Fish Tank

I previously saw Andrea Arnold’s fine thriller Red Road set in estates a few years ago, so I was intrigued to see what she would do in her next film. Fish Tank is the story of a difficult and neglected teenager (an impressive debut by newcomer Katie Jarvis) with a lot of angst trying to find her place in the world. It is a somewhat bleak existence and probably more cleaned up that the reality of a council flat. It is a compelling film, but not as fascinating as her debut, but worthwhile for Jarvis’ performance as well as Michael Fassbender's turn as a wayward husband who shacks up with her mother and provides a complicated foil as positive male role model in her life.