Ken Loach's 'The Old Oak': A Stirring yet Contrived Tale of Small-Town Culture Clash and Working-Class Racism.

British director Ken Loach's latest film, "The Old Oak," tackles the issue of Syrian refugees arriving in a failing blue-collar town in northern England and the anger it provokes among certain residents looking for a scapegoat to pin their problems on. The film follows the friendship between Yara, a young Syrian refugee, and TJ, an aging local who's given up hope in a place on the brink of collapse. Loach's natural intimacy and slow-burn narrative build up to emotional high points, showing how culture can bring people together.