The FiFi Report 135

Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story…directed by Michael Winterbottom
Who: Steve Coogan, Rob Brydon, Gillian Anderson, Jeremy Northam.
Genre: Comedy, Film About Film, Behind The Scenes film.
Based on: Laurence Sterne’s sprawling 18th Century masterpiece of digression, called THE LIFE AND OPINIONS OF TRISTRAM SHANDY, GENTLEMAN’. A book known to be too difficult to be made into a movie.
The Plot: 18TH century England. A Boy (Steve Coogan) tells story of his life. At about 7 years of age his member is slammed under a window as he has a pee. Ouch. Who knows what happens next. Too complicated. Boy then tells story of his birth to camera. Cuts to behind the scenes of the making of the movie. Handsome Jeremy Northam (Gwyneth’s Mr. Knightly in Emma) is the director. Steve Coogan is the lead. Falls for his assistant. His wife and baby arrive. Gillian Anderson turns ups. As herself. Flips back and forwards between 21st century and 18th century. Very confusing. There are funny bits. "Not a movie version of the book but rather a movie about a movie about the book." Writes A.O. Scott in the NEW YORK TIMES
Acting: Kooky
Photography: excellent
Set design: Drool over the divine English stately home with huge rooms, heavenly high ceilings, amazing tapestries on the wall and fabulous huge modernist white furniture. Worth seeing for the interior design.
Salon de Beaute: It’s all so Monty Python.
Wardrobe: ditto.
Mind drifted to shopping: when the plot got silly and way too complicated.
Botox: There is No botox in post modern English films (except when Gillian Anderson is on screen).
Waterproof mascara: No mascara/raccoon eyes = not as funny as you want it to be
Smooches: Put it this way: This is not a rom com.
Blood’n’guts: there is blood. There isguts. It’s supposed to be funny.
Best review: "is an eccentric hoot of a film, a delight for lovers of nattering British comedy. Or the business of moviemaking. Or just deadpan, postmodern silliness." DALLAS MORNING NEWS
Best worst review: "A thin slice of a not-very-interesting nothing… The book they said was unfilmable turns out to be a film that is unwatchable." ABOUTFILM.COM
See it or donate to the Prada bag fund: A Prada bag is something you can enjoy for years. You will laugh, cry and weep with delight every time you bring it out. I am looking forward to buying another one.
www.tristramshandymovie.com/ (It’s a Fantastic site )