The Old Oak (2023)
One of those movies that has the heart in the right place, a good premise for a thoughtful story and an important message at its core. All those qualities doesn’t necessarily make for a great film.
It starts good with what seems like a fair and honest portrayal of a poor old mining town in England, with people struggling as the last decades of economic prosperity hasn’t reached them. We get an understanding how these people feel a deep sense of unfairness and frustration of being left behind. They are not just dumb racists, but are projecting decades worth of anger towards a new (compared to them) lower class. At least at first I found that nuance to be there, but as the movie progresses, that became increasingly blunt and one sided. The dialogue spells out all the moral talking points front and center, leaving not much for me to think or feel for myself. The movies tried too hard to be moving and sentimental, leaving me very much unmoved.
What does make it worthwhile is the two leads played by Dave Turner and Ebla Mari. Their special bond and character development has all the elements for a proper touching story. Just everything around them that is held down by lack of subtlety and nuance.
Rating: 3