demographic. Katie Jarvis has a familiarity to Emma Stone from “Superbad” and “Zombieland.” Fassbender could be the British Matthew McConaughey. There are a few touching and tender moments amidst the rough and raw texture. “Fish Tank” is a challenging watch due to the melancholy material with an understandable conclusion. The stock of Katie Jarvis has shot through the roof like Carey Mulligan. Drew's Reviews, copyright 2010, Drewsmoviereviews.com, property of Drew Bean.