The Van
“A comedy about friends, family and fish.”
In a working-class quarter of Dublin, 'Bimbo' Reeves gets laid off from his job and, with his redundancy payout, 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.
Where to watch The Van in United States
Fandango At Home
Apple TV StoreClick a service to open The Van there. Availability last verified on June 20, 2026.
Where is The Van streaming around the world?
| Country | Streaming on | Rent / Buy |
|---|---|---|
| United States | — | Fandango At Home, Apple TV Store |
| Canada | — | Apple TV Store |
| Australia | — | Apple TV Store |
About The Van
The Van is a 1996 English-language comedy and drama film directed by Stephen Frears. The cast is led by Colm Meaney, Donal O'Kelly, Ger Ryan. It has a runtime of 1h 40m. Viewers rate it 6.4/10 across 100 ratings. In United States, it is available to rent or buy on Fandango At Home and Apple TV Store.
The Van was produced by Fox Searchlight Pictures, BBC Film, and Deadly Films and made in Ireland and United Kingdom. It was released on November 29, 1996, and carries a R certification. At the box office it grossed around $1 million worldwide.
- Director
- Stephen Frears
- Writers
- Roddy Doyle
- Release date
- November 29, 1996
- Original language
- English
- Age rating
- R
- Status
- Released
- Country
- Ireland, United Kingdom
- Box office
- $1 million
- Production
- Fox Searchlight Pictures, BBC Film, Deadly Films
The Van cast & crew
The Van was directed by Stephen Frears and written by Roddy Doyle.
The cast features Colm Meaney as Larry, Donal O'Kelly as 'Bimbo', Ger Ryan as Maggie, Caroline Rothwell as Mary, Neilí Conroy as Diane, and Rúaidhrí Conroy as Kevin.
Behind the camera, the score was composed by Richard Hartley, cinematography is by Oliver Stapleton, and it was produced by Lynda Myles and Mark Shivas.
Is The Van worth watching?
The Van holds an audience score of 6.4/10 from 75 ratings, a solidly received comedy films.
At 1h 40m, it's an easy, time-light watch.
If you enjoy comedy and drama, The Van is worth a place on your watchlist.
How and where to watch The Van
The Van isn't on a subscription service in United States right now, but you can rent or buy it on Fandango At Home and Apple TV Store.
Streaming rights change country by country and month by month, so the options above reflect United States today — switch your country at the top of the where-to-watch section to see availability elsewhere.
Rate & review
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Cast of The Van
Colm Meaney
Larry
Donal O'Kelly
'Bimbo'
Ger Ryan
Maggie
Caroline Rothwell
Mary
Neilí Conroy
Diane
Rúaidhrí Conroy
Kevin
Brendan O'Carroll
Weslie
Stuart Dunne
Sam
Jack Lynch
Cancer
Laurie Morton
Maggie's Mum
Marie Mullen
Vera
Jon Kenny
Gerry McCarthy
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The Van — FAQs
▸Where can I watch The Van in United States?
The Van is not on subscription streaming in United States right now, but you can rent or buy it on Fandango At Home and Apple TV Store.
▸What language is The Van in?
The Van is originally in English. Subtitle and dub options vary by streaming service.
▸How long is The Van?
The Van runs 1 hours 40 minutes (100 minutes).
▸What is The Van rated?
The Van is rated R. It holds a 6.4/10 audience score from 75 ratings.
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