Fish Tank

Coming of age movies are by definition angst journeys into the eternal themes of first love, life's disappointments and family dysfunction. Fish Tank (2009) covers all of these, but does so from the perspective of Mia, a 15 year old, hard as nails , R & B loving Essex girl, with an abusive child of a mother and a foul mouthed wisecracking younger sister. The three of them survive their loveless estate by bouts of heavy drinking, and for Mia, dreams of being a hip hop dancer.
With the sudden arrival of her Mother's charming Irish boyfriend Connor (the excellent Michael Fassbender) who shows kindness to the waring trio, Mia is transformed, that is, until Conner shows his real colours and disaster ensues.
A non professional 17 year old Dagenham girl, Katie Jarvis, literally explodes onto the screen as the sullen and angry, Mia, and she more than holds her own in every scene of this two hour film. It was incredibly brave for director Andrea Arnold to cast this unknown girl who she spotted arguing with her boyfriend on Tilbury station as the lead in this complex movie.
Not an easy film to watch, and not a joyful one, but I gave it 8/10
Nige,you would love it