The Old Oak

2023, 1h 53min, Drama

Directors: Ken Loach

Stars: Dave Turner, Ebla Mari, Claire Rodgerson

In a failing mining town in northeast England, the last remaining pub doubles as a refuge for locals who feel abandoned after the closure of the pits. When Syrian families are bused into the village, fear and resentment flare, especially among regulars clinging to what little they have left. The tired landlord, TJ, forms a cautious friendship with Yara, a young refugee who sees possibility where others see only loss. Their tentative bond slowly opens a space where people on both sides can share food, stories, and small acts of care, giving this grounded drama a mix of hardship, anger, and quiet, hard-won hope.