Movie Review: Ken Loach, longtime chronicler of social ills, seeks a hopeful note in ‘The Old Oak’

Ken Loach's exploring social ills and hope in his likely last film ‘The Old Oak’, capturing the struggle and eventual solidarity of a former mining town community with Syrian refugees.

‘The Old Oak’ narrates the story of TJ, a pub owner in a declining former mining town, and his unusual friendship with Yara, a Syrian refugee. It reflects on community conflict, solidarity, and concludes with a hopeful message, marking a poignant end to Loach's career of portraying working-class struggles against broader social issues.