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The Old Oak

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02:11

The Old Oak

Name: The Old Oak
Director: Ken Loach
Genre: Drama
Released: 2023
Duration: 1 h 53 min
Cast: Trevor Fox, Dave Turner, Ebla Mari, Claire Rodgerson, Chris McGlade

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Drama

2023
Ken Loach
113 mins
15

Summary

Drama directed by Ken Loach, starring Dave Turner and Ebla Mari. TJ, the landlord of a small pub in a former mining town, is struggling to keep his business open as the impoverished local community dwindles. When a small influx of Syrian refugees arrives, tensions arise among the locals but TJ forges an unlikely friendship with one of the newcomers, Yara, who helps TJ begin a community kitchen.

IMDB

Review

A star rating of 4 out of 5.

James Mottram

Director Ken Loach returns to England's north east, the setting for his Bafta-winning I, Daniel Blake (2016) and Sorry We Missed You (2019), for this frank, heartfelt examination of a community in crisis. The lead is TJ Ballantyne (Dave Turner), landlord of the titular pub. With the Old Oak on its knees, the few locals that still drink there are antagonistic towards the Syrian refugees dumped by an uncaring British government into the area. It's only when TJ meets photographer Yara (Ebla Mari), one of the Syrian arrivals, that he finds renewed purpose. The result is one of Loach's more hopeful films, a nod to the power of the collective. It's not subtle - screenwriter Paul Laverty throws everything at the wall, from dire poverty to displacement to dog cruelty, to see what sticks. The acting from some non-professional cast isn't always up to scratch, either. But with a story that highlights togetherness and the indefatigable nature of the human spirit, it drives towards a well-earned, touching finale.

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7.1/10