Hollywood Déjà Vu on DVD: Ghosts of Girlfriends Past (2 1/2 out of 4 stars)
Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Garner, Breckin Meyer, Lacey Chabert, Robert Forster, Anne Archer, Emma Stone, and Michael Douglas
Director: Mark Waters
Synopsis: Celebrity photographer Connor Mead loves freedom, fun and women…in that order. A committed bachelor, he thinks nothing of breaking up with multiple women on a conference call. On the eve of his brother Paul’s wedding, Connor’s mockery of romance proves a real buzz-kill for Paul and a houseful of well wishers, including Connor’s former flame Jenny. Just when it looks like Connor may single-handedly ruin the wedding, he is visited by the ghosts of his jilted girlfriends, who take him on a revealing and hilarious odyssey through a lifetime of failed relationships: past, present and future. Together they attempt to discover what turned Connor into such a player and whether he has a second chance to find—and this time keep—the love of his life.
The Verdict: It was bound to happen sooner or later that A Christmas Carol would get the rom-com treatment. Playboy photographer Matthew McConaughey must contend with the ghosts of his past, present and future girlfriends when they pop out of nowhere to warn him against continuing his swinging ways. The perpetual bachelor relives every one-night stand in the hours before his brother’s wedding to predictably come to the realization that he must act on his feelings for his ex (Jennifer Garner) or forever lose her. The charming McConaughey takes every humiliation his Casanova suffers at the hands of the ghosts in typically relaxed fashion, while Garner gives as good as she gets from the former object of her affection. Still, it takes the over-the-top Michael Douglas—channeling producer Robert Evans as McConaughey’s uncle and mentor—to enliven this hit-and-miss comedy. Despite its Dickens-borrowed premise, Ghosts of Girlfriends is no different than every other predictable McConaughey romantic comedy that we’ve had to sit through since 2001′s The Wedding Planner. There’s a lot of flirting, some resistance on McConaughey’s part, and finally the kiss that seals the deal. By the time McConaughey’s womanizer decides to settle down, you can’t help but hope the actor’s also ready to move on from playing the same charismatic, commitment-phobic ladies man he’s play for much of this decade.
Theatrical Release Date: May 1, 2009
DVD Release Date: Sept. 22, 2009
Rating: PG-13
Running Time: 100 minutes
DVD Features: N/A
