Preteen girl looking at a cell phone with her parents

Family movie night? There's an app for that

Download our new mobile app on iOS and Android.

Get the app
Parents' Guide to

Fish Tank

By S. Jhoanna Robledo, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 17+

Stark, powerful drama for older teens and adults.

Movie NR 2010 123 minutes
Fish Tank Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

See all
age 17+

Based on 2 parent reviews

doctora
doctora Parent of 5-year-old
June 14, 2022
age 16+

A film that you will be thinking about long after it's over

What an exceptional film. A harrowing and honest portrayal of the perils of growing up with little care. Mia's anger is palpable in every scene as well as her naïveté. Fassbender does what he does best...offer intense performances about flawed and ugly people. There is no throwaway line or random gesture. Every single thing is a clue, a piece of a puzzle a way in and offers its reveal. The cinematography is excellent and tone never wavers. Fantastic film.
wonder dove
wonder dove Adult
September 14, 2012
age 17+

Enjoyable British Film!

Great movie! Fish Tank is different than most. It's a British drama (easy to understand - unlike some British speaking movies!) based on a 15 year old teen struggling to figure out where she belongs. She loves dance but doubts her potential. Her mother treats her like she doesn't exist. She has a crush on her mother's boyfriend who also likes her back - they share a fling towards the mid-end of the film. She sppears to have no friends (at least in the movie) except for a boy her age she later meets. The story is quite good although slow, presents the challenges of a typical teenager who just wants a chance without getting stomped on. Very unique film! Watch out for language, drinking and smoking (even by small children) and sexual content (Two sex scenes and plenty of sexual innuendo). Worth watching!!
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Fifteen-year-old Mia (Katie Jarvis) lives in a British housing project, unwanted by her neglectful mother (Kierston Wareing), her father nowhere in sight, and her younger sister (Rebecca Griffiths) headed nowhere fast. Her only escape is dance, which she indulges in with great fervor, if not finish. In comes her mother's new boyfriend, Connor (Michael Fassbender), a security guard who doles out attention, praise, and interest in Mia -- stuff she's lived without for ages. But does he want to be her father or her lover? Mia finds him intriguing. And it appears he feels the same.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2 ):
Kids say (1 ):

The world portrayed in FISH TANK is bleak and claustrophobic. Fathers are absent; mothers ignore their children; and children smoke, curse, and drink like their parents. Everyone struggles to survive, and connections with great potential are corrupted by circumstances and human frailty. But in writer-director Andrea Arnold's hands, it's a world that intrigues. She allows the story to unfold in its own time, refraining from cheapening the enterprise with frantic cuts and oppressive music, as other filmmakers sometimes do. She tells a tale we've heard before but with amazing dexterity.

What makes Mia and Connor's questionable-yet-palpable connection compelling and believable are the performances. Fassbender's Connor isn't so much lecherous as confused, unable to explain himself or his desires and intentions. And Jarvis, as Mia (her first movie role), astonishes, balancing longing with confusion and rage. Combative and insulting, Mia isn't all that likable. But we wish for her nothing but joy and escape. It's not a given she'll get either.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the sexual activity in the movie. Do you think Connor is taking advantage of Mia? Do you know any teens who've been intimately involved with adults? Teens: Who can you talk to about these issues?

  • What are the real-life consequences of behavior such as underage drinking? Are those consequences depicted believably here?

  • Why is Mia the way she is? What and who have shaped her personality? If she hates the way her mother is, why does she act a lot like her sometimes? How are they different?

Movie Details

Inclusion information powered by

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended movie lists

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate