The Old Oak

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Deborah Fabulous, tear-jerky, heart-warming Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 05/15/24 Full Review Roy J 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! Rated 4.5/5 Stars •  Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 04/17/24 Full Review Léo B "The Old Oak" is a drama movie released in 2023, directed by Ken Loach. The movie is about the conflict created in an English village by the arrival of Syrian refugees and the locals that don't accept them. During the movie, TJ Ballantyne, a bartender and the main character, will try to help Yara, a refugee, and the other Syrians even if his best clients and good friends are against the refugees. The story is pretty sad; however, we feel a message of hope behind it. There are several plot twists that create tension in the movie. I really like the story because the characters are touching by their story and the links there are between them, especially between TJ and Yara. I recommend it! Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 09/30/25 Full Review Rose P The 'Old Oak' is a 2023 drama directed by Ken Loach. It is a film about TJ Ballantyne, a struggling pub owner who builds an unexpected friendship with a young Syrian refugee, Yara. The movie takes place in a poor, former mining town in Northern England where Syrian refugees arrive in the community. Tensions emerged among the local population and the pub, the 'Old Oak' becomes a symbol of both division and potential unity ? I liked this movie because it felt realistic, I was really touched by the issues represented (everyone's background). I feel like this movie really shows us that solidarity and empathy are essential to overcome fear and creating a more united and bigger community. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 09/29/25 Full Review Cylia L This is a moving movie about the difficult life of a small mining town. The story speaks about courage and helping others. It is a sincere film with a beautiful story even if some scenes made me cry. What I like about the movie is the fact that characters are very realistic and the actors are good so the emotions can be easily transmitted and we can feel like the story is true. In my opinion, some scenes were a bit boring but it doesn't prevent the film from being very good. I had never watched Ken Loach films because I don't really like this kind of films, however I was not disappointed and I really liked The Old Oak. I really recommend it. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 09/29/25 Full Review Gwen-Ael P "The Old Oak" is a drama film released in 2023 and directed by Ken Loach. The story takes place in a small village near Durham in the North of england where life was hard because the mines had closed. We follow the story of TJ Ballantyne, the owner of the last pub of the village, and Syrian refugees who arrived in the village. At their arrival, tensions started to appear with the locals. We can see that the integration can be difficult but also that between two communities we can be in solidarity and start friendships like TJ and Yara, a Syrian refugee. I liked the film because it was emotional. Sometimes it can be boring but it's still very interesting. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 09/29/25 Full Review Read all reviews

The Old Oak

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