Writers Jon Lucas and Scott Moore take the timeless Charles Dickens holiday story of “A Christmas Carol“ and create a highly comical and successful contemporary version with the 2009 piece “Ghosts of Girlfriends Past.”
Connor Mead (Matthew McConaughey) is a celebrity photographer and over the top womanizer with a limited morel compass and a skill for landing one night stands with copious amounts of women.
Pressed for time, an early scene depicts Connor breaking up with his three current flings on a conference call. The “in bulk” breakup is nothing new to Connor, who quickly forgets the women and moves on to the next conquest.
To Connor, “marriage is an archaic and oppressive institution” and true love is “magical comfort food for the weak and the uneducated.” While seemingly shallow, the character is well developed and has a meaning for his actions divulged later in the film.
Connor travels to the wedding site of his younger brother Paul (Breckin Meyer). Believing that the sacrament of marriage should have been abolished years ago, he rues his brothers decision. True to the Christmas Carol story, Connor is haunted by the titular spirits of his former flings – forcing him to deal with his intimacy issues and his lifelong fears of abandonment.
“Ghosts of Girlfriends Past” has hordes of hysterical moments and lines, many courtesy of Matthew McConaughey, who is perfectly cast as a male slut, and manages to deliver a flawless level of humor as well.
McConaughey is a terrific actor, and his relationships with his brother Paul, long time love interest Jenny (Jennifer Garner) and each of the spirits that haunt him is a thing of beauty.
Not to be outdone, veteran Hollywood playboy Michael Douglas is terrific in his role of Uncle Wayne. Following the death of the Mead parents, Uncle Wayne became Connor and Paul’s ward since their early childhood, raising them the only way he knows how. Uncle Wayne was a legendary party and sex machine, idolized by Connor growing up.
“Players never die.” Uncle Wayne’s ghost tells Connor when he first encounters him. “They just try their luck at a different table.” The smooth talking and always randy Uncle Wayne serves as the Jacob Marley character, warning Connor about the events that will transpire.
The story itself is great as Connor Mead is forced to watch and relive his scrupulous antics, courtesy of ghosts played by his first sexual conquest (Emma Stone), his present day personal assistant (Noureen DeWulf) and the always frightening vision of things to come (played by Olga Maliouk).
While the story is time honored and perfect, the humor from the cast makes the movie truly great. The concepts alone are simply funny to start.
The finished product is perfect when you add in characters like bride to be Sandra (Lacey Chabert) the typical woman who wants nothing but a perfect wedding, or her Marine father (Robert Forster) the hard nosed straight man who loves his daughter and has a clear dislike for Connor. “I was in a little war called Korea,” the Marine Sergeant explains to Connor. “Perhaps you’ve heard of it, Slick. We lost more men then ‘Nam. We didn’t get a wall. We didn’t a movie.”
Well written and flawlessly crafted, “Ghosts of Girlfriends Past” is a simple movie with lots of laughs, romance, and a fast paced story that makes it a great watch – holiday or any time.
by – Matt Christopher
