Fish Tank (2009)

[amoergosum]

I just watched it for the first time...absolutely brilliant film.
I'm surprised that there hasn't been a thread yet. What are your thoughts on Fish Tank?

Fish Tank (2009) Trailer - The Criterion Collection - YouTube

[Danchez]

It was a blind buy for me and I don't regret it one bit.

Kate Jarvis was pitch-perfect in her role and the scene towards the end where

[Show spoiler]the daughters are dancing with their mother

really hit me for some reason. Not sappy or overdone, but real. Just like the rest of the movie, I suppose.

[theprestige85]

Completely agree. I think it's a fantastic film. Absolutely mesmerising in every sense.

It's funny because i'm an adult male from the Essex area but I really felt for Mia. It's another authentic British social drama that's neither preachy or consciously sappy, though there are some heartbreaking moments in it. I think it's Andrea Arnold's best film yet.

That finale is pretty tense.

[Avond]

It's definitely a great little film. I haven't seen it in a while and I should definitely go back and watch it again!

[Scottie]

One of my favorite films ever put out by The Criterion Collection.

It is an absolutely wonderful coming-of-age film.

[onetet]

Very strong film, and the shorts included on the disc are well worth your time, especially WASP.

Her feature RED ROAD is excellent as well; I wasn't as taken with WUTHERING HEIGHTS.

[AnamorphicWidescreen]

Fish Tank is one of my favorite films from the 200x's - very moving & poignant, and it helped that all of the actors/actresses truly seemed like they were playing themselves, especially the lead. Other than Fassbender, it seemed like the rest of the cast were non-professional, but I could be wrong about this....

I also can't emphasize enough how powerful the soundtrack was...especially the scenes in which Bobby Womack's version of California Dreamin' played over - truly sublime...unusually enough, I had never heard Womack's version of the song before seeing the film, and now I like it much better than the original version (by the Mamas & The Papas)....

In Fish Tank & the excellent Chungking Express (in which the M&P version of the song played), California Dreamin' seemed to speak for the characters in that they were longing to be somewhere other than their bleak (in the case of FT) or boring (in the case of CE) surroundings...

My appreciation of the song has actually been increased by it's use in both of these films

[Todd Tomorrow]

Another fan here. Great film.

[amoergosum]

We can be grateful for the casting assistant >>>

"Katie Jarvis, who plays Mia, had no prior acting experience. She was cast for the film after one of Arnold's casting assistants saw her arguing with her boyfriend in Tilbury Town railway station, which is the station featured in the film."

Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fish_Tank_%28film%29

Katie Jarvis hasn't been in a movie since Fish Tank. It's a pity since she's such a talent and wanted to continue acting >>>

BIFA 09 'Most Promising Newcomer Winner': Katie Jarvis (Fish Tank) - YouTube

"Following the success of the film, she was signed by talent agencies, Billy Lazarus signed her for United States based United Talent Agency and Sue Latimer of Artist Rights Group will represent her in Britain."

Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katie_Jarvis#Acting_career

[Franchot]

I thought it was one of the best films of the year and easily outpaced many of the Oscar-nominated films for the year.

[theprestige85]

Originally Posted by AnamorphicWidescreen

Fish Tank is one of my favorite films from the 200x's - very moving & poignant, and it helped that all of the actors/actresses truly seemed like they were playing themselves, especially the lead. Other than Fassbender, it seemed like the rest of the cast were non-professional, but I could be wrong about this....

Kierston Wareing who played Mia's mum is also a professional actor. You'll only see her in the odd BBC dramas though. She's also from Essex and, yeah, you get a sense that she was playing an exaggerated version of herself. I think the rest of the cast are non professional, though.

[theprestige85]

Originally Posted by Danchez

It was a blind buy for me and I don't regret it one bit.

Kate Jarvis was pitch-perfect in her role and the scene towards the end where

[Show spoiler]the daughters are dancing with their mother

really hit me for some reason. Not sappy or overdone, but real. Just like the rest of the movie, I suppose.

I think it's a powerful scene because it highlights just how alike and connected Mia and her mum are despite their battles. Mia loves to dance but where does she get it all from? Her mum, of course. Just like she gets her foul mouth and rebellious behaviour too. The point of the scene, I think, was that the girls are mirrors of their mother. The mother had a shit upbringing, possibly in a council estate as well and would have used dance as a form of expression and escape.

I think they had a better understanding of each other by the end

[Rottweiler30]

An interesting watch. However, if we're supposed to sympathise with Mia then one scene later on made that impossible for me.

Maybe it's because I'm a father. Once you can't sympathise with her a lot of what had gone before was diluted in my mind and the film suffered as a result. Those who have seen it will know the scene, I haven't felt a sense of dread like that over a film in quite some time.

Very well performed and shot though.

3.5/5 for me.

[AnamorphicWidescreen]

I re-watched FT a while back. This movie doesn't lose it's intense power over repeat viewings. Truly excellent film that AFAIC may as well be a documentary.

Originally Posted by Rottweiler30

An interesting watch. However, if we're supposed to sympathise with Mia then one scene later on made that impossible for me.

Maybe it's because I'm a father. Once you can't sympathise with her a lot of what had gone before was diluted in my mind and the film suffered as a result. Those who have seen it will know the scene, I haven't felt a sense of dread like that over a film in quite some time.

Yes,

[Show spoiler]Mia's temporary "kidnapping" of Fassbender's young daughter - and the daughter's almost subsequent drowning - was appalling.

However,

[Show spoiler]also appalling was the Fassbender character's actions prior to this. I.e., sleeping with Mia/leading her on, especially considering her young age & how old he was. I completely get why she was so upset/betrayed by this. So, while I definitely don't condone or agree with the character's actions, I can understand the anger/resentment she felt towards the Fassbender character.

[BluLobsta]

Wow, life gets complicated don't it. Good film. Bad judgment. When Fassbender's character carried her upstairs when she was drunk and covered her with a blanket, I said now that is a class move. Well done. A man of character. Later in the film, when

[Show spoiler]he was drunk and alone with her

that was just bad news.

[Show spoiler]He asks her to dance?

Just leave, man. Be the adult in the room.

Yeah when she

[Show spoiler]walked off with his kid,

I was terrified. I thought the worst. I also thought he would

[Show spoiler]kill her

when he caught her afterwards. Lots of tension.

Good music! California dreamin' ♪♬♪♬ On such a winter's day ♪♬♪♬♪♬♪♬