Film review: ‘THE OLD OAK’ by Nick Gardener from ‘Built For Speed’

Ken Loach is one of contemporary cinema’s most important auteurs. Now, four years after his emotionally gruelling depiction of the gig economy’s impact on working class Britain in Sorry We Missed You, he returns with the immigration drama, The Old Oak.  In a career that stretches back to the 1960’s, Loach has carved a distinctive niche in left wing humanist cinema with sobering indictments of neo-conservative and neo-liberal values and economics and the rich and powerfuls’ heartless neglect and exploitation of working-class people.  His films have also been about the life-affirming culture and solidarity of working-class communities. This has never been more so than in his latest film and purportedly his last, the typically worthy, heartfelt, if occasionally soap operatic, The Old Oak.

The film takes place in the depressed northern English village of County Durham where a once vibrant community has been steadily broken down by a faltering economy and property speculators swooping in like vultures to buy up real estate. It’s into this febrile and embittered community that a group of refugees arrive from war-torn Syria.  The moment they step off the bus they’re met with a torrent of racist abuse from some of the local oiks. Helping the refugees, though, is the film’s central character, local pub owner TJ Ballantyne (Dave Turner).  Divorced from his wife, estranged from his son and barely hanging onto his dilapidated pub, TJ is a forlorn figure. To survive, he has to appease the local drinkers who use his pub as forum for their vile, entitled and often racist outbursts.  TJ finds purpose, though, through his connection to the Syrian families and in particular the smart and forthright young woman, Yara (Ebla Mari).

The Old Oak is instantly recognisable as a Loach film.  Raw, dialogue-heavy kitchen sink drama where the only embellishment is a soundtrack of plaintive music. The film mostly depicts people going about their everyday lives but in so doing Loach touches on vital contemporary issues such as toxic social media hate and the state of Britain culturally and economically in the wake of Brexit.

It wouldn’t be a Ken Loach film if it didn’t occasionally feel like a wallow in misery but the characters’ convincing humanity generally breaks through anything that feels like contrived drama.  As a typical everyman Loach hero, Dave Turner is wonderful, bringing touching vulnerability, compassion and resilience to the character of TJ.  Ebla Mari also delivers a subtly powerful performance as a decent person struggling to come to terms with the nightmare she’s had to endure.  A supporting cast are generally very convincing as angry, prejudiced but also scared and disoriented locals who, as TJ points out react to their fears by stamping on anyone below them.

The Old Oak is quite sentimental and a couple of scenes feel a little manufactured amid the naturalness of the film overall but its messages of community and compassion are undeniably touching and have never been more necessary.

Nick’s rating: ****

Genre: Drama.

Classification: MA15+.

Director(s): Ken Loach.

Release date: 30th Nov 2023.

Running time: 113 mins.

Reviewer: Nick Gardener can be heard on “Built For Speed” every Friday night from 8-10pm on 88.3 Southern FM.

 

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