The Van (1996)

Director
Stephen Frears

Main cast
Colm Meaney; Donal O'Kelly; Ger Ryan; Caroline Rothwell

Genres
Comedy, Drama

Description
Set in "Barrytown", a fictitious working-class quarter of Dublin. "Bimbo" Reeves gets laid off from his job. With his redundancy, he buys a van and sells fish and chips with his buddy Larry. Due to Ireland's surprising success at the 1990 FIFA World Cup, their business starts off well, but the relationship between the two friends soon becomes strained as Bimbo behaves more like a typical boss.


Similar movies

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.
Four old college friends in their forties come together in a time of trouble and despair. Old joy relives, but the harsh reality of their problems can't satisfy them and eventually endangers their friendships.
Between his tax problems and his legal battle with his wife for the custody of his daughter, these are hard times for the action movie star who finds that even Steven Seagal has pinched a role from him! Jean-Claude Van Damme returns to the country of his birth to seek the peace and tranquility he can no longer enjoy in the United States.
A lawyer, wanting to give meaning to his life, transforms an amusement park into an out-of-season health spa.
A warm-hearted comedy about a compulsive soccer mom who masquerades as a famous Italian soccer star hired to coach her daughter's floundering soccer team, then struggles frantically to keep her wacky charade going long enough to see the girls win their big tournament.
Heinzi Boesel and Kurt Fellner are two Austrian health inspectors forced to work together, traveling through Austria. Over time a beautiful friendship evolves between the odd couple who couldn't stand each other initially; a friendship that even overcomes the boundaries of great tragedy.
Bennie, a clumsy criminal who's touchy about his weight, teams up with his adoptive father's biological (serial killer) son, his employees who in his absence turned his snack-bar into a quiche bakery, a suicidal manic-depressive woman and a Yougoslavian who keeps unintendedly blowing things up. They need to get 300000 Euro to get Bennies father a new liver. Complicating matters are that Bennie is
A group of friends search for fun, love and ultimately themselves in West Hollywood. This movie is an entertaining, and sometimes cynical look into the lives of six gay men trying to come to terms with what being gay and single (or gay and partnered) means to them.
Every day, Cop 223 (Takeshi Kaneshiro) buys a can of pineapple with an expiration date of May 1, symbolizing the day he'll get over his lost love. He's also got his eye on a mysterious woman in a blond wig (Brigitte Lin), oblivious of the fact she's a drug dealer. Cop 663 (Tony Leung Chiu Wai) is distraught with heartbreak over a breakup. But when his ex drops a spare set of his keys at a local cafe, a waitress (Faye Wong) lets herself into his apartment and spruces up his life.
15 year-old soccer prodigy, Sara Davis, has a chance to join the U.S. National Team, but she must juggle high school, romance, sports, and parental pressure while deciding her own priorities.
In the style of a documentary this tragic comedy tells the story of a relationship crisis between two married couples and their longing to break out of their miserable daily lives. In this East German post-wall movie Andreas Dresen introduces the sad everyday life of two couples from Frankfurt an der Oder in a honest and tolerable manner.
Jess Bhamra, the daughter of a strict Indian couple in London, is not permitted to play organized soccer, even though she is 18. When Jess is playing for fun one day, her impressive skills are seen by Jules Paxton, who then convinces Jess to play for her semi-pro team. Jess uses elaborate excuses to hide her matches from her family while also dealing with her romantic feelings for her coach, Joe.
Three years after Mike bowed out of the stripper life at the top of his game, he and the remaining Kings of Tampa hit the road to Myrtle Beach to put on one last blow-out performance.
Based on a true event, Pardon tells the tragicomic story of three friends who end up in prison when they are mistaken as members of a terrorist organization. Ibrahim's fear of uniforms makes him runaway whenever he sees one. Because of this, police mistakes him with a terrorist and takes him and his friend Muzo into custody. Fooled by the police during the interrogation they name another friend, Aydin, in hope of saving themselves. As they all end up in prison, they remember the families and lovers they left behind.
The tomboyish, outgoing Julieta is the daughter of a member of the Palmeiras soccer club board. She is constantly frustrated by what she sees as institutional bias against women in soccer. One day while watching her beloved Palmeiras, she is struck by a handsome man, Romeu, that she sees rooting for the Palmeiras' chief rivals, the Corinthians. After meeting the same man again in the middle of eye exam, Julieta and Romeu quickly become a couple. However, in order to avoid incurring the wrath of her parents, Romeu is forced to pretend to be an adoring Palmeiras fan, an increasingly difficult task for the die-hard Corinthiano.
As a parting shot, fired reporter Ann Mitchell prints a fake letter from unemployed "John Doe," who threatens suicide in protest of social ills. The paper is forced to rehire Ann and hires John Willoughby to impersonate "Doe." Ann and her bosses cynically milk the story for all it's worth, until the made-up "John Doe" philosophy starts a whole political movement.
Cut from his NFL football team, a man starts bonding with his young daughter and encourages her to play soccer.
A true story of two men who should never have met - a quadriplegic aristocrat who was injured in a paragliding accident and a young man from the projects.
Viola Johnson is in a real jam. Complications threaten her scheme to pose as her twin brother, Sebastian, and take his place at a new boarding school. She falls in love with her handsome roommate, Duke, who loves beautiful Olivia, who has fallen for Sebastian! As if that were not enough, Viola's twin returns from London ahead of schedule but has no idea that his sister has already replaced him on campus.
In 2012 the comet Rose crossed the skies of the city of Barcelona and its magic that night caused 346 love stories flourish. An atmosphere of dreams, hopes and desire mixed to give a special connection between people. From these stories six are the stars of the film. A dinner among friends with a love of life is coupled with a first time for miles. An encounter that can change their lives and revive old ties that clash with the discovery of a baby on the way. In parallel, the struggle between friendship and love strikes the last story, a clandestine love between athletes who have to make a tough decision.
Bhaskaran is a happy-go-lucky guy, who is yet to complete his B.A. degree, writing arrear examinations annually for years. His only friend is Nallathambi who owns a barber saloon, which he received as a dowry for marrying a two-month pregnant woman. He lives with his mother, Sivakami, brother Saravanan who is a successful veterinarian and sister, Nithya. When his brother marries Nandhini, he gets to meet Nandhini's younger sister Chandrika and wishes to marry her. When he approaches his family for a chance, everyone talks very frankly of his unemployed status which rankles him and he leaves his house to prove himself. With the support of Nallathambi, he establishes a tutorial for Class 10 students and despite early setbacks makes it work, while also convincing Chandrika, who eventually reciprocates his love. However despite all this, Chandrika's father is against her marriage with Bhaskaran for a reason which is revealed in the end.
The movie deals with the championship-winning German soccer team of 1954. Its story is linked with two others: The family of a young boy is split due to the events in World War II, and the father returns from Russia after eleven years. The second story is about a reporter and his wife reporting from the tournament.
Two women love the same man in a world of few prospects. In Budapest, Liliom is a "public figure," a rascal who's a carousel barker, loved by the experienced merry-go-round owner and by a young, innocent maid. The maid, Julie, loses her job after going out with Liliom; he's fired by his jealous employer for going out with Julie. The two lovers move in with Julie's aunt; unemployment emasculates him and a local weasel tempts him with crime. Julie, now wan, is true to Liliom even in his bad temper. Meanwhile, a stolid widower, a carpenter, wants to marry Julie. Is there any future on this earth for Julie and Liliom, whose love is passionate rather than ideal?
Phirojshah (Naseeruddin Shah) and Pestonjee (Anupam Kher) are two close friends. They attempt to do everything together, and they hope that they will marry the same day as well. Unfortunately, both go to see the same young lady, Jeroo (Shabana Azmi), and Pestonjee ends up getting married to Jeroo. Phirojshah has been stricken by Jeroo's beauty and decides not to marry, and takes a transfer away from the couple. During the years, he keeps in touch with the couple by mail. While on a visit to the couple, he finds out that Pestonjee has a mistress, and Jeroo does not know of this. How will this effect Phirojshah's friendship with Pestonjee? Does Phirojshah stand a chance with Jeroo?
Flo und sein Kumpel Hotte arbeiten in der mies gehenden Neuköllner Videothek Video König. Kein Wunder, denn Hotte glänzt mit null Filmwissen, und Flo muss mit damit fertig werden, von seiner Freundin verlassen worden zu sein. Die beiden Unglücksvögel lassen sich vom Kiez-Gauner Bernhardt abzocken, von Schlägern die Fresse polieren und Inkasso-Unternehmen drangsalieren. Ein Glück, dass für Flo wenigstens wieder die Liebe in Form von Nachbarin Ramona lacht, auch wenn diese möglicherweise eine Prostituierte ist.
It made me think a little to "Magnolia", the difference is that there is no extraordinary coïncidence and only three characters. They have three very different lives and when they meet... Claire, played by the wonderful Isabelle Huppert, who has a quite normal life in a small city, she can't have children. She comes to Paris to see a doctor. Marguerite is a Teenager. She feels "different". Jacques is an ex-alcoholic, unemployed, left by his wife. He meets a strange girl who asks him a strange thing... I guess the conclusion of that movie is to tell us that the 6 billion human beeings living on our planet have 6 billion different stories... I appreciated, maybe I'll forget this movie quickly but it is objectively good.
In a small urban flat, grandma, mom, and two daughters live in partial harmony. Grandma is bed-ridden and mute, but rings a bell above her head. Her daughter Nina, a museum docent, misses male friendship and both her ex-husbands. Each fathered a daughter: Lida, beautiful, in her 20's, having an affair with her boss, and contemplating a month's vacation with him, and Nastiya, acerbic, 15, in trade school. It's grandma's birthday, so the women prepare a celebration; Nina's new male friend and both girls' fathers come. Lida learns more about her boss, and Nastiya announces she's pregnant just as her ex-boyfriend bangs on the door, drunk. Even grandma has a surprise for the family.
In Lyon, where many are unemployed, Marie is a prostitute who loves her work: she's thoughtful and exuberant toward clients old and young, slim or flabby. One night, a homeless man sleeps in the foyer of her apartment house; she gives him a hot meal, then a place on the floor to sleep by her radiator, then she offers herself. She falls in love, giving him new life, clothes, a place to live. When he grouses that he must bar hop while she uses the flat for her work, she finds them a larger flat. He grows restless, seducing a manicurist and pressing her to prostitution. He's arrested for procuring, so Marie must decide what to do; he, too, must face the consequences of his choices.
The story of a summer dress and those who have to do with it, especially the train conductor (played by van Warmerdam, the director). The dress functions as catalyst for the whimsical events, which turns out to be either tragic or hilarious.
In the near future, big wars are avoided by giving individuals with violent tendencies a chance to kill in the Big Hunt. The Hunt is the most popular form of entertainment in the world and also attracts participants who are looking for fame and fortune. It includes ten rounds for each competitor, five as the hunter and five as the victim.
Diego, a cultivated, homosexual and skeptical young man, falls in love with a young heterosexual communist full of prejudices and doctrinary ideas. First come rejection and suspicion, but also fascination. Fresa y chocolate is the story of a great friendship, that is, a great love between two men, which overcomes incomprehension and intolerance.
A fairy godmother helps a princess disguise herself so she won't have to marry her father.
An ex-office worker becomes a ventriloquist, leading to a date with his unemployment counselor; but his quirky family and a gauche female friend may thwart his new career and love life.
Three young Israeli men join the army, and it soon turns out that they're more interested in chasing skirts than following orders.
A polish film directed by Cezary Pazura.
The film is about an unemployed banker, Henri Verdoux, and his sociopathic methods of attaining income. While being both loyal and competent in his work, Verdoux has been laid-off. To make money for his wife and child, he marries wealthy widows and then murders them. His crime spree eventually works against him when two particular widows break his normal routine.
A suburban mom relives her season with the soccer obsessed sports parents whose outrageous "win at all costs" behavior spirals out of control.
Three estranged sisters deal with the death of their father.
When English Mark surprises his American bride Holly with her dream honeymoon to Portugal she cant believe her luck. Mark goes to great trouble to organise everything for her. They arrive in Portugal to discover that the country is hosting a major international soccer tournament and that the English national team is playing! Whats more, the England team, and their raucous fans, seem to follow them everywhere. Soccer-loving Mark claims innocence - a complete coincidence - after all, what kind of man would lie to his new wife just to watch England play in a tournament?
A frustrated, unemployed teacher joins forces with a scammer and his girlfriend in a blackmailing scheme.
Billy Hoyle (Woody Harrelson) and Sidney Deane (Wesley Snipes) are an unlikely pair of basketball hustlers. They team up to con their way across the courts of Los Angeles, playing a game that's fast dangerous - and funny.
An animated film from 1999 based on the famous novel by George Orwell. Animals on a farm lead a revolution against the farmers to put their destiny in their own hands. However this revolution eats their own children and they cannot avoid corruption.
Susan wants to work in television and will therefore do anything it takes, even if it means killing her husband. A very dark comedy from independent director Gus Van Sant with a brilliant Nicole Kidman in the leading role.
On a hot Sunday morning, Nathalie Sanchez, an unemployed hair stylist, walks across the Causses plateau in search of a shepherd. When she finds one, he tells her that he has lost his flock. They walk together and while chatting they meet several times a shepherd's son turned outlaw, Carol Izba. The latter, despite being pursued by a famous bounty killer, Pool, proves unable to leave the region...
Romeo, A.K.A. Kosuke Matsuyama (Shun Shioya), is a second-year high school student. A nice, normal, nonviolent type, he suddenly finds himself in the middle of a rampaging crowd of Korean boys, outraged by insults perpetrated by several of his idiotic class-mates on two Korean girls. He makes a narrow escape, but soon after, he and his best bud Yoshio (Keisuke Koide) are sent by their home-room teacher to invite the Korean students to a friendly soccer game as a way of restoring the peace.
A high school girl, Sayaka Kudō was the bottom of the class. After a year, she improved her deviation value from 30 to 70, then passed Keio University that is considered one of the most difficult to enter in Japan.
Prequel to the popular Les Boys series about hockey featuring the characters as high school students.
Corporate billionaire Edward and working class mechanic Carter have nothing in common except for their terminal illnesses. While sharing a hospital room together, they decide to escape and do all the things they have ever wanted to do before they die according to their "bucket list". In the process, both of them heal each other, become unlikely friends, and ultimately find the joy in life.
Earl Pilcher Jr., runs an equipment rental outfit in Arkansas, lives with his wife and kids and parents, and rarely takes off his gimme cap. His mother dies, leaving a letter explaining he's not her natural son, but the son of a Black woman who died in childbirth; plus, he has a half brother Ray, in Chicago, she wants him to visit. Earl makes the trip, initially receiving a cold welcome from Ray and Ray's son, Virgil. His birth mother's sister, Aunt T., an aged and blind matriarch, takes Earl in tow and insists that the family open up to him.
An ageing rock star decides to change his life when he discovers a 40-year-old letter written to him by John Lennon.
A privileged rich debutante and a cynical struggling entertainer share a turbulent, but strong childhood friendship over the years.
Brooklyn teenager Jeffrey Willis, thoroughly unhappy with his modest homestead, embraces the other-world aspects of his summer job at the posh Flamingo Club. He spurns his father in favor of the patronage of smooth-talking Phil Brody and is seduced by the ample bikini charms of club member Carla Samson. But thanks to a couple of late-summer hard lessons, the teen eventually realizes that family should always come first.
Friendships and business do not mix, that's what we find with Theresa, Catherine and Alain, three longtime friends. Freshly graduated, they decided to start their own business, but work is scarce and a fight breaks out between the trio. Separated, married and scattered all over France, the once inseparable trio no longer keep in touch. But four years later, they decided to organize a big party for their reunion which serves as an opportunity for them to put things right and confess everything they have in their hearts.
Elena (Kasia Smutniak) and Antonio (Francesco Arca) seem not to be made for each other. They are too different in terms of character, life choices, worldview, and the way they relate to others. They are total opposites. However, they are overwhelmed by a mutual attraction they're trying hard to avoid; but to which they succumb to. This dramedy on relationships also gets a very credible performance from Paola Miraccione, who plays the tragic, albeit funny, character Egle.
"Heat" is a parody of "Sunset Boulevard." Joey Davis, an unemployed ex-child actor, uses sex to get his landlady, Lydia, to reduce his rent, and then tries to exert his influence on Sally Todd, who is now washed-up and wasn't even more than slightly important at the height of her career. Sally tries to help Joey, until he realizes that she just isn't well-connected enough to be of any service to him. The affair is complicated by Sally's psychotic, maybe-lesbian-or-maybe-not daughter Jessica, who tries to muscle in on her mother's relationship with Joey.
Mick (Jeremy Sims) and Kev (Ben Mendelsohn) – bored, unemployed and aimless in the western suburbs of Sydney – decide to rob a bank, more or less for the fun of it. They’ve seen it done in countless movies and cop shows, and Mick thinks they can do it better. They recruit the brother of Mick’s new girlfriend as an accomplice. Meanwhile, police are closing in on a serial bank robber, who’s been dubbed ‘Laughing Boy’ in the media, because of the mask he wears.
The star player of Icelands top football team causes a stir when he admits to being gay to his team mates and then goes on a journey to discover himself (with the help of the local press). He soon finds himself on the bench for most of his teams matches and decides to call it quits and join a small amateur team made up of men like himself - gay guys trying to play football in a straight world of Icelandic fishing culture machoism
When unemployed dockworker Joey Coyle finds $1.2 million that fell off of an armored car, he decides to do the logical thing: take the money and run. After all, he says, finders keepers. He turns to his ex-girlfriend Monica, who works in an investment firm, for advice, before turning to the mob for help laundering the money. While Joey makes plans to leave the country, however, a detective is following his ever-warmer trail in order to recover the cash.
Ronnie, Wal, Andy and Vic are four bored, unemployed teens in dreary, rainy Glasgow. Ronnie comes up with a great idea. He has noticed that stainless steel sinks are worth a lot of money and comes up with a complicated scheme: to steal sinks from a warehouse dressed as girls and using a stop-motion-potion.
Stories about three very different women and the men they attract. Adelina sells black-market cigarettes in Naples, is married to the unemployed Carmine, and faces a jail sentence. She can avoid it as long as she's pregnant. Several years and seven children later, Carmine is exhausted, so jail looks inescapable as does her contempt for Carmine. In Milan, Anna drives a Rolls, is bored, and picks up a writer. She talks dreamily of running off with him until he dents her car; that gets her emotional attention. Mara, a Roman call girl, turns the head of a naive seminarian, prompting a run-in with his granny and a vow of abstinence. Mara's fizzy lover from Bologna grows impatient.

© Valossa 2015–2024