Alan (Alex Jennings), a playwright, finds himself trying to uncover the history of the irascible homeless woman (Maggie Smith) living in his driveway. For fifteen years, he observes her habits, harangues, and horrors even as he struggles to separate himself from getting too involved.
Man, would this have been a different movie in an American setting. Homeless woman living in your driveway for 15 years? Try 15 minutes before the cops get called. Social worker coming around to offer government-subsidized assistance? Not on your life. Neighbors taking turns to check on her and bring her food or clothes? NIMBY, motherfuckers!
Culture shock aside, this is another movie like Philomena in that you think it's about the connection between disparate individuals and empathy but it's really about how the Catholic Church fucks people over and abandons them as not good enough.
It's mostly happy for a character drama, with a great slimy performance from Jim Broadbent. Jennings is pulling a double role here as Bennett and Bennett's literary voice, which is a weird thing but it's hard to show someone thinking and make it compelling. Smith is one of the Grande Dames of acting so it's no surprise that she's flawless. It clocks in under two hours so overall, a painless experience.
It's streaming on Roku with ads.
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