Plot Steve Coogan stars in an adaptation of Laurence Sterne’s ‘unfilmable’ 18th century novel, The Life And Opinions Of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman, playing a man who sets out to narrate the story of his life and affairs but finds it hard to get past his messy birth.Verdict A successful mix of literary adaptation, meta-fictional discourse and inside-showbiz comedy. Both funny and clever.