The Lady in the Van on 132 reviews, with an average rating of 7.2/10. The site's consensus states, "Led by a marvelous performance from Maggie Smith, "Lady in the Van" wrings poignant, often hilarious insight from its fact-based source material." On Metacritic the film holds a score of 70 out of 100, based on 30 critics, indicating "generally favourable reviews". Guy Lodge, of "Variety" magazine, attended the worldwide premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. After the screening, he described Smith's portrayal of Mary Shepherd as "one of the most tailor-made leading roles of her late career". Even though, he says, the film is "low
The Lady in the Van his increasingly invalid mother. Though he denies "caring" for anyone, he slowly becomes aware of his growing friendship with Miss Shepherd. After coming home early from a day centre he sent her to, she dies peacefully in her sleep in her van. Alan decides to write a memoir covering the years he's known her. In 2014, the real Bennett is shown observing this film's final scene as it's shot: his younger self unveiling a plaque on his home dedicated to "The Lady in the Van". The principal cast of Bennett's 2006 film "The History Boys" appear in cameo roles, with