REVIEW: Ken Loach offers final societal exposé with ‘The Old Oak’
Photo: The Old Oak stars, from left, Ebla Mari and Dave Turner. Photo courtesy of Zeitgeist Films / Provided by Film Forum press site with permission.
Ken Loach is a most impressive filmmaker who has built a career out of exceptional movies that touch upon important societal issues. What is being billed as his final film is The Old Oak, now playing in movie theaters, including New York City’s Film Forum. This pulled-from-the-headlines story follows the longtime residents of an English mining community and new Syrian refugees who arrive in the neighborhood. There are clashes and episodes of prejudice, but there are also glimmers of hope. The narrative mostly focuses on TJ, the owner of a local pub called the Old Oak, and Yara, a dedicated photographer who has recently arrived in town.
The Old Oak is considered the final chapter in Loach’s Northeast England trilogy, which also includes I, Daniel Blake and Sorry We Missed You. With these three movies, the filmmaker has left audiences with exquisite considerations on how people work, live, clash, love, survive and change.
Dave Turner plays the character of TJ, a quiet man who pours many a draft for his friends at the Old Oak. He mostly stays out of people’s way and certainly keeps to himself as far as conversation goes, but this begins to change when a bus arrives with Yara (Ebla Mari) and other refugees. These new community members have faced unspeakable horrors in Syria, and now they are attempting a new life in northeast England.
Almost immediately, they are faced with ridicule and suspicion. In fact, one local racist grabs Yara’s precious camera and breaks it on the pavement, which catapults the plot’s main arc: Can Yara collect enough money to repair her prized possession? TJ is there to help out, but quickly their ambitions grow larger, encompassing the entire community. They want everyone to get along, and their goal is to serve meals — no questions asked — to whomever might show up to the adjoining room at the Old Oak. It’s a heartfelt plan, but one that meets with resistance and questions.
Loach is a director who seemingly loves to document real life. He finds inspiration in detailing the struggles of communities and how they change (or don’t) during turbulent times. He dissects different issues not with statistics and research, but with authentic human relationships and real conversations. This is especially true of Sorry We Missed You, which looks at a family under pressure to earn a living wage, and it rings true for The Old Oak.
The acting in this new feature is top-notch, especially from Turner and Mari. The supporting cast is equally effective in bringing this community to life, even when the community is torn asunder. It’s to Loach’s immense credit, and the credit of screenwriter Paul Laverty, that no one in this picture is given a one-note arc or brushed aside as a stock character. Loach and his team dig deep to see where prejudice might come from, what it means to move one’s life to another country, how kindness can bring people together and how miscommunication can drive them apart.
The Old Oak is a solid response to the narratives playing out across the globe as families are forced to face uncertain futures.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
The Old Oak (2023). Directed by Ken Loach. Written by Paul Laverty. Starring Dave Turner and Ebla Mari. Running time: 113 minutes. Now playing in movie theaters, including New York City’s Film Forum. Click here for more information. Rating: 
