Fish Tank

I am a little in love with Netflix. For only $8 a month I can watch all kinds of movies and documentaries that I wouldn't normally get to see. Case in point: Fish Tank. This British Indie piece of genius didn't play many places or do much business in North America although it is considerably better than a lot of other films that do. Written and directed by Andrea Arnold, this film revolves around a lower class teenager, Mia. It is a gritty and unflinching look at her life. She acts so tough to cover up anything that might hurt. She drinks, swears a lot, gets into fights and lashes out at people. She finds solace in hip hop dancing. Her mother's new boyfriend changes things when he comes in to their lives.

Andrea Arnold presents a poignant portrait of this angry young woman as she tries to navigate a life where she spends too much time alone and doesn't have many options. I could feel that this film was written and directed by a woman. First off, it revolves around a female character. Mia is not some ideal woman nor is she weak or spending all of her time searching for a man. Her story is presented as one worth telling regardless of gender, something that does not happen enough. Also noticeable is the absence of the "male gaze" in the presentation of the film. This film looks like how life can feel. To me, that means something. It is a harsh look at what life can be. Fish Tank is certainly worth watching and I highly recommend it to anyone who bothers to read my musings on the movies I watch.