The Lady in the Van [DVD]

This movie is one of the best uses of the medium. It walks a tightrope between comedy and tragedy. Maggie Smith is consumate as the homeless old woman living in a van in Camden Town, London. A newly successful, somewhat closeted, writer finds himself in dialogue with his more rational self concerning her proximity. Without contrivance, one is brought near tears by Maggie Smith's protrayal of a dying, repentant woman. The Blu-ray transfer is beautiful. My only complaint is that one has to marshal through several trailers before reaching the feature film. If you or a friend is dealing with an invalid relative, this movie may be uncomfortable. You may find yourself reflecting upon it for days following. If you admire the work of Maggie Smith, then this movie should be in your video library.

Loved it -- What a charming movie... but not in a quaint sort of manner. Maggie Smith does a wonderful job of portraying Margaret, sometimes called Mary, a homeless and extremely religious woman who was once a well-educated and classically trained pianist. An incident in her past continues to haunt her and keeps her trapped in a world of delusions and paranoia. This is a brilliant glimpse of life and mental illness as presented through the narrative of a playwright, Alan, who observes rather than interacts with his world. Margaret ends up moving her van into his garden and Alan won’t say no. Together, this very odd couple, with his introversion and her eccentric behaviors, create a memorable relationship no one would have imagined. The ensuing dialogue is lively, entertaining and memorable. I'm very happy I stumbled across this "mostly true story". I thought it was well written and beautifully performed.

IF YOU LIKE THIS ONE THEN YOU CERTAINLY NEED TO SEE '''LADIES IN LAVENDER''''...a movie made just by chance and if you want to know the truth....i have a video and have watched it about one hundred times at my lunch time. (I have a home office.) It was like taking a pill. I want my children to watch that movie because it is so real...so real; so well done, It's about two old sisters who live together but ore like able bodied people: partners. I dreamed that the movie was going to be me and my sister but that was no where near our reality. I'm old (er) now and I'm suppose to doing a first draft of a book based on a character like me. And I love '''The Lady In The Van''' because Maggie's character is very much like me but I still live in my house and drive my car. But I am '''crotchety" at times like this old lady. Most of the time I am nice, cute-like....I got my little old lady persona down pat and it works for me most of the time. I am a nice person. * I still identified with this character and I thought there was not enough information provided as to how she got herself into that way and attitude but she was old. It would have been nice to hear about her loves.THE LADY IN THE VAN ....is timeless and it it ageless. It is like a mirror for (some) old people to look at but sad or sadness and pity....HELL NO!!!!....every body gets old if you are blessed with a long life. And when you have lived long there is just no possibility to be sad,even lonely or pitiful.

If not mistaken this film was promoted as a comedy which would do it a disservice. Certainly there are some amusing bits on display but for the most part the humor is drawn from the pathos of the human condition. The film concerns a psychically wounded elderly woman (Maggie Smith) who parks her disheveled van in the driveway of a sarcastic playwright (Alex Jennings). One could argue that Allen allows Mary to essentially squat on his property out of sheer altruism but he is too much the cynic to lump himself with his liberal neighbors who ply the poor soul with food and Christmas presents but secretly wish she would move on. Unresolved mother issues could also be a factor but even that is ambiguous. Or possibly Allen is looking for inspiration for his next magnum opus but one can't be certain. Writer Allen Bennett has crafted an intricate script that succinctly encapsulates the human condition. Maggie Smith is an absolute treasure here as Mary imbuing her character with interesting quirks without dispensing with her dignity. Smith is matched by a superb turn by Jennings who expertly demonstrates the conflicts within Allen. The Brits seem to have a knack for making these great human stories an art form lost in this CGI age.

Like life it's a movie that seems to exist with no beginning and no end. Yet, all things do have a beginning and do have an end. The paradox of this film is that it immerses you in a situation while also somehow taking you on a journey.Its continual succession of surprising unexpected clear realized moments is what makes the film so stunning. Almost any scene is brilliant, and the film is chock-filled with them. At first it may seem as a hodge-podge. But as it continues, it becomes an evolving ongoing immersion into life.Did i mention that Maggie Smith is exquisite. In it she puts together many of the pieces of that brilliant large character she has played the parts of for decades into one perfect performance.In the end (for the film does end -- ever so gently and beautifully) it is so true to life that you'll feel you lived it.And you'll love it, too.

I liked the humanity of this film. Here was a woman that was haunted by a terrible event in her life. The PTSD she suffered, she suffered alone. She found a decent human being and they forged a relationship over many years. The relationship was probably a surprise to both. The film plot had too many cutaways for me. It chopped into the flow of the story that was being told. I am glad that I watched it, but believe that it could have been so much more. Oh, and I also appreciate that it didn't seem candy-coated, or preachy. This was respectful of the persons of whom the film was based upon, and the audience. Good for a conversation starter on matters of importance. Suitable for preteens and teens with parental guidance. Could be a useful tool in discussing the topic of homelessness, what makes a person human and worthy of respect...

A lovely British Film that does not try too hard, is not filled full of special effects and moments of spectacular awe inspiring wonder to visually pull you in. No what this fil has is a great couple of characters and the relationship that exists between them, it wanders along in a timeless way that gradually pulls you in.Lovely warming film

Can anything MORE be said to rave about Dame Maggie Smith's riveting performances? Difficult as that may be, I've got to bow to one of the great Dame's of cinema here and now. To play a real life street woman who can practically be smelled of stench due to Dame Maggie's flagrant and forthright characterization, a person so far from who I imagine the actor herself to be, had to really stretch even someone with her acting skills. The story is quite unique. The twist at the end is well worth the wait.

Wonderful Maggie Smith as the cranky homeless Miss Shepherd. The story of the lady in the van is very interesting and touching. The dialogues between the writer/author and the everyday person Alan Bennett are superfluous, confusing and boring. So is his complicated relationship with his mother. The movie would have been much better concentrating on Miss Shepherd's story without these endless inner monologues - played by two persons on the screen, both performed by Alex Jennings. Still: Alan Bennett was very tolerant and socially minded to let live the lady for 15 years in his driveway!

Even the worst film will have someone who reviews it and awards 5 stars. Well, this isn't the worst film, far from it, and it doesn't receive 5 stars (can anything creative be truly perfect?). I haven't read the original memoir by Alan Bennett, but the movie adaptation contains great performances from the two lead actors. I particularly liked how the two sides of Alan Bennett's character is in the scene at the same time, giving the view of his 'head' and his 'heart'. Very British in all ways and very recommended viewing.

Excellent film but having James Corden on the cover was a little disappointing as he appears for 10 seconds says a whopping 2 words, in the background! Very deceptive marketing which I was pretty offended by. However Maggie Smith gives a legendary performance as always and could single-handedly carry an entire film. Very enjoyable, time flew.