THE OLD OAK
THE OLD OAK
TJ Ballantyne runs the titular pub, The Old Oak, which serves as the main gathering place for the local community. However, as anti-immigrant sentiments grow stronger among the residents, tensions rise with the arrival of Syrian refugees in the village. Everything starts to change when TJ forms an unexpected friendship with a young Syrian woman.
The iconic British filmmaker Ken Loach's latest analysis of the modern working class and lessons in empathy towards the vulnerable. In the case of THE OLD OAK, those who need a helping hand are refugees from Syria. Loach exposes the obvious, which is ignored and misrepresented: the Syrians fleeing war are frightened, broken people, not an abstract, faceless wave threatening the foundations of European identity.
At first, the residents of a rapidly declining village in North-East England adopt a hostile attitude. The young see no future there, while those left barely make ends meet. The new Syrian neighbours become an easy target for their frustrations. Instead of trying to understand the refugees’ motivations, they are seen as invaders of the last bastions that bring the local community together. One of these sanctuaries is The Old Oak pub, owned by the kind-hearted TJ Ballantyne (Dave Turner). Although the man would prefer to avoid conflict and quietly serve beer to his neighbours, he meets Yara (Ebla Mari) and her family, whose situation does not allow him to remain indifferent.
With his signature sensitivity, Loach tells a story of friendship across divides created by a flawed system. He does not condemn his compatriots as inherently evil but seeks to understand what drives their xenophobia and prejudice. In a didactic tone, he advocates for intercultural exchange, humanitarianism, and solidarity with refugees.
Michał Sołtysek
