The Lady in the Van Magazine"'s Elise Nakhnikian said the film is all about the "fastidious, somewhat timid, and reclusive playwright Alan Bennett", and stated the film's "annoying glibness is neatly summarized" by the line: "In life, going downhill is an uphill job". The Lady in the Van The Lady in the Van is a 2015 British comedy-drama film directed by Nicholas Hytner, and starring Maggie Smith and Alex Jennings, based on the novel of the same name created by Alan Bennett. It was written by Alan Bennett, and it tells the (mostly) true story of his interactions with Mary Shepherd, an elderly woman who
The Lady in the Van a fine, moving comedy of English manners between a writer and his eccentric tenant, which slowly deepens into an exploration of human bonds". In a similar fashion, Peter Bradshaw, of "The Guardian", awarded four out of five stars and called it an "enjoyable film from Nicholas Hytner". While he felt Smith’s performance - "honed from previous stage and radio" adaptations - was "terrifically good", he praised Jennings for giving a "sharp and sympathetic performance as Bennett". Donald Clarke, of "The Irish Times", awarded the film three out of five stars. He said Smith's role is "indecently appropriate", while de la