A cock and bull movie

Before "Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story" even came out, people knew it was a huge joke. Who in their right mind would be crazy enough to attempt adapting nine novels of "The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman" anyways? Michael Winterbottom ("24 Hour Party People") is that lunatic, but his movie is just a hoax that takes a period piece setting, equal dashes of Federico Fellini's "8 ½" and Olivier Assayas' "Irma Vep," and relies on the sarcastically dry comedic talents of Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon to carry it home.\nThe way "Tristram Shandy" is assembled is half mockumentary, while the filmed parts of the novel are as if they put 100 note cards on a board, tossed darts and saw what stuck. The birth of Tristram Shandy, a battle where his uncle is shot in the genitals and Widow #1 (a quick cameo by "X-Files" beauty Gillian Anderson) are where those darts landed. \nYet in all the chaos of trying to make this unfilmable novel, the film itself becomes unfilmable. Coogan and Brydon constantly bicker with one another while Coogan's girlfriend and newborn son are on set waiting to see him. Reporters, producers and a sexy production assistant named Jennie could only make matters worse for Coogan and the crew. \nThere aren't many extras to be had on the DVD but the offerings are quite hysterical nonetheless. A dueling commentary between Coogan and Brydon gives both Brits a chance to keep their jokes running while taking stabs at the movie itself. Twenty minutes of deleted/extended scenes make for comedic gold that should've just been left in the movie. I'm fairly convinced that more movies need to have characters discuss what their porn star names would be thanks to one scene in particular. \nWhat's left really is some behind-the-scenes footage which I suppose would be all the stuff behind what you're already seeing behind-the-scenes in the first place. There is also an extended interview between Tony Wilson and Coogan in which Coogan even mentions right in the middle of the film to just wait until the DVD release as all this dialogue isn't worth screen time. \nWhile "Tristram Shandy" might not be as great as masterpieces such as "8 ½" or "Irma Vep" when it comes to being self-reflexive, it can hold its own with the best of the best and provide plenty of Brit wit amidst the chaos of film production.