2. Fish Tank
Andrea Arnold’s Fish Tank tells the story of Mia, a volatile and socially isolated 15-year-old who lives on an East London council estate with her single mother and younger sister. Her life changes when she meets her mother’s new boyfriend Connor (played by Michael Fassbender), and their seemingly innocent relationship develops into a physical one, with it left up to the viewer to decide whether Connor was taking advantage of Mia or just fell for her as they grew closer.
Things take a sinister turn when she discovers his secret family and almost drowns his young daughter, while her dreams of being a dancer are squashed when she realises an audition she managed to get is actually for a strip club. Ultimately, Mia decides to leave her old life behind and moves to Cardiff with Billy, a traveller she met earlier in the film and struck up a friendship with, resulting in a satisfying and mostly happy ending.
