This review is for the first hour of the film, because we left after that. Simply put: Dull. Not funny. Not interesting. Not clever. Not diverting. Yes, it's tongue in cheek, but only in attitude; there is no real shared joke behind the deadpan. Example: a woman screaming in childbirth for minutes on end while men ignore the noise and instead fumble with a huge pair of forceps, squashing a canteloupe prior to trying it out on the newborn baby's head. That is funny? The only good thing I can say is that the theater gave us our money back (which is why this rating was not a zero). By the way, I have walked out on about three films in my life, including this one and Mel Gibson's religious snuff flick, which was just about as funny as this one.… Expand

First of all, I have not laughed so hard in a cinema in a long time, however, i doubt it will appeal to all those who see it. If you love digression based and dry humour, in addition to 'metafiction' narrative, i guarantee you will love this film.

Nothing to do, this film is waste of time.

There seem to be two major complaints with this movie, both of which baffle me. 1)"It's just not funny." Even if I hadn't gotten a single joke, this would still have been one of the greatest movies I've ever seen because of the rebuttal to 2)"The 'real life' bits are tedious and irrelevant"---in fact they parallel and subvert the book so well this movie that is ostensibly about the making of movies becomes for the viewer who wants more than a few cheap laughs, one of the most literary films ever made.… Expand

Simply brilliant. I pity anyone who doesn't find this movie hilarious. Best comedy I've seen all year.

This film was bloody awful. I'm really shocked it got so many positive reviews, it's really a bad movie.

A film about nothing.

This is unquestionably the worst movie I've seen. It starts with a boy having his penis injured (A female audience member laughed hystrically), then continued with a prolonged "Woman giving birth scene," with endless yelling and flailing about, while the men in the next room are strangely unaffected. I didn't get the joke... Very sad.

Don't always trust the criticis. Worst movie I have seen in a LONG time. Only the 3rd movie in my life (am age 63) that I have walked out of.

Very dull, flat, overly talky, and not the least but funny.

Possibly the greatest movie about making movies, sits perfectly next to this is spinal tap. it's complex, but you never feel lost, coogan and brydon play off of each other beautifully. extra metion to jeremy northam, basically playing michael winterbottom. it's not to everyone's tastes, but a wonderful 100 minutes.

If I was alone I would've walked out.

Comparing this to Spinal Tap or Monty Python is a disgrace to those classic films. I don't know what film these critics watched, but it certainly wasn't the one I watched. Worst film of the year.

I love the fact that DVD's allow you to get English sub-titles so that you can understand British movies such this. Be that as it may, I really found the humor lacking in this film. Oh yes it was creative a "the film within the film", but ongoing jokes such as war injuries to the genitalia were just plain dumb and not funny. I find British humor a bid odd, but I still get a good chuckle out of Rickey Gervais, Monty Python, Fawlty Towers etc... I just couldn't find any reason to get interested or laugh at this one.… Expand

A phenomenal piece of work. This is the artist's hand steadily at play. A collaborative comedy with an underlying current that reminds us of how much facical our world views and sense of self vs others always leaves us wanting. By embracing a post-modern jester of his time (Sterne) and this wonderful age-old satire - Winterbottom, Boyce, Coggan and crew have done just that - created a blazing re-definition of post-modernism and as much as we hate the cliche --- it is unabashedly "ahead of it's time". As bold and awe-inspiring as the film medium has the potential to be. Brilliant.… Expand

This is one of the fuuniest movies last year and one of the smartest in a very long time. Post modernism has never been embraced so beautifuly in a movie as this. very interesting approach taken by the film makers: Coogan plays himself, Tristram and then his father, as he just turns a father. Great chemistry between Coogan and Rydon. Rydon also plays a caricature of himself and Tristram's uncle. Whatever parallels that are drawn between characters played by characters, the director himself draws by the medium of film on the book, tristram shandy. That a little hard to digest but its def worth seeing, it makes more sense when you are watching it brilliant and winterbottom is def becoming one of the best and most consistent directors.… Expand

Brilliantly directed and acted, and very funny. Fast and witty, largely centred on interplay between Coogan and Bryden, mining the charming egoism and self-indulgence of the novel itself.

A clever interpretation which is hilarious. Well worth seeing.

A funny, funny film. Brydon is a dellight and steals the film. In the period setting, Moran and Hawes are terrific: believable and funny.

This is one of the worst films I have ever seen. I left the film after one hour, and I have never done that before. I give it no higher than a 0, only because I didn't get my money back from the theatre!. This film demonstrates just how deeply rooted comedy is to our cultural language; and if you understand the British (and who really does!...just kidding!) then this film is a scream! If not, then join me and scream in horror as you run for the exits!… Expand

People seem to either love or hate this film. I found it really frustrating. This is basically two films - the 18th century story of Tristram Shandy and the "mockumentary" of the making of the film. There isn't really much of a narrative, but I understand that this is true to the book. There is some witty interplay between Coogan and Brydon at the beginning and end. Some of the period scenes are hilarious, such as Tristram's explanation of why this is called "a cock and bull story". Yet the viewer may become impatient with most of the modern day sequences, which aren't really insightful or all that intersting, and the lack of a story line.… Expand

Excellent film, funny throughout and all the cast were perfect.

A few laughs, but really not enough ideas here for a movie. The worst movie I have seen at the theater in a while. Goes to show that the critics are wrong sometimes.

So many of you, it seems, missed the point of the movie. The book upon which it was based was about life, and how hectic and unrelatable it is which they even say in the movie. Of course, they could never really show this in a movie, so they make it about trying to adapt the book, and it becomes a hectic mess - about life! A perfect adaption, and a brilliant look at life.

I so enjoyed this movie, not your normal crap that gets churned out from the majors. Steve Coogan is the reason I went to this movie, and he didn't dissapoint! I haven't laughed at a movie this hard in a long time! I'm betting that people that don't like this movie, don't get the British sense of humor.

No Vince S., you miss the point. It doesn't matter what the filmmakers were trying to do, or were trying to say. The bottom line is that they ended up with an extremly dull, unfunny movie. If we rated movies based on the filmmakers intentions, every movie would be a masterpiece.

Perfect in every way. A superbly clever adaptation with its heart in surprising places.

Utterly confusing and yet completely delightful. I've rarely seen a film that captured how messy life is so well, and it made me eager to read the novel itself. Plus, I became as deeply interested in the faux Coogan's life as I was in Shandy's, a rare feat when there are parallel sotrylines.

Has its moments, but it's not nearly as clever as it thinks it is. It sells itself as a mocumentry although the mockumentry elements feel forced and unrealistic compared to Christopher Guest stuff. Biggest problem is that it's not actually funny.

Just the fact that they pulled this off and kept the spirit of the book was amazing. But the fact that it is funny and smart and engaging makes it work and work well. Those not familiar with the source material (ought to read it, but) may have a hard time "getting" it, but hopefully will still enjoy the experience.

I know this is supposed to be the height of dry British wit, but I found myself looking at my watch and wishing it were over.

Thank God I waited for this on DVD! This is one of the worst American releases in 2006, and was an absolute bore. I gave it a "2" only because it had a couple of funny jokes. The "regular" people's ratings are much more accurate than what the critics said about this one. But if I can't trust the critics, how am I going to pick out movies to rent anymore?

The person who says it fails as a mockumentary is incorrect in assuming that that's what its trying to be: would a mockumentary includea dream sequence? It is a dry comedy and character deconstruction in the style of The Office. It is not the jokes which are the source of the delight: its the unnerving courage of the filmmakers to plunge into their own dark psyches to analyse and celebrate the weaknesses and frailties in us all.… Expand

Most intelligent comedy I've seen since in years, sublime brain candy. It doesn't give an inch to commercial tastes though, so if you like spectacle and easily digested morals don't bother.

Steve Coogan is hilarious but Rob Brydon steals the movie.

This must be the first film that I found bad while Roger Ebert did not. I expected great British comedy from Tristram Shandy - what I got was a film with only several funny moments that was confusing, repetitive, and ultimately, a film of no consequence. Films should leave a viewer thinking, daydreaming, wondering, wanting to be a better person, or questioning themselves. All I felt at the end of this film was "Thank God it's over!"… Expand

A film about nothing.

A few good laughs, a few clever points to make, but overall pretty boring and pointless. And I say this despite usually liking British humor. No cohesive story, which I'm sure is very fitting, but doesn't leave you with very much at the end of the film. Don't listen to the critics on this one.

This film really does polarise viewers it seems. I'm English and saw this in Vancouver with a Canadian. It's safe to say that the Brits leaving the theatre were still laughing (even the 3 old ladies), sadly though the Canadians missed the in-jokes and seemingly the whole point. The references to characters and actors all make it so much more enjoyable for those in on the joke, Knowing Alan Partridge, Knowing The Jokes. Me? I cryed laughing at times and found it refreshing and innovative. Having said that, I'm a Brit, so...ah ha!… Expand