The Old Oak

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2:15

The Old Oak

2024

1h 53m

Drama

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Popcornmeter

82%

Tomatometer

96 Reviews

78%

Popcornmeter

100+ Ratings

The Old Oak is the last pub standing in a once thriving mining village in northern England, a gathering space for a community that has fallen on hard times. There is growing anger, resentment, and a lack of hope among the residents, but the pub and its proprietor TJ are a fond presence to their customers. When a group of Syrian refugees move into the floundering village, a decisive rift fueled by prejudices develops between the community and its newest inhabitants. The formation of an unexpected friendship between TJ and a young Syrian woman named Yara opens up new possibilities for the divided village in this deeply moving drama about loss, fear, and the difficulty of finding hope. The release of The Old Oak reunites legendary British director Ken Loach with Zeitgeist Films and Kino Lorber following our 2020 release of his film Sorry We Missed You. Loach, who is 87 years old, has announced that The Old Oak will be his final film.

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Critics Consensus

Imbued with the fiercely humanistic spirit that has defined Ken Loach's filmography, The Old Oak serves as a fitting -- albeit somewhat sentimental -- finale to a remarkable career.

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Christina Newland

iNews.co.uk

09/18/2024

3/5

Loach and his screenwriter Paul Lavery are sometimes painfully on-the-nose, borderline parodic, in their contrived kitchen sink sensibilities.

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Ty Burr

Ty Burr's Watch List (Substack)

06/14/2024

3.5/4

The final scene of “The Old Oak” reduced me, once again and for the final time, to tears.

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Michael O'Sullivan

Washington Post

05/03/2024

3/4

It is unmistakably a Loach film: taciturn yet forthright, examining life in the cracks of a fractured society with deep compassion, plain-spoken anger and, perhaps more so than in the previous two films, a shot of hope.

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Dave Giannini

Geek Vibes Nation

07/19/2025

9/10

The Old Oak never makes the mistake of allowing its characters to play the hero in a Hollywood way. Ebla Mari, in her film debut, handles a great deal of dialogue and emotional work with aplomb.

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Maxance Vincent

Film Speak

07/14/2025

B+

As far as a final film goes, whereas Loach’s previous movies were far bleaker and angrier, ending his lengthy career on such a positive, uplifting note seems alright.

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Mary Ann Brussat

Spirituality & Practice

01/09/2025

5/5

Inspiring story in which a town of unemployed miners and a group of Syrian refugees discover how big is their we.

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Deborah

05/15/2024

Fabulous, tear-jerky, heart-warming

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Roy J

04/17/2024

This is what the art of filmmaking is all about. To empathize with characters you've never encountered before. I hope Ken Loach doesn't retire because he's still got it!

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Judith K

@ziqiongmom Jul 3

Ken Loach, the director of this movie, has said this will be his last film. That's understandable, since he was about 86 when this was made. However, this film is striking, impactful, and hopeful. I was inspired by seeing it. It shows that hope, thoughtfulness, courage, and perseverance can accomplish good things even in very difficult times. I really appreciate this message, delivered by excellent actors who were inspired by an excellent script and an outstanding director.

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Malcolm N

@RT95303983 Jun 11

Beautifully filmed and directed BUT This is Establishment political propaganda at its very worse. It fails to portray reality and misrepresents the actual criminal, social, economic, religious and cultural damage that immigrants impose on the indigenous people of this country. It concentrates s mostly on female immigrants to raise emotional sympathy. But at the same time shows mostly English male opponents to immigration (who have suffered greatly due to deliberate Establishment punishment) in a very derogatory manner. This is therefore good art and talent used for Establishment brainwashing propaganda purposes. And is a dangerous representation of reality. Probably well intended by Roach but as we know by facts to be untrue.

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Dandelion R

@dandelionMR123 Mar 25

A modern-day Tarzan for the woke liberal classes. Loach trades his former realism for a patronising missionary fantasy. He sends a saintly, upper middle-class, cultured Syrian refugee to civilise a village of backward working-class Northerners. So disappointing.

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john H

@RT11206856 Mar 24

I reall enjoyed this Ken Loach film, mainly because it made me think, and that's good. If everyone else watched it that supports Reform, supports the protests against boat people and illegal immigration, maybe they wouldundeestand things a bit more. They might not be the best actors, but the performances are strong and beluevable. Credit to them all.

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The Old Oak: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

The Old Oak is the last pub standing in a once thriving mining village in northern England, a gathering space for a community that has fallen on hard times. There is growing anger, resentment, and a lack of hope among the residents, but the pub and its proprietor TJ are a fond presence to their customers. When a group of Syrian refugees move into the floundering village, a decisive rift fueled by prejudices develops between the community and its newest inhabitants. The formation of an unexpected friendship between TJ and a young Syrian woman named Yara opens up new possibilities for the divided village in this deeply moving drama about loss, fear, and the difficulty of finding hope. The release of The Old Oak reunites legendary British director Ken Loach with Zeitgeist Films and Kino Lorber following our 2020 release of his film Sorry We Missed You. Loach, who is 87 years old, has announced that The Old Oak will be his final film.

Director: Ken Loach
Producer: Rebecca O'Brien, Pascal Caucheteux
Screenwriter: Paul Laverty, Paul Laverty
Distributor: Zeitgeist Films
Production Co: BBC Film, Les Films du Fleuve, Sixteen Films, Why Not Productions, StudioCanal UK
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 5, 2024, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 4, 2024
Box Office (Gross USA): $229.7K
Runtime: 1h 53m