Posted on: March 7, 2011 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

Fish Tank is a film that is interesting on a number of levels. First off, the plot – dealing with dancing as a way to get away from the trials and tribulations of life – provides something that viewers of all stripes can appreciate and understand. Second off, the music choices here (including “Your House” by Steel Pulse, “Juice” by Eric B and Rakim, and “Original Nuttah” by Shy FX) act as highlights for the film. Finally, the filming style provides viewers with much more realistic efforts by each member of the crew. Actress Katie Jarvis (Mia) had no prior acting experience before coming into the film, and it is this genuine and honest tenor achieved by the film that is in no small part due to eir.

The Criterion Collection Blu-Ray edition of Fish Tank dispenses with the formalities and immediately provides viewers with a tremendous amount of additional features. These features have the added effect of increasing the value considerably. Key of these additions would have to be the number of short films by Andrea Arnold, including eir early Milk (1998) and Wasp (2003), along with Dog (2001) and an interview conducted with Kierston Wareing (Joanne). For completists, a copy of the original trailer is present, bundled alongside rare footage culled from the different auditions for casting.

For those that wish to understand the overall significance of the film, the Blu-Ray edition comes bundled with a lengthy (and quite interesting) dissection of the film by Ian Christie. Fish Tank is the perfect example of a film that can be enjoyed by individuals of all ages, educations, and backgrounds, while the Criterion edition gives the proper background and context to understand every shot, casting choice, and other decision made in the creation of the film. Pick up this Blu-Ray set today.

Rating: 8.4/10

Fish Tank (Blu-Ray) / 2011 Criterion / 122 Minutes / http://www.criterion.com

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