Outstanding performance from Maggie Smith!!!
Alex Jennings wonderfully portrays Alan Bennett and Maggie Smith is brilliant as always, as the lady in the van. Bennett's own writing sparkles in this great adaptation of his memoir.
This movie is so good, it doesn't even have to try... if Maggie Smith doesn't get an Oscar for her stella performace, then I will eat my hat. I cried, I laughed, I loved it. I give it 8.5/10
This movie is based on the story of a woman who decided to park her fan in the driveway of a famous author. I enjoy the device that shows the duality of the author (we see him in two different lights) but it is Maggie Smith that completely steals the show. I really can't imagine someone without her considerable talent taking on this role as this movie centered on her performance. I can't remember the last time I was so taken with a performance in a movie. I could really see her experiences in theater shining through in this role.
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Alex Jennings and Maggie Smith are fantastic. In fact Maggie is so good, you would swear it was filmed in "Smelly-Vision".
my sister said lets watch this the lady in the main character seems cute :heart_eyes::heart_eyes::heart_eyes: yes hun “the lady” is maggie smith what u talking about.
ps. its a good feeling witching a gay man with my family i know its not the title but theyre not used to it...
Excellent. Reminds me of the old ladies I have cared for, who were pains in the neck, but once they had passed away the richness of the experience of them, and the things they said about their lives, and the clues of objects surrounding themselves by at the end, which take on a new poignancy, makes you think fondly of them.
As always, Maggie Smith makes an unforgettable performance. This is a very well done movie with a peculiar and amazing ending. We all ought to see this movie!
The true story of playwright Alan Bennett’s difficult relationship with the eccentric homeless woman who eventually ended up living in his drive for 15 years. A well-known fixture is the high-class street Bennett moved to in Camden Mary Shepherd lived in her van moving up and down the road but finally parked, and lived, in Bennett’s driveway when it looked as if she was going to permanently moved on by the council and authorities. Over the years Bennett despite not having what could be deemed a friendship with Mary finds more about her interesting and varied life.
It’s almost as if fate granted Alan Bennett Mary Shepherd. For a gentle comedic writer whose meat and drink was the eccentricities of people and not the situation it was as if fate was challenging him. Eventually Bennett wrote about his squatter, for want of a better word, and a successful novella and then play, starring Maggie Smith, was created. Naturally the next step was to turn to the cinema. Often this is not always a recipe for success but in this instance this was not the case. The Lady in the Van is an unrivalled success and for those that like the observational and eccentric humour of Bennett this will be a joy.
Splitting Alan Bennett into two characters, one the writer and the house owner works brilliantly in the film allowing Bennett, who by his own admission is timid and spent much time in his own company, to show his inner monologue and turmoil over the situation to comic effect.
Even better are the moments when liberties and stretching of the truth are taken they are clearly noted Bennett ‘the writer’ which is comedically very effective indeed.
Another great decision from the film-makers was to cast Maggie Smith allowing her to reprise her role as Mary Shepherd. It is a triumph of acting and an amazingly believable performance of an old, annoying, eccentric character than in lesser hands could end up unsympathetic or worse pantomime-like. Great actors in perfect roles shine out like a blinding light in the often dull world of film-making.
Alex Jennings does a great job of playing Bennett, probably the most impersonated playwright in the history of the English language, which actually makes the performance all the more impressive because it easily could have slipped down the route of ‘Who Do You Do?’ from the 1970s.
With great support from stalwart British acting, France De La Tour as Vaughn Williams widow, Roger Allam and Deborah Findlay amongst others it appears the cast of Bennett’s The History Boys turn up in one role or another, albeit a cameo or larger supporting role.
It goes without saying there are is a section of cinema goers who would find this film deadly dull but as with most of Bennett’s writing the eccentricities of characters and the painful exposure of people’s weaknesses and peccadillos are what drive the story forward and making simultaneously both funny, sad and horrifying in greater or lesser degrees.
An truly amazing movie.
With great performances of, in the very first place: Maggie Smith. It's so touching and stellar acting how she plays 'Miss Sheppard'.
The story and the impersonation of Miss Sheppard made me laugh, angry and sad during the movie.
But credit also goes to Alex Jennings, who put a hell of a lot of energy in his character: Alan Bennett
Thanks to the producer and the actors (and all I forget) for making this movie.
great movie enjoyed it Maggie Smith Oscar please.
Maggie Smith should receive a sainthood for her incredible acting. Her incredible technique sometimes gets in her way, but who cares! She's a Saint for goodness sake! I've been trying to watch this on Kodi. Found it once, but it wouldn't load, and have been searching for it every day, so I'm going to purchase it online to watch.
If you love the sublime Miss Smith as much as I do, a must watch is A Room With A View where (along with Denholm Elliot) she steals the movie from the prissy, narcissistic Helena Bonham Carter. Of Course another side of Miss Smith can be found in her more introspective role as Muriel Donnelly In the Grand Exotic Marigold Hotel.
Gush, gush, gush. Find her movies, watch, re-watch, and enjoy this incredible actress as she plies her trade.
Shout by maphiagurlVIP 5BlockedParent2019-07-25T03:24:17Z
This was recommended to me. I really liked the story. Maggie Smith is excellently cast as the lady in the van and does a great job at making this character really hard to like. If anything, I'd say that they belaboured her situation a tad too long and could have leaped to her back story much sooner.