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Directed By: Mark Waters
Starring:
Matthew McConaughey as Connor
Jennifer Garner as Jenny
Michael Douglas as Uncle Wayne
Matthew McConaughey has become the unofficial crown prince of the romantic comedy. This is because nearly every woman in the world fantasizes about him falling in love with her…but will these same women enjoy him in the role of Connor Mead, a complete and undeniable douche bag whose moral compass is not just skewed, but practically nonexistent? He arrives at his brother’s wedding and, on the first day alone, advises his brother not to get married, insults the bride’s father, hits on the bride’s mother, and reveals that his brother had sex with one of the bridesmaids a few years ago. The bridesmaid in question is not Jenny Perotti (Garner) who was Connor’s long-time friend and love interest, until they slept together and Connor ran away at the thought of spooning. The girl in question was another bridesmaid and, of course, Connor bedded her as well. I know what you’re thinking and yes, he is one of those guys. He breaks up with his girlfriends in bulk using conference calls, proudly proclaims that love does not exist, and thinks that the institution of marriage is phony. That’s okay, I guess, until you make a speech about it…at a wedding.
Inspired by Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol, the film follows Connor over the course of one very strange, but hopefully life-changing night. The ghost of his long dead uncle, Wayne (Douglas), arrives and, like Jacob Marley before him, informs Connor that he will be visited by three ghosts: the Ghost of Girlfriends Past (Emma Stone, in a delightfully colorful role), the Ghost of Girlfriends Present (Noureen DeWulf), and the Ghost of Girlfriends Future (Olga Maliouk). Strictly-enforced formulas tells us what is going to happen next, both the formula created by Dickens in 1843 (which, with just a few tweaks, still holds up well) and the formula created by every other romantic comedy ever made. But, it is the combining of these two formulas that, against all odds, makes Ghosts of Girlfriends Past work. Certainly, you have seen everything that is presented here countless times before…but not executed in a way quite like this.
To say that the chemistry between stars Matthew McConaughey and Jennifer Garner stole the show would be a gross understatement. Both are talented actors, but they work off of each other in a truly genuine way. The dialog they exchange is clever and appropriately snarky, with Garner getting the majority of the truly biting remarks. This is lessened by the all-too-convenient ending that does ultimately betray the intelligence of poor Jenny Perotti, who finds herself falling for Connor’s charms yet again far too quickly…even if he was visited by three ghosts. However, a strong supporting cast, including Michael Douglas like you have never seen before and Emma Stone in one of the film’s most memorable roles, provides support whenever the film’s cliché-heavy script threatens to tear it down. The overshadowed Lacey Chabert, however, is one of the supporting cast’s strongest members, playing a neurotic egghead to near perfection. Chabert is a delightful young actress who could, if she makes smarter decisions than she has in the past, create a healthy and abundant career for herself.
If you would have told me just last week that I would be recommending Ghosts of Girlfriends Past over the latest X-Men adventure, I would have probably laughed nervously and then checked your medication. Alas, movies can certainly contain a few unexpected surprises and this undeniably fun romantic comedy is one of them. Using two distinct formulas that we have seen before (and will, no doubt, see again), it combines them in a surprisingly fresh and entertaining way. You will know exactly how the movie is going to end, but who cares? Women would have lodged internet protests had the film ventured too drastically from the familiar path. It is all about enjoying the journey and having fun along the way. And, you know what? I enjoyed the movie and I had fun almost the whole way through. Is it clichéd? Of course it is. Is it formulaic? You better believe it. But, is it good? Well, yes…yes it is.
Inspired by Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol, the film follows Connor over the course of one very strange, but hopefully life-changing night. The ghost of his long dead uncle, Wayne (Douglas), arrives and, like Jacob Marley before him, informs Connor that he will be visited by three ghosts: the Ghost of Girlfriends Past (Emma Stone, in a delightfully colorful role), the Ghost of Girlfriends Present (Noureen DeWulf), and the Ghost of Girlfriends Future (Olga Maliouk). Strictly-enforced formulas tells us what is going to happen next, both the formula created by Dickens in 1843 (which, with just a few tweaks, still holds up well) and the formula created by every other romantic comedy ever made. But, it is the combining of these two formulas that, against all odds, makes Ghosts of Girlfriends Past work. Certainly, you have seen everything that is presented here countless times before…but not executed in a way quite like this.
To say that the chemistry between stars Matthew McConaughey and Jennifer Garner stole the show would be a gross understatement. Both are talented actors, but they work off of each other in a truly genuine way. The dialog they exchange is clever and appropriately snarky, with Garner getting the majority of the truly biting remarks. This is lessened by the all-too-convenient ending that does ultimately betray the intelligence of poor Jenny Perotti, who finds herself falling for Connor’s charms yet again far too quickly…even if he was visited by three ghosts. However, a strong supporting cast, including Michael Douglas like you have never seen before and Emma Stone in one of the film’s most memorable roles, provides support whenever the film’s cliché-heavy script threatens to tear it down. The overshadowed Lacey Chabert, however, is one of the supporting cast’s strongest members, playing a neurotic egghead to near perfection. Chabert is a delightful young actress who could, if she makes smarter decisions than she has in the past, create a healthy and abundant career for herself.
If you would have told me just last week that I would be recommending Ghosts of Girlfriends Past over the latest X-Men adventure, I would have probably laughed nervously and then checked your medication. Alas, movies can certainly contain a few unexpected surprises and this undeniably fun romantic comedy is one of them. Using two distinct formulas that we have seen before (and will, no doubt, see again), it combines them in a surprisingly fresh and entertaining way. You will know exactly how the movie is going to end, but who cares? Women would have lodged internet protests had the film ventured too drastically from the familiar path. It is all about enjoying the journey and having fun along the way. And, you know what? I enjoyed the movie and I had fun almost the whole way through. Is it clichéd? Of course it is. Is it formulaic? You better believe it. But, is it good? Well, yes…yes it is.
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