Screens at the Liberty Theatre on March 17 at 6.30 p.m. and at the Little Theatre on March 19 at 4 p.m. Never judge a book by its cover. The same should be said of DVDs. Having chosen the West Wittering Affair based on the recommendation on the box by Monty Python’s Terry Jones who spoke of being in stitches as he watched “terrific performances teamed to a highly original piece of film-making,” I felt rather let down. It’s not bad. It’s just not very good either.

This modern sex comedy about the tangled lives of 30-something Londoners is in the Woody Allen genre but lacks any of the subtlety and charm of the original.

The tale follows the fall-out after singleton Danny beds two women in the same night on a lost weekend in the country.

While most men couldn’t wait to gather their mates in the pub to boast about the juicy details of hitting the sexual jackpot, Danny merely goes to his shrink to whine about it.

And the women don’t seem too happy about it either while Danny’s shrink is even less thrilled to have to hear about it. I know how he feels. Billed as a comedy there are precious few laughs. Just a lot of middle class angst.

Part of the problem is the characters are generally unappealing. Danny (played by Danny Scheinmann) lacks the gravitas to play the central role.

Quite frankly you wonder what one let alone two woman would see in him.

And vice versa.

Kath (Sara Sutcliffe) the earthy woman who lured him to the country out of sexual desperation is probably the most likeable of the four.

I found myself torn between thinking it was great that such a plain woman was chosen for the role as it at least leant the film authenticity — and thinking I could do with something nice to look at given the limitations of the plot and script.

Her friend/love rival/co conspirator Natasha (Rebecca Cardinale) is even less appealing while psychologist Greg (David Annen) is neither likeable or as exaggeratedly dislikeable to make any impact.

There are laughs in The West Wittering Affair but too few and far between.

An ironic title that.

Wittering — for those of you who don’t know is an English expression for pointless talking. An apt title indeed.