Fish Tank: Teen Film I Watched

Analysis of Fish Tank

The Storyline
The main character in the film is called Mia Williams (Katie Jarvis) and she is a volatile and socially isolated girl that likes in a council flat is Essex. She lives with her provocative, single mother and hostile and presumptuous sister. She had been kicked out of school and is waiting to be sent to a referral unit so she spends her days aimlessly. She develops an uneasy friendship with her mothers new slick boyfriend, Conor, who gave her support and confidence to pursue her only interest, hip hop dancing.














Stereotypes and Conventions
There are a few stereotypical themes, characters and locations in Fish Tank. Mia is a rebellious teenager, and this character is a common in teen movies. Themes such as love/romance, conflict between parents and teenagers and conflict in social groups and friendships. The council flat location is a regular setting in teen movies, such as, adulthood.


Genre
Fish Tank is a drama and a lot of teen films are dramas, like Kidulthood, Wild Child and The Bling Ring.

The opening of the film

The opening to this film gives us an insight to the life of a 15 year old life in a tough town in Essex.

• The Film Ident is shown (BBC Films).
• The Title.
• The setting is established: The large window that is shown in the first shot shows high flats and tall buildings, showing us that she lives in a council flat.
• The main character is established. Mia is shown first and her character is shown through the tracksuit clothes and her bad and aggressive dialogue, 'bitch'.