SimilarScreen
The Lady in the Van

The Lady in the Van

A mostly true story

20156.41h 44m

Overview

The true story of the relationship between Alan Bennett and the singular Miss Shepherd, a woman of uncertain origins who ‘temporarily’ parked her van in Bennett’s London driveway and proceeded to live there for 15 years.

Directed by Nicholas Hytner
Written by Alan Bennett
Produced by Damian Jones, Nicholas Hytner, Kevin Loader
Box OfficeBudget: $6.0MRevenue: $41.4M

Top Cast

Maggie Smith

Maggie Smith

Miss Shepherd

Alex Jennings

Alex Jennings

Alan Bennett

Frances de la Tour

Frances de la Tour

Ursula Vaughan Williams

Gwen Taylor

Gwen Taylor

Mam

Dominic Cooper

Dominic Cooper

Theatre Actor

James Corden

James Corden

Street Trader

Roger Allam

Roger Allam

Rufus

Samuel Anderson

Samuel Anderson

Jehovah's Witness

Dermot Crowley

Dermot Crowley

Priest

Jim Broadbent

Jim Broadbent

Underwood

Themes & Keywords

vanlondon, englandbased on novel or bookenglandhomelessnessbiographybased on true storyalter egopoverty

About The Lady in the Van

The Lady in the Van is a comedy, drama film released in 2015 exploring themes of van, london, england, based on novel or book, england, homelessness, biography. Directed by Nicholas Hytner, it stars Maggie Smith, Alex Jennings, Frances de la Tour. The true story of the relationship between Alan Bennett and the singular Miss Shepherd, a woman of uncertain origins who ‘temporarily’ parked her van in Bennett’s London driveway and proceeded to live there for 15 years.

Movies Similar to The Lady in the Van

Discover titles like The Lady in the Van — ranked by similarity and community votes

We found 15 movies similar to The Lady in the Van

If you enjoyed The Lady in the Van, you'll love these handpicked recommendations. Each title below shares similar themes, tone, and storytelling style. Our algorithm analyzes genres, keywords, director filmography, and cast connections to find the closest matches. Whether you're looking for the same emotional depth, narrative structure, or visual style, these picks are curated to deliver the best viewing experience for fans of The Lady in the Van.

The Man Who Invented Christmas
28% Match

In 1843, despite the fact that Dickens is a successful writer, the failure of his latest book puts his career at a crossroads, until the moment when, struggling with inspiration and confronting reality with his childhood memories, a new character is born in the depths of his troubled mind; an old, lonely, embittered man, so vivid, so human, that a whole world grows around him, a story so inspiring that changed the meaning of Christmas forever.

The Wolf of Wall Street
28% Match

A New York stockbroker refuses to cooperate in a large securities fraud case involving corruption on Wall Street, corporate banking world and mob infiltration. Based on Jordan Belfort's autobiography.

The Hours
27% Match

The Hours(2002)

Movie7.3/10

The story of three women searching for more potent, meaningful lives. Each is alive at a different time and place, all are linked by their yearnings and their fears. Their stories intertwine, and finally come together in a surprising, transcendent moment of shared recognition.

Scrapper
27% Match

Scrapper(2023)

Movie6.6/10

A resourceful 12-year-old, who secretly lives alone in her flat in a working-class suburb of London, makes money stealing bikes with her best friend Ali and keeps the social workers off her back by pretending to live with an uncle. But when her estranged father turns up out of the blue, she's forced to confront reality.

The Trouble with Jessica
26% Match

Sarah and Tom are in terrible financial trouble. On the brink of losing everything, they’ve managed to find a buyer for their stylish London home. When their best friends Richard and Beth come round for a final dinner, an uninvited old friend, Jessica, tags along.

The Personal History of David Copperfield
25% Match

A fresh and distinctive take on Charles Dickens’ semi-autobiographical masterpiece, The Personal History of David Copperfield, set in the 1840s, chronicles the life of its iconic title character as he navigates a chaotic world to find his elusive place within it. From his unhappy childhood to the discovery of his gift as a storyteller and writer, David’s journey is by turns hilarious and tragic, but always full of life, colour and humanity.

Persuasion
25% Match

Persuasion(2022)

Movie6.1/10

Living with her snobby family on the brink of bankruptcy, Anne Elliot is an unconforming woman with modern sensibilities. When Frederick Wentworth - the dashing one she once sent away - crashes back into her life, Anne must choose between putting the past behind her or listening to her heart when it comes to second chances.

Nomadland
25% Match

Nomadland(2021)

Movie7.2/10

A woman in her sixties embarks on a journey through the western United States after losing everything in the Great Recession, living as a van-dwelling modern-day nomad.

About a Boy
25% Match

Will Freeman is a good-looking, smooth-talking bachelor whose primary goal in life is avoiding any kind of responsibility. But when he invents an imaginary son in order to meet attractive single moms, Will gets a hilarious lesson about life from a bright, but hopelessly geeky 12-year-old named Marcus. Now, as Will struggles to teach Marcus the art of being cool, Marcus teaches Will that you're never too old to grow up.

The Imitation Game
25% Match

Based on the real life story of legendary cryptanalyst Alan Turing, the film portrays the nail-biting race against time by Turing and his brilliant team of code-breakers at Britain's top-secret Government Code and Cypher School at Bletchley Park, during the darkest days of World War II.