Lad: A Yorkshire Story

After his father dies, teenage Tom Proctor reels from loss and pulls away from home on the windswept moors of the Yorkshire Dales. He forms an unexpected bond with Al Thorpe, a reserved park ranger who shows patience and practical care. Their friendship gives Tom a steady routine, hands-on tasks and a quiet space to sort out his feelings while family tensions simmer back home with his mother Sarah and brothers David and Nick. The film stays close to Tom's point of view, using small moments and outdoor work to show how trust and responsibility help him recover. Quiet moments carry much of the emotion.

Released in 2012, Lad: A Yorkshire Story was created and directed by Dan Hartley, shot on location in the Dales, and features Bretten Lord in the lead with Nancy Clarkson and Alan Gibson among the supporting cast, with modest resources.

It had a limited theatrical run, mostly in the UK, and reached a small audience through festivals and regional screenings, earning modest returns rather than mainstream box office success. It later found additional viewers on home video and digital platforms.

The film has become known for its authentic sense of place, with local viewers praising the depiction of rural life and the Dales' scenery. It hasn't had wide cultural penetration, but it continues to be recommended by fans of quiet British dramas and community film groups, and outdoor education groups.

Critics and viewers gave mixed to positive responses, reflected by a 6.9/10 user score on some platforms. Praise centers on Bretten Lord's restrained performance, the film's humane handling of grief, and how hands-on work and landscape function as tools for healing and family reconnection, and subtle, lived-in performances from cast.