Champagne-socialist Loach turns on his (supposed) own

Ken Loach used to make movies that drew a fine balance between 'social commentary' and (albeit dreary) entertainment. Conclusions would be left open-ended to the audience (whom he once shared a mutual kinship with)
Personally, I always preferred Mike Leigh who could also 'keep-it-real' but not have to ram an opinion/message down the audiences throats. But there's no denying the power of movies like 'Kes' or even "after day fare, like 'Riff-Raff' or 'Raining Stones' but for the last few decades, Loach (once an impartial observer) has let his own political bias seep into his movies...leading to his latest (and apparently they last) movie 'The Old Oak' (2023)

Now at 87, Loach bows out with a kowtowing 'Gauardian-newspaper-approved' tribute to all things immigration (rose-tinted of course?) and the temerity of British people daring to try keep Britain 'British'
This false equivalency starts immediately, with it's insistence on portraying only the broadest of stereotypes. The indigenous Brits are (mostly) portrayed as knuckle-dragging racists and the Syrian refugees are seen as saintly, easygoing, keen-to-intergrate and constantly put upon cherubs.

Living in the North East myself, I see (day-in, day-out) the effects that mass immigration has had in my town. Scores of working-age men, shouting (in God-knows what language?) congregating in feral packs on most street corners all hours of the day (a far cry from what's presented here) Crime (of every variety) is on the rise and entire streets are covered in litter, feces and reek of marijuana. Indigenous folk (and likewise businesses) flee the area and all towns are left with either 'vape' shops and takeaways. Working in the area, I have dealings with most of the locals (especially the new additions) and they're very aggressive, arrogant and entitled. Fully clued up (by now) of just how much of a soft touch this country clearly is (and this movie emboldens said entitlement)
Loach instead ignores the fact that the majority of these immigrants are neither fleeing any actual 'persecution' or war and are in fact, economic freeloaders...invariably men to start with (the wives & family usually follow afterwards) 'The Old Oak' caters only to the social-worker, soft-touch socialist crowd that are blinkered to any of the aforementioned problems of immigration (because they never live in the areas they're happy to install immigrants in)

The symbolism is piled on thick, with the story of the Landlord character and his dog. His backstory tells of the dog (a black-coloured stray, on the beach no less) that comes into his life and offers redemption. His dog of course, is later viciously killed by some aggressive white pitbulls (with likewise owners) All that was needed was Damon Wayans to pop up every ten minutes or so, (in full postman regalia) clutching mail and shouting "MESSAGE?"
Townsfolk who are already impoverished themselves, simply don't have the time, inclination and/or resources to come together and hold a mass vigil for Syrian refugees...as much as readers of 'The Guardian' may want it to be. Which in itself, sends out a false message of hope to any refugee, thinking that they'll be greeted with open arms (which ultimately helps neither side at the end of the day)

Likewise to the already disingenuous narrative, the dialogue too, is stilted, forced and one-sided to the point were the movie borders on sci-fi.

False 'empathy' is good for political soundbites, but Loach's core audience (having propped him up for over half a century) deserve better than this 110 minute finger-wag at indigenous Brits (understandable) frustrations of open-door immigration policies (and the strain it puts on local amenities) He has clearly lived in his (drudgery for thee, not me) bubble that blinkers him (and others like him) from taking an 'Honest' look at the problems of immigration and (more importantly) the erosion of the British way of life (soon the British will be the displaced minority in its own country) but to Loach (and countless other do-gooders like him) the sacrifice is worth it (all in the name of diversity)

Perhaps Mr Loach should move into one of these poor Northern towns (that ironically HE has made a fortune from exploiting) and experience the real effects of immigration (he'll find his disingenuous 'take' and actual reality, dangerously jarring)

...or better yet, go against his own sanctioned retirement and make one final movie about Muslim councils, Sharia courts, grooming-gangs, FGM or weekly protests (disguised as 'Pro-Palestinian') calling for Jihad/caliphate?

Methinks that's a truth-too-far for Loach's fragile sensibilities.

Bowing out whilst selling out.