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Connor O'Reily is the main antagonist of the 2009 drama film Fish Tank.
He is introduced after protagonist Mia's mother, Joanne, welcomes him to their home as her new boyfriend. As the film progresses, it becomes apparent Connor has predatory, sinister intentions against his girlfriend's daughter.
He is portrayed by Michael Fassbender, who also portrayed Magneto in the X-Men film series, Logan in Fable III, Burke in Jonah Hex, Edwin Epps in 12 Years a Slave, The Killer in The Killer David 8 in the Alien prequels and the title character in Macbeth.
Personality[]
Initially, Connor shows seemingly genuine interest in Mia and her hobby of dancing. As Mia is often overlooked by those around her, Connor seems to be someone who actually does care about her and her future. However, this is revealed to have been part of a plan to groom and manipulate her instead.
Physical appearance[]
Connor is a handsome, Caucasian man with brown hair. He has an athletic build and facial stubble.
Biography[]
Background[]
Connor is a middle-class man living in London during the early 2000s. He is a security guard, and the father of two young girls, Keira and another elder daughter. He has a partner who is the presumed mother of these children.
Fish Tank[]
Mia, who lives in a working-class council estate n East London with her mother, Joanne and younger sister, Tyler, has a passion to dance as a distraction from her dreary reality. Her relationship with her mother is fraught due to her mother's frequent verbal and emotional abuse. Her relationship with her sister is also tense due to her precociousness.
Keely, Mia's best friend, falls out and the pair stop being amicable, effectively leaving Mia with nobody to turn to. When Joanne begins a relationship with Connor O'Reilly, Mia is shocked to feel Connor sees her as a person, and encourages her interest in dancing. Connor invites Tyler, Joanne and Mia on a holiday in the countryside which elates Joanne.
During the holiday, Connor tries to relate to Mia by showing her his favourite song, and teaching her how to fish. Despite Mia's sharpness toward Connor, it is clear that she does value the attention he gives her despite the inappropriateness of their dynamic. Back in the flat, a social worker visis Joanne and encourages Mia be sent to boarding establishments for disengaged teenagers. As Mia flees the threat of this, she finds an audition pamphlet obviously recruiting exotic dancers. Connor learns this and is evidently aware of the nature of the audition, but nonetheless encourages Mia to. Connor lends her a video camera to record her audition on, and the interactions between them increase in flirtatiousness.
When Mia returns back, Connor sexually spanks Mia in a flirtatious way, and when Mia later hears Joanne and Connor have sex, she becomes angry. The dance studio invites Mia to audition having seen her tape. A drunken Connor requests to see Mia's dance (which is to the same song Connor claims was his favourite). During this, Connor initiates sex despite Mia being 15 and underage.
The next morning, Connor breaks up with Joanne, leaving her devastated. Mia is able to track Connor down, where she learns he is from a sophisticated, middle-class family. Shocked to see her, Connor begs Mia to keep their interactions secret, and that he can no longer see her due to her age. Later that day, Mia breaks back into Connor's house and learns that he is married with two children, and had been cheating on his wife the entire time. Mia then abducts Connor's youngest daughter, Keira, out of revenge and distress. Connor chases Mia through a field and slaps her brutally.