Starring Edward Rowe as a struggling fisherman, the film deals with the tensions that arise between locals and tourists in a Cornish fishing village against a backdrop of second homes, short-term lets, and gentrification.

He struggles to make ends meet fishing without a boat, while his brother Steven uses their late father's vessel to offer cruise trips to visiting tourists.

[2] On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 100% based on 39 reviews, with an average score of 8.5/10.

The site's critical consensus reads, "As visually distinctive as it is narratively satisfying, Bait blends a classic aesthetic with timely themes to produce a thrillingly original and uniquely enriching drama.

[4] Writing in The Observer, Mark Kermode gave a glowing review, describing the film as 'a genuine modern masterpiece, which establishes Jenkin as one of the most arresting and intriguing British film-makers of his generation.