The Old Oak

2023

1h 53m

IMDb RATING

7.2/10

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Drama

A pub landlord in a previously thriving mining community struggles to hold onto his pub. Meanwhile, tensions rise in the town when Syrian refugees are placed in the empty houses in the community.

Directors

Ken Loach

Writers

Paul Laverty(screenplay by)

Stars

Dave Turner

Ebla Mari

Claire Rodgerson

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Featurette
Watch Ken Loach on The Old Oak | BFI Q&A
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Watch STUDIOCANAL PRESENTS: THE PODCAST - The Old Oak with director Ken Loach and writer Paul Laverty
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Watch "When you eat together, you stick together"
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Watch Ken Loach's incredible legacy

Top cast

TJ Ballantyne

Yara

Laura

Charlie

Vic

Eddy

Gary

Erica

Jaffa Cake

Maggie

Archie

Joe

Micky

Tommy

Union Supporter

Union Supporter

Fatima

Bashir

Directors

Ken Loach

Writers

Paul Laverty(screenplay by)

All cast & crew

Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

Set in a rapidly fading Northern English mining town, this tells the tale of an attempt to integrate some Syrian refugees fleeing the terror in their own country into a community that it still reeling from the systematic closure of their own livelihoods. Much of the story is based around the run-down "Old Oak" boozer which is run by the relatively open-minded "TJ" (Trevor Fox) who is pretty much a lone voice when it comes to welcoming these strangers to a place that's been devoid of investment - and hope - for many a year. Most of the locals see them fed and housed and, frankly, they resent it. Homes that they bought many years ago are now worth 20% of their former value, people and their families are trapped and their traditions and culture is dying. It's keen photographer "Tania" (Debbie Honeywood) who tries to bridge the cultural gap between the two peoples and eventually finds some like-minded folk who start to resurrect some of the practical solutions to the problems that this area faced during the turbulence of the miners' strikes of the 1980s. Unlike many of Ken Loach's other films, this is not an overtly political (anti-Thatcherite) statement. It's about the decline of a way of life, but set against a context of disaster and devastation faced by people fleeing something far more lethal and brutal. Indeed there is a positively celebratory scene where the Syrians are delighted to learn that their absent father/husband is not actually dead - he's just in a slum prison! The fact that these families are escaping something akin to the blitz doesn't lessen the resentment from some, though, and "TJ" is constantly trying to balance the needs of his customers/lifelong friends with his heartfelt desire to help these piteous homeless and stateless individuals. Despite the hostility on display at times, there is a pervading decency throughout this film and by the conclusion - which is not, in self, particularly conclusive - there is maybe just a little scope for optimism. If you enjoyed this film, check out "R.M.N" (2022) - a Romanian film doing the rounds just now that looks at this scenario from a different yet similar perspective and reminds us all, a little, of there but for the grace of god!

Geronimo196708 Oct, 2023