Jellyfish

James Gardner's 2018 British film follows Sarah, fifteen, living in Margate. She is excluded at school, works in poor conditions at an amusement arcade, and cares for her depressed mother and two younger siblings. She cannot contain her anger, which keeps getting her into trouble. Change begins in a drama class. Her teacher persuades her to try stand-up comedy, and for the first time Sarah's anger becomes useful. The film does not turn this into a rescue; the stage does not change the situation at home. Liv Hill's performance carries the entire film. Margate out of season, with shuttered shops and an empty seafront, matches the character's circumstances. The stand-up routine in the final scene became its most discussed passage. Who it's for: those who like British social realism and drama about adolescence. Who it's not for: viewers who want to avoid poverty, sexual exploitation and neglect; the film shows all of them directly.