Fish tank ending analysis

Scene
Micro features
Narrative features and ideological analysis
1:48:57 - Short council house sequence  







1:50:16 - the dance sequence (genuine connection between Joanne and Mia) 


















 . A series of medium long shots that fill the frame + high angle











1:51:44 - medium shot


























1:52:53 - medium close up

1:53:37 - POV + frame within a frame

1:54:09 - long shot 
. the towering council estate fills the frame entirely paired with high  angles, Mia's surroundings feel inescapable and claustrophobic - there is a clear prison like imagery to connote this inescapability - 1:49:13 (Man sat on balcony behind railings which remind of bars in a prison) - sharp brutalist architecture of the council estate, industrial and prison like (note I'm not an architecture enthusiast) + the variety of shots with multiple people shows the many others like Mia struggling in these kind of surroundings reminding the spectator this isn't just Mia's story


. The first nice thing Joanne's said to her daughter in the whole film when she compliments her music taste "its alright" "....you can keep it"
"go on then fuck off" - Joanne is losing her daughter

Placed directly opposite in the frame. Joanne dressed in yellow as she nearly always is juxtaposed by Mia in dressed in black - the wallpaper that connotes escapism is in the background, showing despite their differences they both desire the same thing; an escape, except arguably Mia is able to and Joanne is glad for Mia but also resentful that she is losing her daughter and that Mia is able to escape but Joanne is unable to - this brings into question a lot of Joannes character as a maternal figure, she is depicted as abusive multiple times throughout the film but their times that make us question whether she is concerned for Mia or resentful of her; such as when she asks about the referral unit "is it far away", does Joanne ask this because she will miss Mia or because she wants Mia as far away from her as possible.
- This is the closest the family get to unity - without Connor and this unity is shown as deeply dysfunctional, unable to directly verbalise affections, Joanne indirectly compliments Mia and the dance that ensues is not particularly intimate - but it is the closest thing Mia gets to intimacy with her emotionally distant mother - this medium shots shows the lack of intimacy with an absence of physical contact showing the emotional distance between the two + shots with both Mia and Joanne in the frame still place distance between the two (1:51:27)

- Both wear very neutral expressions again showing an incapability to express how they feel - a mutually shared but unspoken affection, instead they mirror each others dancing - (1:52:18) Joanne is able to express a small short lived smile seen for a fraction of a second before cutting quickly to Mia walking down the council estate



the medium close up fills the frame with Mia and tyler hugging, an intimate scene

Tyler is framed through the back car window in front of the council estate, showing us what Mia's escaping but also what she's abandoning

A silver heart shaped balloon floats above the council estate as Mia drives away - shows Mia is escaping the council estate - possible implication that while it appears she is escaping the dominance of men she is not as we know a helium balloon will eventually pop and come back down to earth, possibly showing Mia's delusion as she believes she's almost transcended the council estate rising up to something greater after facing the ordeal of Connor when in fact she has just subject herself to further be domesticated by men, just a different man

- Mia and he friend however clearly share a similar desire to escape, shown earlier in the film when Andrea shows us a flock of birds symbolising freedom then the two of them in the confined empty flat sharing a silent gaze 


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