Guardian News Service

In the claustrophobic flats which incubate family dysfunction and rage, and the wild beautiful spaces thereabouts, where the urban sprawls out into the country, film-maker Andrea Arnold finds a powerful story of betrayed love -one of three British movies in competition at Cannes this year.

This is a powerfully-acted drama, beautifully photographed by the cinematographer Robbie Ryan, who intersperses bleak interiors with sudden, gasp-inducing landscapes. Arnold takes elements of tough social-realist drama which are, if not cliches exactly, then certainly familiar, but makes them live again and steers the movie away from miserablism, driven by a
heartfelt central performance.

Mia, played by newcomer Katie Jarvis, is a lairy 15-year-old who lives with single-mum Joanne, played by Kierston Wareing, her lippy younger sister Tyler - a scene-stealer from Rebecca Griffiths - and their dog, Tennants. As well as a sincere devotion to cheap supermarket booze, the girls have learned from their mother mannerisms of pre-emptive scorn and rage, to cover up perennially hurt feelings. Mia is a wannabe dancer, and when she’s trying out moves in the kitchen one morning, her mother’s new boyfriend ambles in half-naked, looking to put the kettle on. This is handsome, charming Connor, outstandingly played by Michael Fassbender, and he looks at Mia with frank appraisal. Poor Mia has never had a compliment and responds with alternating suspicion and fierce, semi-controlled gratitude, especially when Connor behaves like a real dad, taking everyone out for drives in the country.

Of course there is a sexual atmosphere between Connor and Mia. Mia pretends to be asleep so Connor will carry her to bed, and there is a gamey mock-spanking scene, when Connor pretends to “discipline” her. Mia has no idea how to express or manage huge, unspent, reserves of passion: she doesn’t know if she wants a lover or father, or just someone to love her unconditionally. Connor is perhaps the man, but the slippery charmer has
secrets.

The performances of Jarvis and Fassbender are outstanding and their chemistry fizzes and then explodes. It is another highly intelligent, involving film from one of the most powerful voices in British cinema.