A Cock and Bull Story

February 6, 2006 10:53 AM
by [email]

I know it’s weeks since New Years, but I left a screening of Michael Winterbottom’s “Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story” with two resolutions: to watch more of Mr. Winterbottom’s movies, and to read Lawrence Sterne’s “The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman,” the supposedly un-adaptable novel on which his latest film is based.

Three days have passed, and I’ve succeeded in neither, even though my next door neighbor owns “24 Hour Party People” (which apparently features “Tristram” star Steve Coogan speaking directly to the camera with more contemporary arrogance).

I have seen Winterbottom’s “In This World,” a compelling and entirely improvised cross-nation road trip starring two young Afghan refugees, which highlights the spontaneity that distinguishes his work.

From the first few chapters of Sterne’s 18th century novel, it’s obvious why it’s un-adaptable- not only is the narrator telling a story that takes place before his birth, he tells it in a rambling fashion more conducive to a blog than to a feature film.

Since my reading list is long, and I’m not liking Sterne as much as Mary Gaitskill (irrelevant, but everyone should read “Veronica”), Mr. Winterbottom could be releasing his next film by the time I finish “Tristram.”

“Mr. Tristram’s misfortunes began nine months before he came into the world…” begins the story, set on a British estate where Tristram will soon live with his beautiful mother, uptight father, and eccentric Uncle Toby, who is obsessed with a battle that landed a particularly severe blow to his genitals (see the title). The bull is not so important.

In lieu of squeezing Sterne’s stream-of-consciousness into some sort of plot, Mr. Winterbottom has filmed the attempt to adapt Tristram’s story, creating a movie in a movie and relying on the comedic skills of his gifted cast. Coogan stars as both Tristram and his father Walter, and Rob Brydon (adamantly) co-stars as Uncle Toby. Their prickly interplay is inter-cut with footage from what the director (Jeremy Northam) hopes will be the finished film.

Audiences love to watch behind-the-scenes dalliances- the success of reality TV can only testify to this- and Winterbottom and company hilariously bring a bustling, ego-steeped film set to life.

While the beautifully designed (by John Paul Kelly) 18th century sequences are witty in a slapstick way, I preferred watching the cast (which includes Shirley Henderson and Gillian Anderson) play “themselves” off-camera.

The majority of scenes shot for the movie involve Tristram’s delivery (Keeley Hawes, who plays his mother, screams for three days straight), and Coogan is forced to hang upside down in a life size uterus. He perks up when his girlfriend Jenny (Kelly McDonald) shows up on set with their new baby, but worries when the production runner, also named Jennie (Naomi Harris) starts responding to his previous advances.

Things get worse for the malcontented leading man. A journalist is chasing him, his agent shows up with a pile of scripts he doesn’t like, and when the producers insist on adding another major star to the production, Anderson is cast as Widow Wadman, a love interest for Brydon’s Toby. Coogan can’t tell Scully from Mulder, but Brydon, an “X-Files” devotee, is thrilled.

If you’re a fan of “The X-Files,” as I am, be forewarned that Anderson’s part is blink-and-you’ll miss her. She does, however, play her dual role with game good humor, and everyone in the large ensemble cast- with the exception of the excellent, underused Northam- has memorable moments.

But the irreverent bickering between Coogan and Brydon is really what makes “Tristram Shandy” worth ninety minutes of your time. Their willingness to poke fun at their respective images - stressing insecurity and harping on rotting teeth - has the welcome energy of a Seinfeld episode. I’m betting, in real life, they’re two of the most confident guys in the business.

Grade: A-