Biopic films always seem to be on the more serious side of filmmaking, but The Lady In The Van, which was released five years ago, takes more comedic approaches with its storytelling. With two different personalities colliding and a tale spanning fifteen years of understanding, a little bit of chaos and Dame Maggie Smith playing the titular role, The Lady In The Van is truly unique.
Set in Camden, London, the film retells the tale of writer Alan Bennett (played by Alex Jennings) and Miss Mary Sheppard, Claire Foy and Jim Broadbent also have minor roles in the film.
Smith had previously played the role in a 1999 stage adaptation held at the Queen’s Theatre, London as well as in the 2009 BBC Radio 4 audio adaptation. After years of playing the more serious Dowager Violet Crawley in Downton Abbey, Smith said that the role was a wonderful break into something a little bit more fun and comparatively lighthearted. She received a Golden Globe and BAFTA nomination for Best Actress for the role.
For a film that was marketed with comedy and heartwarming moments, it is the ending which throws audiences for a loop with its inevitable tearjerker.
Watch the trailer for The Lady In The Van below:
