The Old Oak

In a village in the Northeast of England where the mine closed and poverty is rife, people reminisce at the pub about what life used to be like. Many young people have left what was once a thriving and proud community. In an atmosphere of growing anger, resentment, and a lack of hope, Tommy Joe Ballantyne (Dave Turner) is a pub owner who tries to do the right thing by welcoming and integrating a group of Syrian refugees recently sent to live in the village. In a film full of hope, Ken Loach depicts the ups and downs of a village struggling with the world around them but ultimately benefiting from it.