I’m really confused with the title of this movie and its release date. The Ghost of Girlfriends Past is supposed to be a different spin on “A Christmas Carol,” by Charles Dickens. With Ghosts in the title, wouldn’t it be better if this were released near Halloween? Or wouldn’t it make sense if it were released near Christmas since it’s one of the most famous holiday stories? Nope, this one is slated to open in May and I can see it’s already out of place with its theme and title. Yes, the title is stupid and it’s yet another romantic comedy with Matthew McConaughey, since Failure to Launch, The Wedding Planner and Fool’s Gold were so “good.”
"Are you sure you don't want me to take my shirt off? Because I can."
McConaughey stars as Connor Mead, a womanizing (shocker of all shockers) photographer who makes a habit of ditching women, even though they may like him. While attending his younger brother Paul’s (Breckin Meyer) wedding, he ends up seeing Jenny (Jennifer Garner), the best friend of the bride (Lacey Chabert). Jenny used to be an old flame of Connor’s, but he ditched her when things were getting serious. Still bitter about the situation, Jenny warns him not to distract her friend’s wedding. Connor decides to challenge himself by still meeting a woman at the wedding without causing any harm. While in the bathroom contemplating his course of action, he is approached by his Uncle Wayne (Michael Douglas), a ghost who also had his way with the ladies. He tells Connor that ghosts of three women he used to date will approach him. Saying it’s for his own good, the ghost of girlfriends past (Emma Stone), present (Noreen DeWulf) and future (Amanda Walsh) take him on journey through his past love life (like Ebenezer Scrooge). They show him all the women he has dated, including his first encounter with Jenny. Connor, feeling bad about how he treated Jenny when they dated, must learn from his mistakes and try to win her love back.
The movie is directed by Mark Waters, who also directed the enjoyable Mean Girls and Just Like Heaven, which also uses the ghost element. It’s written by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore (Rebound, Four Christmases) and you would have thought with two writers that they would clear up some of the confusion surrounding the elements, but I guess not.
"I'm going to keep eating you, and if you tip over, it's your own fault...Oh, no."
Not only am I confused with the title, but I’m also confused about the movie itself. Are the ghosts of girlfriends past dead? Wouldn’t you have to be dead in order to be a ghost? Of course, wouldn’t it be devastating to McConaughey’s character that three women he used to date are now deceased? What did they die from, an STI? If that’s the case, Jenny might want to continue resisting Connor’s charm. Maybe it’s just easier to come up with a solution by saying this movie looks horrid. It will probably fulfill its role as date movie, and I pity the ones that take the film up on that offer.
Ghost of Girlfriends Past opens May 1st.
