The Old Oak *****

Starrring: Dave Turner, Ebla Mari, Claire Rodgerson, Trevor Fox, Chris McGlade, Col Tait, Jordan Louis, Chrissie Robinson, Chris Gotts, Jen Patterson, Arthur Oxley, Joe Armstrong, Andy Dawson, Maxie Peters, Debbie Honeywood and Neil Leiper

Director : Ken Loach

Duration Running Time: (approx) 1 Hour 53 Minutes (113 Mins)

Certification Rating Certificate: 15

Distribution : StudioCanal, Sixteen Films, Why Not Productions, Les Films du France, BBC Film

Kenneth Charles Loach, (born June 17, 1936), is a British film director and screenwriter.

His socially and also critical directing style as well as socialist ideals are 'evident' in his film treatments of social issues in direct subjects of life in the UK - these included the following : 'POVERTY' ( 'POOR COW' - 1967) - 'this was classed as 'a kitchen-sink drama' based on Nell Dunn's novel - originally published in 1967, and also featured Carol White, John Bindon and Terence Stamp - who says that Loach - in question - was inspired 'to write the film' after meeting White during 'CATHY COME HOME' (1966) - in question, shown on BBC TV - about the subject of 'HOMELESSNESS' - and also 'LABOUR RIGHTS' - such as 'RIFF-RAFF' (1991) and 'THE NAVIGATORS' (2001).

However, in 1969, - when 'KES' - (1969), - the film in question - was voted as - 'THE SEVENTH GREATEST BRITISH FILM OF THE 20TH CENTURY' - in a poll by the British Film Institute - 'BFI' - but also that ' two of his films' - notably 'THE WIND THAT SHAKES THE BARLEY' (2006), featuring Cillian Murphy - the star of 'OPPENHEIMER' - and directed by Christopher Nolan - this was an Irish war drama and set during the Irish War of Independence, (1919 -1921) plus the Irish Civil War, (1922 -1923), and also 'I, DANIEL BLAKE' (2016), featuring Dave Johns - as Daniel Blake - 'this was a powerful drama about Daniel Blake, a middle-aged man who is 'DENIED EMPLOYMENT AND SUPPORT ALLOWANCE -'ESA' - after despite 'BEING DECLARED UNFIT TO TO WORK BY HIS DOCTOR' - received the PALME D'OR - at the Cannes Film Festival - and therefore also making him 'ONLY ONE OF NINE FILMMAKERS IN HISTORY - TO WIN THE PRESTIGIOUS AWARD' - 'TWICE' - but also Loach - in question - 'HOLDS THE RECORD FOR MOST FILMS IN THE MAIN COMPETITION - AT CANNES - in question - with at least 'FIFTEEN FILMS' - in total, not only that but Loach is also arguably classed as 'THE MOST SUCCESSFUL DIRECTOR' in the history of the Cannes Film Festival.

Loach's films in question contain 'a large amount of original dialect' - such as Yorkshire, Cockney, Scouse, Lancashire, Glaswegian and also Greenock - in his movies - and that when most of his movies 'are screened' around the world - is that 'they contain subtitles' - however in an interview with 'CINEASTE' - a film magazine established in 1967 - Loach - was asked about this - and he replied with the following quote :

'If you ask people to speak differently, you lose more than the voice. Everything about them changes. If I asked you not to speak with an American accent, your whole personality would change. That's how you are. My hunch is that it's better to use subtitles than not, even if that limits the films to 'an art-house' circuit', and also that Loach was one of the first British film directors to 'contain bad language - ie: swearing - in most of his films.

Now it was a decade or so ago there were rumours going around that Loach was about to quit as a film director - after all he's 'eighty seven years of age' - and has a career - not only as a filmmaker but has also worked on TV as well as in documentary as well - but also then began a new parade of British Prime Ministers such as Maggie Thatcher, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, Boris Johnson, Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak - to name a few - in this country - as each one of them was shiftier, and also more mediocre than the last; but also that Loach had in fact 'set and also raised the bar high enough with plenty more to say - and also do after all'.

However what follows next was 'a blaze of energy, anger and also a productivity that also culminating in a rather late surge - this was in fact - the beginning of his final act - as a trilogy - known to many as - 'THE NORTH EAST TRILOGY' - and with the help of Paul Laverty - a screenwriter - as well as Loach's collaborator - that Loach himself takes on 'the many issues and stories' - that you don't see on news broadcasts or even streaming services and he also showed that filmmakers could actually intervene in the real world - because in Parliament Loach got many answers to the many questions that he asked about including 'poverty' as well as 'austerity' - because he simply 'moved the dial' - and also 'called the shots', and also Loach's subjects that are also painful - to watch - that as a filmmaker - the powerful shot of a firing gun - has become the loudest - in the case of 'I, DANIEL BLAKE' - the first part - it was 'austerity' - with 'SORRY I MISSED YOU' -(2019) - the second part - it was 'the gig economy'.

And now we have 'THE OLD OAK' - the third and concluding part of the North East trilogy in question - which demonstrates the phenomenon that from which London's liberal classes have turned away in sorrowing distaste; as many refugees that are housed in hostels all over the UK - and who are also being abused and attacked by local people - this is not just the UK - but is also happening worldwide - for no apparent reason - are radicalised - by 'the ways of 'SOCIAL MEDIA', but also Loach in question does not attack the 'deplorables' of the working class; on the contrary, but also thinking globally and also acting locally - that he treats them as 'sympathetically' - for these are classed as 'the same as their victims' - however 'market forces' and also 'geopolitical interests' have put them in the same position as the wretched Syrian incomers whom they have been encouraged to hate and also to feel good about themselves - in general.

The film follows T.J. Ballantyne,(Turner), a pub landlord, who is suffering 'a Job-like ordeal': he is divorced and also depressed with a grown-up son who doesn't speak to him, now 'THE OLD OAK' - the title of the film - happens to be the name of the pub - for this is the one community meeting place set in a deprived North -Eastern mining town - and it is also in dire need of refurbishment, - (this film in question has echoes of 'JIMMY'S HALL' (2014) - also directed by Loach), his pub regulars are seething with rage, livid at the collapse in house prices and also brooding over many immigrants on YouTube videos, but they are also seething with rage concerning neighbouring properties being bought 'for a song' by real estate companies - and also rented out 'exploitatively' - thus 'collapsing the value' of the homes that they'd hope would at least effectively 'cushion their retirement' - and also - 'strip-mining value' from the community, but then a 'busload' full of Syrians arrive - and tensions between the two communities - in question - gets worse - and is also about to 'erupt'.

The film also shows that TJ - in question - makes what is possibly a strategic mistake: as angry white locals asks him to open up the pub's long-dormant back room - as a meeting place to air their grievances, which he refuses, - but he tactically 'allows it to act as a venue - significantly - for a food bank-style community supper' for both 'the locals' as well as the Syrians including Yara,(Mari), - she happens to be a young Syrian woman housed with her brother and also her elderly mother, and also desperate of her father, imprisoned by the Assad regime.

It is there that TJ finds himself into a gentle friendship with her, that's sneeringly interpreted by some drinkers - and there's a 'very moving scene' in the movie where he takes her to see Durham Cathedral; she is deeply affected by not only listening to the choir and also awed by the thousand year old building, but she also ponders to the fact that she will never again see the temples at Palmyra, originally built by the Romans and also destroyed by Islamic State, however both Loach and Laverty fervently argue between them - that through solidarity and also a recognition of real interests - it is also that when we reach the 'crossroads' in our lives that the British people can naturally show empathy as well as kindness to many immigrants and also refugees that we welcome into our lives.

Loach as ever shows himself to be the John Bunyan of social realism - or even the William Everard of the cinema - in question - he is without doubt - 'the fierce-plain speaker' of political indignation with a unique style of unironised and also unadorned - brilliantly shot by Robbie Ryan - Loach's cinematographer - in a simple daylit fashion by using 'first-timers' and also 'non-professionals' most of which are making their film debuts in this superb drama - and it is also 'classed as a film-making language' that is utterly without the cynical twang that is simply de rigueur for everyone else.

Thirty years ago, the mischief makers of Lars von Trier and Dogme 95, were in deep conversation about minimalism - but they didn't stick to it ; - however Loach did - and I really hope that this isn't Loach's 'final film', - but - if it is -as they say then he has concluded with a unique 'ringing' statement of a faith that has a unique compassion for the oppressed - this is a movie that won't appeal to anyone's taste -and also that the subjects that he directs - will find these hard to watch and also struggle as you need to have a strong stomach to watch his movies.

Farewell Mr Loach - and thanks for all the movies - you've directed - for they are unique masterpieces - they are part of British history - and also provide an education - for future generations - in cinema history.

Don't Miss It !

David M.G.Mitchell