The good news is that Woody has given up casting himself as the unlikely romantic lead opposite the likes of Charlize Theron, Mira Sorvino and Helena Bonham Carter.

The bad news is that he appears to have crowned American Pie's Jason Biggs as his natural successor, this time as a comedy writer teetering in a romantically unstable relationship.

Jerry Falk (Biggs) fell in love at first sight with free-spirited student actress Amanda (Ricci) only to discover she's an emotionally immature, commitment-phobe.

The diagnosis of his heartrending malady is not helped by his association with Jewish teacher-come-gagwriter David Dobel (Allen), a neurotic, conspiracy theorist dispensing offbeam advice.

Adding to the chaotic mix is Amanda's blowsie mum and uninvited flatmate Paula (Stockard Channing) and Harvey (Danny DeVito), Jerry's needy manager and mummy's boy.

All the usual Allen trademarks are present but they're not necessarily correct in a lumbering pudding of a movie where the dialogue, once as light as air, is now leaden and forced.

That's not to say it's all bad - DeVito's heart attack when dropped by Jerry is high-scoring farce while the uninterested shrink oblivious to Jerry's psychological torture raises a smile.

Nevertheless, for a Woody Allen film you're left waiting an awfully long time between decent gags and what once seemed fresh and vibrant sounds well past its sell-by date.

American audiences also appear to have twigged that Woody is barking up the wrong tree - although this would budgeted at a lean $18m it only took $3m at the US box office.

Anything Else? Well, I wouldn't bother with this for a start.

Tim Evans