In my opinion, the theme of the film is not quite right, and feels unsettled in mood: I thought it promised to be a breath of fresh air of comic eccentricity, with a clash of wills -in some way it is, but I found the film be a routine of tiresome humour of tension between a playwright and an old lady who lived in a van outside the playwright's house.
Maggie Smith however, is wonderful as the actress in her portrayal of 'The Lady in the Van.' Perhaps the film could have won me over if it were entirely focused on the lady's character or life story ( -or even a monologue which would have been far more interesting than Alan Bennett's own monologues of himself, of which he greatly seems to be indulgent, and be fond of.... )
Instead, we seem to have a portrayal of Alan Bennett in importance of being.... Alan Bennett - and if that were not enough of his own presence in film image, we also have a screen image of two Alan Bennett's....one with the imagination of the playwright.....and the other in thought of the domestic Alan of the house -talking to themselves together: how annoying is that?
I would though, like to draw merit to the actual filming in the beautiful setting of the drama -there is a visual and wonderful nostalgic feeling to the time and place -and I like that, except that the style of the filming tends to be whimsical which clashes in contrast to the expense of poking fun of the eccentric lady's character. The incidental music score does not help - the melody skips along like a daft walk of mimicry fun.
I also don't 'buy' the blue plaque scene outside the playwright's house....rather than to bring honour and to add a memorial to the lady, it draws a fantasy of attention to the Play itself -by Alan Bennett.....as the real life playwright himself turns up on his bicycle to view the unveiling scene of the plaque; so does the camera withdraw backwards so that the cinema audience get to see the actual filming with cameras and microphones on the film set. This may be clever, but feels a bit crass and self-centered. The ending too, of the film feels as though the storyline has run out of steam of ideas of the 'comical' character that the film seems intent to make fun of, and then unfairly - masquerading her description as a cantankerous woman -as though everything was her fault in the first place.
The film gives unfair licence to allow us to indulge in the fun at her expense of the play and film's success -but forgetting that we have invaded her very own private and sad life.....
I also feel that the characters in the neighbourhood are sketchy and pedestrian as though there is no soul or depth of feeling in getting to know their own thoughts - at least the playwright could have extended his imagination in style of old England's Coronation Street? Sadly though, by the end of the film, I felt slightly heady and nauseated.
Maggie Smith however, is wonderful as the actress in her portrayal of 'The Lady in the Van.' Perhaps the film could have won me over if it were entirely focused on the lady's character or life story ( -or even a monologue which would have been far more interesting than Alan Bennett's own monologues of himself, of which he greatly seems to be indulgent, and be fond of.... )
Instead, we seem to have a portrayal of Alan Bennett in importance of being.... Alan Bennett - and if that were not enough of his own presence in film image, we also have a screen image of two Alan Bennett's....one with the imagination of the playwright.....and the other in thought of the domestic Alan of the house -talking to themselves together: how annoying is that?
I would though, like to draw merit to the actual filming in the beautiful setting of the drama -there is a visual and wonderful nostalgic feeling to the time and place -and I like that, except that the style of the filming tends to be whimsical which clashes in contrast to the expense of poking fun of the eccentric lady's character. The incidental music score does not help - the melody skips along like a daft walk of mimicry fun.
I also don't 'buy' the blue plaque scene outside the playwright's house....rather than to bring honour and to add a memorial to the lady, it draws a fantasy of attention to the Play itself -by Alan Bennett.....as the real life playwright himself turns up on his bicycle to view the unveiling scene of the plaque; so does the camera withdraw backwards so that the cinema audience get to see the actual filming with cameras and microphones on the film set. This may be clever, but feels a bit crass and self-centered. The ending too, of the film feels as though the storyline has run out of steam of ideas of the 'comical' character that the film seems intent to make fun of, and then unfairly - masquerading her description as a cantankerous woman -as though everything was her fault in the first place.
The film gives unfair licence to allow us to indulge in the fun at her expense of the play and film's success -but forgetting that we have invaded her very own private and sad life.....
I also feel that the characters in the neighbourhood are sketchy and pedestrian as though there is no soul or depth of feeling in getting to know their own thoughts - at least the playwright could have extended his imagination in style of old England's Coronation Street? Sadly though, by the end of the film, I felt slightly heady and nauseated.