Cruising through the frames of photos with an absorbing camera’s shutter sound at the very first scenes of The Old Oak, 87-year-old Ken Loach takes us to another social high and low in the Syrian refugees’ lives in the UK. As he told “The Hollywood Reporter,” it might have been his last film, and that is not that irrelevant to The Old Oak, an old local pub that struggles to survive in a county in which the dwellers have suffered a lot during their lives.
Living in a town in County Durham that was formerly a prosperous mining hamlet, TJ Ballantyne (Dave Turner) struggles for the survival of his pub, which is the only public gathering place in town. Conflicts escalate because of the influx of Syrian migrants, but Ballantyne befriends Yara (Ebla Mari), one of the displaced people. Yara, a Syrian girl whose father is a prisoner under Bashar Assad’s regime, uses her camera to bridge relationships between locals and refugees. Amidst Yara and her family’s challenging circumstances, TJ demonstrates empathy with their predicament. However, many in Durham are resisting the new refugees, and a significant number of them are acquaintances of TJ who lack knowledge about Muslim communities and the turmoil in the Middle East.
Kenneth Charles Loach, a renowned British filmmaker, has gained recognition for his exploration of poverty (as seen in his film Poor Cow from 1967), homelessness (depicted in Cathy Come Home from 1966), and labour rights (highlighted in Riff-Raff from 1991 and The Navigator from 2001). In his most recent film, Loach delves into the complex subject of refugee concerns. Ken Loach, a renowned director, achieved the remarkable feat of winning the prestigious Palm d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival not once but twice. His films The Wind That Shakes the Barely (2006) and I, Daniel Blake(2016) were the recipients of this esteemed award. This accomplishment places him among a select group of only nine filmmakers who have achieved this honour twice. Paul Laverty, known for his successful partnerships as a writer with Loach on films such as The Wind That Shakes the Barley and I, Daniel Blake, presents a compelling storyline that explores the cultural disparities, prejudice, poverty, and deprivation that exist within one of the most affluent countries globally.
From the moment TJ is prodding a dangling letter “K” back into place in “The Old Oak,” we see his attempt to fix the broken community in the county. When Yara comes to him to repair her camera, their friendship begins to rebuild the communities in the town. The interaction between TJ and Yara portrays the power of communication and understanding in humans, regardless of geographical, political, or religious distinctions. David Turner, who performed in different films made by Loach, in The Old Oak with a deep emotional reaction in the narrative, illustrates the power of generous acting without being extravagant.
The group of friends gathered in TJ Pub, who are almost all unremarkable actors, represents a small portion of a larger spectrum of a society in which people actively support racist ideologies. When Charlie (Trevor Fox) shares his consideration about new neighbours who have no information about the English culture, language, or liberty with his friend in the pub, we perceive the undeniable fear that some privileged countries encounter with immigrants and refugees. This topic consistently presents challenges in many regions across the globe. But Yara echoes TJ’s mother’s words on a photograph in the pub, stating, “As we eat together, we stick together.” Yes, the deprivation knows no borderline and can make the human species united to find a solution.
The Old Oak artfully evokes an antique aesthetic by employing subdued hues on the colour palette. The use of camera movement to navigate the town, pub, and natural surroundings enhances the portrayal of diversity in the story. The long take and creative movement that the camera employs in different situations immerse audiences in the characters’ emotional states. It is mature enough, like Ken Loach, without showing off some stereotypical social aspects.
While hours of debates on the refugee’s problematic situation cannot bring any enlightenment, cinema, with its magical power, is there to speak up louder than any words. Sometimes many books and articles are not able to do what a film can do through its visual storytelling, acting power, and cinematographic aesthetic dimensions. The Old Oak may not be groundbreaking involvement, but it delicately evokes emotions and fosters an understanding of the experiences of both residents and immigrants residing inside limits.
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