Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story

Uncle Toby (Rob Brydon) and Widow Wadman (Gillian Anderson) in one of the more post-modern sequences in Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story. The film tells the story of the making of a film version of Sterne's novel, but gets caught up in telling the story of the film's production before abandoning the real world characters and attempting to get past the moment of Tristram's (Steve Coogan) birth.

CHRIS: Any film by Michael Winterbottom is going to be an interesting experience, even if his latest efforts, including Nine Songs and Code 46, have had mixed receptions. In Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story (an interesting release title in Australia: the first part was omitted in the UK release), he tackles the 18th century "unfilmable" novel by Laurence Sterne, The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman which - to give you some idea of the tone of the picture - is glibly described as Steve Coogan as "post-modern, before there was any modernism to be post about..." in a scene in which he's being interviewed for fictional DVD extras for the film we are watching being filmed by Tony Wilson, who Coogan played in Winterbottom's earlier film 24 Hour Party People. And if that sounds confusing, it amazingly plays out quite logically on screen, especially given Coogan is moving between playing Tristram, his father Walter, and a version of himself (still called "Steve Coogan") in the more 'real-life' section for the film. Any synopsis of the action of the film must stop about there.

The film teeters dangerously on the edge of horrible self-consciousness and although it's not quite as funny as it thinks it is (there are some in-jokes I'll happily admit to not having the slightest clue about), the film is a genuinely original and enjoyable experience. The novel veers off on many, many diversions in its attempts to chart the life of the protagonist, though he can never get past the cirumstances of his conception and birth in his attempts, and it seems that Winterbottom's approach is far and away the best (and perhaps only) way to tell such a story. Completely in the spirit of the source, the film replaces some of these diversions with the story of the film's production over one night in a country house hotel. Each of the main actors play versions of their real-life selves - particularly Coogan and Rob Brydon - and we also meet much of the important crew of the film as they struggle to make commercial and creative decisions about the film that we are watching. Unlike the documentary style of say Lost in La Mancha (about Terry Gilliam's aborted Don Quixote), A Cock and Bull Story is definitely a fiction, though how much of one is open to debate. It is often these moments that, as well as some genuine insights into filmmaking, provide the most hilarity: Coogan is priceless with some hot chesnuts, and Naomie Harris (popping up just about as far from Pirates of the Carribean: Dead Man's Chest as it is possible to be) as the eager runner whose film knowledge outstripts the rest of the cast and crew does a great job.

All of which is not to say it is a flawless film, as the major 'joke' does wear a little thin and the first half is superior to the second, but it's definitely a good ride to go on - and a commendably short one. I particularly enjoyed the way Tristram's story mirrors that of the actors and celebrities in the film production, and there is some very interesting camera work and editing, as well as a fascinatingly eclectic soundtrack that heighten the self-refrentiality of this film. For example, the Handel 'Sarabande' Kubrick used in Barry Lyndon, makes a memorable appearance alongside the music of Nino Rota and Michael Nyman. The ending too perhaps loses out over the rest of the film, as it doesn't seem in the reckless spirit of the earlier part, though the routine that Coogan and Brydon perform during the closing credits will keep the audience laughing way past the 'legal services' credits when most usually flee. Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story offers a humourous, understated film with a killer cast (I haven't even mentioned Dylan Moran, Stephen Fry or a particularly good Gillian Anderson) and a quirky story that will both interest and amuse.

CHRIS:

NOTE: Much as we may try and arrange it otherwise, we are inevitably going to see films seperately sometimes, and in those cases you'll unfortunately have to make do with a monologue-style review. Hopefully they prove equally worthy!