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Ghosts of Girlfriends Past

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Ghosts of Girlfriends Past is an American comedic romance film directed by Mark Waters. The film stars Matthew McConaughey , Jennifer Garner , Breckin Meyer , Lacey Chabert , Robert Forster , Anne Archer , Emma Stone , and Michael Douglas .

To be added

• Matthew McConaughey as Connor Mead
• Jennifer Garner as Jenny Perotti
• Breckin Meyer as Paul Mead
• Lacey Chabert as Sandra Volkom
• Robert Forster as Sergeant Major Mervis Volkom
• Anne Archer as Vonda Volkom
• Emma Stone as Allison Vandermeersh
• Michael Douglas as Wayne S. Mead
• 1 Axel In Harlem
• 2 XXX: Return of Xander Cage
• 3 X (2022 film)

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Remember Harry, the Rat With Women? This time his name is Connor Mead, but he's still a rat. A modern Scrooge, who believes marriage is humbug, but is taught otherwise by the ghosts of girlfriends past, present and future, and one who spans all of those periods. Just like Scrooge, he's less interesting after he reforms.

Matthew McConaughey plays Connor as a rich and famous Vanity Fair photographer whose ambition is to have sex with every woman he meets, as soon as possible. Sometimes this leads to a logjam. Impatient to sleep with his latest quarry, a model who just allowed an apple to be shot off her head with an arrow, Connor actually arranges an online video chat session to break up with three current girlfriends simultaneously, but is big-hearted enough to allow them to chat with one another after he logs off.

Connor appears on the eve of the wedding of his younger brother Paul ( Breckin Meyer ), who lives in the mansion of their late Uncle Wayne ( Michael Douglas ), a structure designed roughly along the lines of Versailles. (Actually, it's Castle Hill, in Ipswich, Mass., built by the Crane family of Chicago, whose toilets you may have admired.) Connor is attending the wedding only to warn against it; he has a horror of getting hitched and extols a lifetime of unrestrained promiscuity.

The movie is apparently set in the present. I mention that because every woman Connor meets knows all about his reputation for having countless of conquests, and yet is nevertheless eager to service him. These days, I suspect a great many of these women, maybe all of them, would view him primarily as a likely carrier of sexually transmitted diseases. To be fair, in a fantasy scene, his used condoms rain from the heavens, an event not nearly as thought-provoking as the raining frogs in " Magnolia ."

Attending the wedding is Jenny (the lovely Jennifer Garner , from " Juno "), who was his first girlfriend and the one he should have married. The ghost of Uncle Wayne materializes as a spirit guide and takes Connor on a guided tour of his wretched excess, after which he bitterly regrets his loss of Jenny, leading to a development which I do not have enough shiny new dimes to award to everyone who can predict it.

Michael Douglas is widely said to have modeled his hair, eyeglass frames and general appearance on the noted womanizer Bob Evans, but actually he reminded me more of Kirk Douglas playing Bob Evans. It's an effective performance either way you look at it.

The potential is here for a comedy that could have been hilarious. But the screenplay spaces out some undeniably funny lines in too much plot business, and Matthew McConaughey, while admirably villainous as a lecher, is not convincing as a charmer. Just this weekend a new Michael Caine movie is opening, which makes me remember his Alfie, a performance that is to lechers as Brando is to godfathers.

Maybe the movie's problem runs a little deeper. It's not particularly funny to hear women described and valued exclusively in terms of their function as disposable sexual partners. A lot of Connor's dialogue is just plain sadistic and qualifies him as that part of an ass it shares with a doughnut.

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

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Film credits.

Ghosts of Girlfriends Past (2009)

Rated PG-13 for sexual content throughout, language and a drug reference

100 minutes

Matthew McConaughey as Connor

Jennifer Garner as Jenny

Michael Douglas as Uncle Wayne

Breckin Meyer as Paul

Lacey Chabert as Sandra

Robert Forster as Sgt. Volkom

Anne Archer as Vondra

Directed by

• Mark Waters
• Scott Moore

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Ghosts of Girlfriends Past

• While attending his brother's wedding, a serial womanizer is haunted by the ghosts of his past girlfriends.
• Connor Mead, a successful fashion photographer and a Lothario keen on casual sex, goes to his younger brother's wedding to convince him not to marry. He arrives at his dead uncle's estate during the rehearsal the night before the wedding; he starts in, taking his brother aside, trashing marriage. Later in the men's room, his uncle, who taught Connor all he knows about women, appears to him, confesses to have been wrong, and tells Connor that three ghosts will visit him that night: the ghosts of girlfriends past, present, and future. Connor has already set the breakup in motion. Can he learn anything from his life and fix what he's broken? — <[email protected]>
• Connor Mead (Matthew McConaughey) walks into a building where his assistant, Melanie, meets him and gives him all of his messages and such. He stops behind a camera and takes one photo of a bunch of women in their underwear. He and his assistant keep walking and run into more women in their underwear, who invite him to dinner. He says hes booked and as they walk away, he tells his assistant to book them too. He walks behind a curtain and meets a singer who is supposed to be on the cover of Vanity Fair. He strips her down and puts an apple on her head and tells a lady with a bow and arrow to shoot the apple and he takes the picture. Connor and the singer are making out when the assistant comes in. She tells him about three messages he has from various women hes been seeing and that he needs to leave soon to make his brothers wedding rehearsal. He asks his assistant to break up with the women for him, but she refuses. He tells her to put them on a conference call. She puts all three on the computer and he proceeds to break up with them. The singer says that Connor is as bad as they say and that she knows he wont do that to her. He says he broke up with those women for her. They continue to make out. Connor is driving to his brother's rehearsal when he passes some swings that seem to hold significance. He gets to the venue where the rehearsal is taking place. He knocks on the window and the groom, Paul (Breckin Meyer), is really excited that he came. The bride, Sandra, is not as happy. Jenny (Jennifer Garner) is a bit nervous also. Sandra reveals that all but one of her bridesmaids has slept with Connor. The venue turns out to be Connor and Pauls uncle Waynes (Michael Douglas) karate dojo. Connor tells Paul that its not too late and if he changes his mind, he can take his car and leave. Paul laughs until he sees that Connor is serious. Sandra sees Connor giving Paul keys and asks Jenny why hes giving him keys. Jenny tries to cover by saying he may be giving them a car. She goes over to the guys and confronts and threatens Connor to be supportive. Paul introduces Connor to his wife and her bridesmaids and his groomsmen. They are honored to meet Connor after hearing the stories about him. The minister turns out to be Sandras dad and a sergeant. Connor goes upstairs where there are pictures of uncle Wayne with various women along the wall. He gets to his room where there are flowers and lavender scented candles everywhere. Connor picks them up and throws them in the fireplace. Jenny explains that the wedding scent is lavender. Connor says that uncle Wayne is rolling over in his grave. He explains that when he was alive, his uncle used that room for week-long orgies. Jenny reveals that people were taking bets to see if Connor would even show up. He seems a little hurt that people would think he would miss his brothers wedding. Jenny says she knows that Connor is not really a jerk and he only acts that way to get women to sleep with him; deep down, hes really a sweetheart. She tells him that his secrets safe and she wont tell anyone that he has feelings. At the dinner, Connor wants the drinks to keep coming and someone asks him if hes going to photograph his brothers wedding. He says no, hes not a wedding photographer. Jenny says hes not used to taking pictures of people with their clothes on. Paul and Sandra come over and Sandra starts freaking out because there are no figs in the arugula salad. Paul calms her down and everyone says that the salad is fine. Paul says that Sandra and he want Connor to make a toast at their wedding. Theres a funny scene where Sandra tries to get Connor to say no. Connor says he cant toast a wedding and that he doesnt believe in marriage. He says love is a myth and leaves, but not before saying that some figs in his salad would have been better. He goes to the bathroom where he sees his dead uncles ghost at the urinal. He asks Wayne what hes doing there and Wayne says hes here to warn Connor to not waste his life like he did. Connor is confused because Wayne had a great life and he is a legend. Wayne says Connor shouldnt want to be like him but hes on the path of becoming like him. He says Connor will be visited by three ghosts and will be forced to feel things he hasnt felt in a long time. Wayne disappears and Connor is freaked out and calls Melanie and leaves her a message. He leaves the bathroom and walks up to the bar where he sees a woman and thinking she is a ghost he reaches out for her breast and says they feel real and she says they are and that she likes to be bought a drink first. She turns out to be Sandras mom, whos been divorced eight years and hasnt talked to the sergeant since. He rants about how single people get a bad rap and that casual sex shouldnt be treated like a crime. He asks if theyre off limits and she says definitely. She tells him that the blonde bridesmaid that he hadnt slept with has been eyeing him the whole time they were talking. The bridesmaid comes up to Connor and asks what he and Sandras mom were talking about. He says casual sex and then apologizes to her for making her feel left out because shes the only bridesmaid he hasnt slept with. But before sending her up to his room asks if she was the same one that slept with Paul. Meanwhile Sandra tries to hook Jenny up with a handsome single doctor named Brad. Sandra makes it really awkward so Jenny and Brad leave and run into Conner at the bar. Jenny sees the blonde heading up the stairs and Conner and Jenny immediately bicker with each other. Connor goes up to his room where he hears a woman under his blankets. He thinks its the bridesmaid, but its a girl in a 1985 style outfit and braces. He remembers her name is Allison and she gets excited. She tells him that shes is the ghost of girlfriends past and he runs out of his room. She appears in front of him outside and he runs back inside the room. She is there waiting and he says that shes not real and shes only a repressed memory activated by all the alcohol hes been drinking. She says shes going to take him to visit all his past girlfriends. They fly off on the bed turns into a portal for time and land when he was young, the time of his first relationship. Young Connor is running toward the swings that Connor had passed in the beginning of the movie. Young Jenny is running behind him and Young Connor says that he beat her. She says no, she let him win because its his birthday. He points out that theres a gift next to the swings and she gives it to him. Its a Polaroid camera and he tells her shes the best. She asks what else he thinks of her. He takes a picture of her and when it comes out, he says it doesnt look like her because it looks like a girl. Young Connor says hes going to keep it forever. Allison starts swooning and Connor claims he never said that. He asks if Allison edited the moment or if its his brother. Allison keeps rewinding the moment where young Connor says that hell keep it forever. Young Connor and Jenny look like theyre about to kiss when he jumps up and starts running and she calls him a cheater. An older man picks up young Connor. We find out that the man is Connors dad and it is the summer before the car accident that took their life. Connors dad and mom are walking arm in arm and kissing and Connor remarks about how happy they look. Fast forward to the summer after and young Connor, Jenny, and Paul are at a funeral and Allison explains that Wayne, Jenny, and Paul were all he had left after the accident. Jenny was the only person who knew him before he became a womanizer. At the funeral, young Jenny takes young Connors hand. Fast forward to Junior High School. They arrive at a homecoming dance where Connor and Jenny are there together talking about how lame the dance is. Allison explains that this was the time where they were trying to figure out if they were going to take their friendship to the next level. A slow song starts playing and young Connor and Jenny are looking at each other. Connor tells his young self to ask her to dance. Just as he is about to, Jennys friends come up to her screaming and tell her that a jock, Pete Hastings, wants to dance with her and probably will make out with her. She turns to look at young Connor whos looking down at his feet. She turns around and says OK and walks off as young Connor looks after her. Connor tries to console his young self, who cant hear him. Allison says at least Pete didnt choke and starts fake gagging. Connor claims he was just being a gentleman. Young Jenny and Pete start making out on the dance floor and young Connor runs off and gets into his uncles car. Wayne notices that hes crying and Conner starts venting about how Jennys first kiss was with the jock. Wayne says that he dodged a bullet because he shouldnt want to be anybodys first or last kiss. Connor and Allison are in the backseat listening to the whole conversation. Young Connor says he doesnt know what to do and it sucks feeling this way and he hates girls. This prompts Wayne to slam on the brakes and demands young Connor to stop talking like a sissy. He says he cant teach young Connor algebra or camping or ethics but he can teach him about girls. Young Connor is excited and says hell do anything to never feel like this again. Wayne speeds off and takes young Connor to a bar, which he calls a classroom. Wayne orders two scotches and tells him the rules. Young Connor is looking around at all the women and Wayne says rule #1: dont look at them. Young Connor takes a sip of scotch and spits it out. Rule #2: Dont soil your wing-man. Wayne explains that women love to laugh, especially at men because it makes them feel powerful, which in turns makes them feel comfortable, which makes them prone to errors in judgment, like having sex with strangers. Young Connor says hes not allowed to talk to strangers. Wayne says thats good no talking, no phone numbers, no first or last names. Allison yells for someone to call child protective services. Connor shushes her and says let the prophet speak. Wayne explains to young Connor that an ugly woman doesnt always have a shot with a man, but a man always has a chance because cool comes from the inside. Connor is listening with a smile. Wayne gives young Connor tips like give a girl two compliments above the neck, and then insult her to flip the power dynamic. Young Connor says that Jenny doesnt like games and Wayne tells him to forget about her because his feelings for her are killing his game. Wayne says the one thing young Connor has to learn is that the power of a relationship lies with whoever cares less. He also says that one day, if Connor wakes up with a woman spooning him, he must run out of the room because sometime in the future, hell be crushed again. He then asks young Connor how he would approach the ice cold blonde behind him. Young Connor says he would talk to the girl next to her to make her jealous. Wayne says he never felt like Connor was his son until that moment. Wayne gets up to leave, but young Connor wants him to try to pick up the blonde. Wayne says he should throw small fish back to the sea, but young Connor wants to see his uncle in action so Wayne goes to pick up the blonde. Connor tells Allison to watch his uncles move. Wayne talks to the blondes friend and gets slapped in the face. He walks over to young Connor and says thats how its done and young Connor asks what he means because he struck out. Wayne tells him to wait and see and that when the blonde walks up behind Wayne and tells him that just because her friends not into whatever he said, that shes not like her. Young Connor smiles. Allison says Connor was never the same and they leave. Fast forward to 16 years old. Theyre in a basement and young Jennys there. Allison explains that he hadnt seen her for years while he was at the hand of his master. Young Connor arrives and walks down the stairs. The group of girls that Jennys with start talking about all the rumors theyve heard about him like he was home schooled in Vegas or was it Bangkok? Jenny is looking at him and smiling and he sees her but he walks away to another group of people. Connor yells after his young self saying nice move. Young Connor looks back at a dejected Jenny and her friends are laughing and telling her that he doesnt want to talk to her. They comment that he looks like both members of Duran Duran. Young Connor starts making out with a girl and Allison is excited because its HER younger self. Jenny walks out of the room. Allison tells Connor that they dated for 39 minutes and he didnt get the girl he really loved, but he did get all the other girls in high school. She asks if he remembers his first time with her and that he didnt last very long. She compares being his first to being like Neil Armstrong. Cut to a few years later and young Connor is an adult with long hair. He is now a photographer and hes explaining to a bunch of women how he is inspired by women. Jenny walks by and the younger Connor gets up to say hi. He excuses himself to buy a drink for the girl who blew him off for Pete Hastings. She says she didnt blow him off, he choked and he admits it. She asks what hes doing with all those women and he says that he works for a famous photographer. She says that shes a doctor (first year resident) and he talks about how he makes $150K a year and orders drinks in Spanish. She is turned off by his actions and asks if hes going to try to get her into bed now. He says yeah and he didnt buy her a drink just to see how shes been. He asks her how shes been anyways and she says she and Pete are madly in love and live in a house and there a lot of slow dancing in her red dress. Younger Connor corrects her says it was a hot pink dress. Just then Jennys friend comes to get her to leave and younger Connor wants her to give him her number. She says no, and he says that he has a medical condition and by law she has to see him. She asks what his condition is, and he says broken heart. She laughs and he says he wants a little dinner and sex and she says just dinner and hes reluctant. She walks away and he says dinner is good. She comes back to him and he wants to have dinner right now. She says OK but only if he buttons up his shirt because he looks like a gay pirate. They are walking down the sidewalk after dinner and laughing. Jenny cant really walk straight but they reach her house. Connor and Allison arrive to see younger Conner make fun of himself and Connor says he should put the self deprecation back in his play book. Allison says shes concerned that he may be missing the whole point of this trip down memory lane. Younger Jenny tries to say good night, but younger Connor tries to get into her house. She says no and that he has to woo her for his own benefit. Connor asks Allison whats next and she says theyre going to watch a montage of younger Connor and younger Jenny while listening to Time After Time. There are various scenes of them playing Foosball, taking pictures, going on dates, etc. After several weeks of wooing younger Jenny, younger Connor gets to go to her bedroom. They are in bed and Connor and Allison are there too. Younger Connor says that the sex was amazing and younger Jenny says its because they had 20 years of foreplay. Younger Connor gets up and gets dressed and younger Jenny asks what hes doing. He says he has work early in the morning and she says her alarm is already set. He explains that he doesnt stay over and she says there are two types of women ones you shag and leave and ones you shag and snuggle with. She gives him three seconds to get back in bed with her or he is to never call her again. He gets back into bed after ..2.. and spoons her. Allison tells Connor that this is the moment he truly fell in love with Jenny and the moment he realized he was spooning. Younger Connor gets up and leaves. Younger Jenny wakes up the next morning to no one next to her and Connor says he doesnt want to watch. The phone rings and younger Jenny picks up her phone and tells the person shell be right there then starts to cry. Allison tells Connor that was when he officially became Connor Mead. Allison pushes Connor out of the room and tells him shell buy him a drink. Allison and Connor arrive at a place with all the women hes had relationships with. She tells him that after Jenny, his relationships became shorter and shorter. Hes walking through a very long row of women who tell him where they had sex and how long they dated and that he never called them again. He asks Allison how many more there are and she says a lot. He looks down into a seemingly never ending line of women. Suddenly, all the women start grabbing at him and saying they miss him. He yells get off and then you see him in his uncle Waynes room wrapped in a blanket and falling off the bed. Downstairs, the sergeant is showing off his seating chart and Jenny sees Connor. Connor is in desperate search for alcohol and goes into the kitchen where he finds a box of champagne. He pops the cork off and it flies across the kitchen and knocks one of the stands for the tiered wedding cakes off. He doesn't pay any attention and starts drinking when he notices the wedding cake tipping over. He catches the the cake, but the stand is out of his reach so he has to keep holding the cake. He looks for a replacement and sees the bottle of champagne and tries to get it with his foot. In the other room, Jenny is organizing the wedding dance when Brad asks her to dance. She is reluctant, but Sandra tells her to dance. She and Brad start to dance and hes a very good dancer. She asks him where he learned to dance and he says he spent some time in Colombia; Sandra adds that it was with Doctors without Borders. Suddenly Conner screams. Jenny comes rushing in and Connor is on the floor with the cake on the ground. Sandra comes in and devastated she falls on her knees. The rest of the family comes in and Connor says that the cake wasnt very good. Sandra is upset that he had a piece and he says it just splattered in his mouth. She starts going off on him and her dad holds her back. Jenny tries to calm everyone down and Connor tries to sneak out. In another room, Sandra is getting massaged to calm down. The bridesmaids start saying that Connor is ruining the wedding and "Operation Sex for Every Bridesmaid". Back in the kitchen Connor is on his hands and knees cleaning up the cake mess while Jenny is watching him and laughing. He apologizes for how things turned out between them. Jenny takes some of the blame because she was always attracted to men she thought she could fix, but after Connor, she vowed to only date adjusted, fully functional men. He asks how strong that vow is and tries to kiss her. She pushes him away and he tells her that hes changed and he sees things in a whole different way and that he thinks he loves her. She tells him to stop and that she knows him and when she wakes up tomorrow, he wont be there. He begs her and says he doesnt want to be alone because there are ghosts in his bedroom. He goes up to his room where he hears a voice underneath the covers. He thinks its a ghost and runs out, but it was just one of the bridesmaids. He gets into his car, but it wont start. Melanie is there and hes happy to see her and tries to give her a hug, but it turns out that she is the Ghost of Girlfriends Present. ?? She explains that shes the only consistent woman in his life. She asks if hes ready and he braces himself. She asks what hes doing and he says he thought they were going to fly off. She says she the ghost of the present and that theyre there already and gets out of the car. They enter the room where everyone is laughing and making fun of Connors shallowness. Paul comes to his defense and says that he basically raised him (touching scene). Jenny walks in as one of the bridesmaids is says that Connor has Jenny so twisted that she isnt taking advantage of Brads interest in her. Jenny walks out and Connor follows her into the kitchen, where shes crying and trying to fix the cake. Brad comes in and Connor is irritated. Brad jokes that he used to be a pastry chef and asks if she wants to talk. She says that she hasnt seen Connor in a decade and the moment she sees him, its just like it was before. Brad says that the doctors joke is that they never break up; they just go into remission, which makes Jenny laugh. He says the only way doctors get over someone is by finding someone else to love. Connor is upset because hes bringing them together. Melanie says its time to go, but Connor wants to see what will happen. She slaps him and they transported to a room with the three women he broke up with in a conference call. It turns out that its Melanies apartment and she tells the women that hes not worth it. He walks out and sees his uncle who asks how hes holding up. Connor says he doesnt understand why all those women hate him. It starts to rain and Wayne explains that the rain is all the tears that the ladies hes slept with cried. Tissues start to fall and Wayne says those are all the tissues used to wipe away all the tears. Then he says these are all the chocolates youve sent them. Connor braces himself, but nothing falls and his uncle laughs and says that Connor doesnt send chocolates. Then Wayne says these are all the condoms you used. Connor starts screaming and running then wakes up in his car. He walks into the room where Sandra is throwing the wedding decorations in the fireplace. Connor says that they wont believe what just happened to him and they all stop. He asks if all the fuss is about the wedding cake and Jenny tells him no, its about the fact that Conner told the blonde bridesmaid how Paul slept with one of the bridesmaids and Sandra found out. Apparently, Paul and Sandra were dating at that time. Paul apologizes over and over and Connor says Paul clearly loves Sandra and if HE can see that, then it must be real. Jenny asks how Sandra can trust Paul anymore and Connor asks if shes talking about Paul or HIMSELF. He also points out that the bridesmaid is also to blame. Sandra storms out and Paul asks Connor to leave because all hes done is make things worse. Connor leaves and starts yelling for the ghost of girlfriends future. He claims that this was the ghost he was most looking forward to because he wants to see his future girlfriend. A floating figure appears and it manifests into a gorgeous blonde. He asks her if she is his future girlfriend and she shakes her head No. He then asks her if she wants to be, and she turns around and walks away. He follows her. They end up in the woods and walking towards a church where a wedding is taking place. Connor is shocked because he thinks hes getting married. Jenny walks down in her wedding dress and Connor is OK with it until he sees that the groom is Brad. Connor keeps yelling NO but no one can hear him. He tries to break Jenny and Brad apart by jumping on them, but he flies through them. He stands up and the church is empty except for Paul sitting alone in pew looking scruffy. Conner approaches him and sees Paul doesn't have a wedding ring. It turns out that he didnt get married because of Connor. Connor follows Paul outside and Paul turns into an old man. He follows Paul to a funeral where Paul is the only person present. It's Connors funeral. Wayne appears and says that no one really misses him. Paul gets up to say a few words saying that Connor was a great brother. Wayne pushes Connor into his grave and all the women that hes slept with start shoveling dirt into the hole. Connor wakes up in his bed screaming. Hes happy to be alive and opens up the window and shouts to a boy who is shoveling snow if its Christmas. The boy says no, its Saturday. Connor is excited because he hasnt missed the wedding yet. He runs down the stairs where nothing is happening. He sees Paul and asks if he missed the wedding and Paul says no, that Connor got his wish and Sandra called off the wedding. Connor says they cant split up because theyre meant to be together and Paul says Connor is being a sarcastic prick. Connor says hes not being sarcastic and asks where Sandra is. Paul says that the sergeant is taking Sandra and the bridesmaids to the airport and that its over. Connor runs outside and sees all the cars have been buried under snow. Conner gets an idea, and you see a car bust out of the garage and it's Waynes old car. Connor follows the sergeants car and flies past them when he slides in the snow. He tries to brake, but he slides even worse so he jumps out of the car and the car crashes. He runs back to the road where the sergeant and the girls see him. The sergeant brakes and gets out of the car and Connor says that he needs to talk to Sandra. The sergeant refuses and Connor punches him which knocks him out. Sandra gets out and Connor locks the bridesmaids in the car but they crack a window open. He apologizes for destroying the wedding cake, going to second base with her mother, punching her dad, and breaking up her wedding. He begs her to not run away because she and Paul have something rare and wonderful. She yells that he cheated and Connor says to get over it because it was years ago. He points out that shes not mad at her friend because she doesnt actually care because shes so in love with Paul that she forgave him the moment she heard and thats what scares her. Sandra says that he doesnt know how she feels. He says he knows exactly how she feels because he was in her shoes. He says he thought what if "she" hurt him or left him or died; it would have been the end of him. Inside the car Jenny realizes he is talking about HER. He says thats why he cut it short, but it was the biggest mistake hes ever made and that Sandras making the same mistake. He tells her to risk love because if she doesnt shell end up like him. He tells her that she may get hurt, but any pain she feels will never be as bad as the regret of walking away from love. Sandra says that she thinks Connor might be right and that she wants to get married. The bridesmaids cheer in the car. Paul is packing when Sandra comes in and hugs him. Downstairs, Jenny is going through a check list and she calls for a photographer and Connor volunteers. The wedding turns out perfect. At the reception, Connor gets up to give his toast. He says that someone once told him that the power lies with the person who cares less, and while that may be true, power doesnt mean happiness; happiness happens when people care more, like his brother, who gives love and doesnt expect any in return. He says he wants to be more like Paul so that Paul can be proud of him again. He also tells Sandra that his mom and dad would have loved her. The bridesmaids come over and tell Connor that they want to hook up with him but he declines. Outside, Jenny is on the swings and Connor sneaks up behind her. He congratulates her on pulling off a great wedding. She asks what happened last night because yesterday, he was his usual awful self, but today he became the guy she used to know. He declares his feelings for her and she says she wishes she could believe him, but shes been through this before. He takes out his wallet and pulls out the Polaroid picture he took when he was really young. She is shocked and happy that he kept it. He asks for one more chance and hes in for the wooing and spooning. He promises to be there every time she wakes up in the morning. They kiss and he sees his uncle in the window. The song from the dance when he was in Junior High starts to play at the wedding and they can hear it outside. Connor asks Jenny to dance and she jokes that it's about time and they dance outside. Inside, Melanie arrives and catches the eye of Brad. Wayne hits on the ghost of the future and she throws a drink in his face. He hits on Allison and she says ewww shes only sixteen and walks away to which he says, theyre ghosts so theyre ageless. End credits: Sandras mom and dad dance and congratulate each other on a good job raising Sandra. She calls him Mervis and one of the guests overhears. The sergeant threatens to kill him if he ever repeats that. Sandra throws the bouquet but an arrow comes flying out of nowhere and pins the bouquet to the wall. The women turn and its the lady from the photo shoot with the apple.

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Ghosts of girlfriends past, common sense media reviewers.

Predictable romcom has some iffy stuff, but OK for teens.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

A chauvinistic man who believes that women should

While the main character is a shameless womanizer,

A woman slaps a man; two brothers yell at each oth

Lots of innuendoes ("spooning isn't as much fun as

Language includes one use of "s--t," plus "a--hole

A Polaroid camera figures in the plot, and charact

One character talks about snorting a pile of cocai

Parents need to know that this predictable romantic comedy about a shameless womanizer who ultimately sees the error of his ways has plenty of innuendo and discussion about sex, though there's more talk than action. Expect to see deep kissing, some groping, and a clothed man being straddled by a scantily clad woman…

Positive Messages

A chauvinistic man who believes that women should be loved and left gets his comeuppance; ultimately, he's persuaded by true love to put his best foot forward.

Positive Role Models

While the main character is a shameless womanizer, it's clear that he's not meant to be taken seriously as a role model -- and he learns the error of his ways.

Violence & Scariness

A woman slaps a man; two brothers yell at each other; a man crashes his car at the bottom of a hill.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Lots of innuendoes ("spooning isn't as much fun as forking," etc.) and a fair amount of discussion about what women and men want in bed. Deep kissing, though some of it is played for laughs. Characters talk about wanting "wedding sex," a man gropes his brother's future mother-in-law, and scantily clad women prance around a photographer's studio -- later, one of them is seen straddling the photographer and making out with him.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Language includes one use of "s--t," plus "a--hole," "ass," "damn," "hell," "bitch," "laid," "banged," "screwed," "dick," "oh my God," and "goddamn."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

A Polaroid camera figures in the plot, and characters mention alcohol brands by name.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

One character talks about snorting a pile of cocaine (but it's not shown). Characters drink heavily during a wedding weekend, sometimes intentionally to excess. An uncle takes an eighth grader to a bar and orders hard liquor for him.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that this predictable romantic comedy about a shameless womanizer who ultimately sees the error of his ways has plenty of innuendo and discussion about sex, though there's more talk than action. Expect to see deep kissing, some groping, and a clothed man being straddled by a scantily clad woman while they make out. There's also some swearing ("bitch," "damn," etc.) and drinking, including a scene in which an uncle buys his eighth-grade nephew a drink in a bar. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Community Reviews

• Parents say (14)
• Kids say (23)

Based on 14 parent reviews

Inappropiate, Sexist, Not Funny, Full of Stereotypes

Sexist and poor images of women- terrible role models, what's the story.

Celebrity photographer Connor Mead ( Matthew McConaughey ) is so slick that he might as well be an oil tanker. He beds women as often as he photographs them, and he never lets himself get involved. Not exactly the kind of guy you'd want to have as your best man, but that's his role at his brother's ( Breckin Meyer ) upcoming wedding. Connor starts the evening off by sparring with ex-girlfriend Jenny ( Jennifer Garner ), fondling the mother of the bride (Anne Archer), telling his brother he can still back out, and even divulging a huge secret that hurts the bride ( Lacey Chabert ). No wonder he starts seeing a steady stream of ghosts (a la A Christmas Carol ), led by his dead uncle ( Michael Douglas ), who, when he was alive, taught Connor everything he knew about avoiding commitment.

Is It Any Good?

GHOSTS OF GIRLFRIENDS PAST hews close to the romantic comedy "rules" -- you know where it's going to end within the first half hour. Which isn't to say the film's a fright. The premise may be tired, the jokes stale, and the script trite ("Pain beats regret every day of the week, and twice on Sunday," for example), but it's actually more amusing than expected thanks to two critical casting choices. First, there's Garner: Quick with verbal volleys and arch reaction shots, she grounds the movie in girl-next-door goodness. The fact that someone like her would like someone like McConaughey's Connor makes us want to believe in what romcoms sell -- love that makes no sense but works anyway. Then there's Douglas, who appears to be channeling both Hugh Hefner and Jack Nicholson . This is the Douglas we adored in Wonder Boys -- no spit-shine, no polish, just rough edges with a hint of sleaze. (Who knew playing sordid could be so fun?)

McConaughey is also relatively solid, but Garner and the supporting characters outshine him, especially Chabert, as a well-meaning woman on the verge of becoming Bridezilla, and Meyer, who adds heart to a frothy script. It's a little off putting to see A Christmas Carol "reimagined" in this manner, but we won't be a Scrooge and say it's all for naught. Truth is, there are enough laughs to entertain, if not enthrall.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the movie's messages about relationships and sex . Why is Connor's behavior so bad? Why do you think he turned out the way he did? And why does Jenny still have feelings for him, considering how he treated her?

How is this movie similar to and different from other romantic comedies?

Movie Details

• In theaters : May 1, 2009
• On DVD or streaming : September 22, 2009
• Cast : Breckin Meyer , Jennifer Garner , Matthew McConaughey
• Director : Mark Waters
• Inclusion Information : Female actors
• Studio : New Line
• Genre : Romance
• Run time : 100 minutes
• MPAA rating : PG-13
• MPAA explanation : sexual content throughout, some language and a drug reference
• Last updated : January 2, 2023

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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Ghosts of Girlfriends Past Reviews

At times, it's almost self-aware that it's a movie, taking poignant themes less than seriously.

Full Review | Original Score: 6/10 | Nov 28, 2020

Frequently funny and occasionally quite sweet.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.0/4.0 | Sep 8, 2020

It's just 95 minutes of vanilla laziness.

Full Review | Original Score: F | May 2, 2019

The movie has a few bright moments, but writers Jon Lucas and Scott Moore mostly depend on standard rom-com cliches to tell the story.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/4 | Aug 14, 2018

Nothing new under the sun with this flirtatious and entertaining production that fully completes its purpose. [Full review in Spanish]

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Mar 20, 2018

Full Review | Original Score: C | Feb 18, 2012

This flawed, fractured fairy tale fails to scare up many chuckles or much charm. As Ebenezer Scrooge himself might say, "Bah, humbug!"

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Sep 29, 2011

Full Review | Original Score: C+ | May 6, 2011

Full Review | Original Score: 0/5 | Apr 4, 2011

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Aug 23, 2010

A parade of clumsy slapstick, unerring homophobia, and Big Fat Life Lessons.

Full Review | Dec 17, 2009

As superficial and melodramatic as one might've expected...

Full Review | Original Score: 2/4 | Dec 7, 2009

A deluge of dim jokes and rote romantic interludes between Matthew McConaughey and Jennifer Garner that are intended to recall Charle's Dickens' "A Christmas Carol." God help us all.

Full Review | Original Score: D | Sep 27, 2009

Matthew McConaughey proves better than the material put before him in the intermittently intriguing Ghosts of Girlfriends Past

Full Review | Original Score: 2/4 | Sep 18, 2009

Ideally, you want to see the male and female leads end up together in a romantic comedy; if not, it all starts to become kind of creepy.

Full Review | Original Score: 1/4 | Sep 17, 2009

Although there are some sweetly sentimental moments, they are not nearly enough to redeem what is otherwise a fairly mean-spirited film.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/10 | Sep 12, 2009

A watchable pastiche of A Christmas Carol, this rom-com resorts to corny slapstick a bit too often but also manages to find moments of real resonance

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | May 28, 2009

The comedy is reduced to pratfalls and embarrassing situations, and much of it comes across as just mean-spirited.

Full Review | Original Score: 1.5/4 | May 25, 2009

Director Mark Waters finds the movie's laughs in the supporting players: Michael Douglas, Emma Stone and Lacey Chabert.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4 | May 22, 2009

The only thing of note is that its star, Matthew McConaughey, doesn't remove his shirt

Full Review | Original Score: 1/5 | May 18, 2009

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Film / Ghosts of Girlfriends Past

Edit locked.

Ghosts of Girlfriends Past is a 2009 American romantic comedy film that stars Matthew McConaughey , Jennifer Garner , and Michael Douglas .

Connor Mead (McConaughey) is a famous photographer and serial womanizer. He attends his brother Paul's wedding, where he becomes reacquainted with Jenny Perotti (Garner), Connor's childhood friend and the only girl who's ever captured his heart. After Connor delivers a drunken speech at the rehearsal dinner where he says that love isn't real, he's met in the bathroom by the ghost of his uncle Wayne (Douglas), the man who taught Connor everything he knows about seducing women. Wayne informs Connor that, over the course of the evening, he will be visited by three ghosts who will lead him through his romantic past, present, and future.

This film features examples of:

• Back-to-Back Poster : The poster has main characters Connor Mead and Jennifer Perotti in this setup, with Perotti holding the end of a scarf that's around Mead's neck like a leash. Perotti is Mead's childhood friend and first crush, and who he finally pairs up with.
• Bouquet Toss : Being set around a wedding, the film ends with the bride tossing the bouquet. It's caught by Keiko, the Asian archer who hasn't shown up since the beginning of the movie , who shoots it out of the air.
• Brick Joke : That Asian archer who appeared at the beginning of the movie doing some William Telling and then seeminly disappeared? She reappears at the end of the movie shooting the wedding bouquet out of the air.
• Bridezilla : Sandra, the fiancée of Connor's brother Paul. She is racked with wedding jitters, has a minor panic attack when the salad served at the rehearsal dinner is wrong, and calls off the wedding, complete with throwing decorations into the fireplace, when she finds out Paul slept with her bridesmaid when they were dating .
• The Casanova : Connor is a serial womanizer. His Uncle Wayne was where he learned it from.
• Childhood Friend Romance : Connor has known Jenny since they were little kids, and has been in love with her ever since.
• Dad the Veteran : The fact that Sandra's father is a sergeant and a Korean War vet is brought up a lot. He runs the wedding rehearsal a bit too much like a military operation, and even his toast at the reception involves a gory recollection about tending to a wounded member of his unit.
• Gone Horribly Right : The back story of Connor Mead involves him suffering a minor romantic disappointment. He then gleefully accepts his uncle's advice on womanizing so that he'll never feel vulnerable to a female ever again. It works to the point of him becoming a womanizing Jerkass whom everyone hates.
• My God, What Have I Done? : Connor's silent reaction when he recalls abandoning Jenny.
• Race for Your Love : A rare case where the chaser is not after his Love. In the climax, Connor Drives Like Crazy down a hill in Uncle Wayne's old car to stop Sandra from leaving Paul.
• He also realizes this is the real reason that Sandra called off the wedding. Pointing out that while she�s mad at his brother she�s still friends with the bridesmaid, that she actually got over it once she heard it and she became afraid of being hurt later because she actually loves him very much.
• Rom Com Job : She's a wedding planner, he's a photographer.
• William Telling : This happens in involving an arrow, a rising pop star, and the 6th place Japanese archery champion. "She didn't even medal!"
• Yet Another Christmas Carol : The film is a variation on this, where the ghosts (even though at least one isn't actually dead) show the main character his romantic past, present, and future in order to make him give up his womanizing ways.
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Ghosts of Girlfriends Past

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The Ghosts of Girlfriends Past - Official Trailer

Ghosts of Girlfriends Past  is a 2009 American romantic comedy film

Synopsis [ ]

While attending his brother's wedding, a serial womanizer is haunted by the ghosts of his past girlfriends.

Connor Mead is a famous photographer and confirmed womanizer. He takes a break from his playboy lifestyle to attend his brother's (Paul) wedding, where he becomes reacquainted with Jenny Perotti, Connor's childhood friend and the only girl who's ever captured his heart. After Connor delivers a drunken speech at the rehearsal dinner where he says that love isn't real, he's met in the bathroom by the ghost of his uncle Wayne, a roué who taught Connor everything he knows about seducing women. Wayne informs Connor that, over the course of the evening, he will be visited by three ghosts who will lead him through his romantic past, present, and future.

The first ghost is the "Ghost of Girlfriends Past" in the form of Allison Vandermeersh, one of his high school girlfriends and his first lover. Together, they revisit scenes from his past, focusing on his relationship with Jenny. In 1982, Connor and Jenny were very close as children; she gave him his first instant camera which he used to take her picture, promising to keep it forever. When Connor's parents died in a car accident, Jenny consoles Connor throughout the years without them, as she, his brother Paul and his uncle Wayne were all he had left. By middle school, the two were on the verge of romance, but Connor's hesitation at asking her for a dance caused Jenny to dance with and kiss another boy. Heartbroken, Connor was told by Wayne that he must avoid romance at all costs in order not to feel such pain again. For the next two years, Wayne schooled Connor in the art of seduction. When he next saw Jenny, at a high school party, Connor ignored her and kissed another girl named Allison, whom he had his first sexual encounter with. Several years later, as adults, Connor and Jenny rekindled their romance, but Jenny forced him to woo her for several weeks in an attempt to rid him of his womanizing ways. After they finally did have sex, Connor falls in love with her, but when he lies in bed with her to fall asleep beside her, he remembers his uncle Wayne's warnings about sleeping and spooning with the opposite sex after a night of passion. Realizing this, he panics, running out on her so he won't be hurt. The next morning, Jenny wakes up alone and broken-hearted. His relationships thereafter consisted of a series of very short flings.

Awakening back in the Mead mansion in the present, Connor accidentally destroys Paul and Sandra's (his bride-to-be) wedding cake and unsuccessfully attempts to reconcile with Jenny. After his failed attempt, Connor returns to his uncle Wayne's room and finds another woman awaiting him in his bed and, fearing that this woman was the next "Ghost" to accompany him on his journey to show him how he became "himself", panics and runs out of his room, though it's clear after he leaves that the woman in the bed awaiting him is actually one of the bridesmaids hoping to have sex with him. As he storms out of the house, he is confronted by the "Ghost of Girlfriends Present" in the form of his assistant Melanie (Noureen DeWulf), the only constant female figure in his life. With her, he sees that in his absence the other wedding guests make fun of him and his shallow lifestyle. Paul stands up for his brother, recalling that Connor helped raise him after their parents' death, and expresses his hope that Connor will someday change for the better. As the bridemaids discusse their love lives, one of them makes a remark about Jenny being emotionally twisted beyond recognition by Connor to the point that she's unable to move on to a new relationship. Jenny hears this and though Sandra tries to comfort her, Jenny leaves the room hurt and in tears. Melanie guides Connor to the kitchen to show him a crying Jenny as she tries to repair Paul and Sandra's wedding cake. Connor also sees that Jenny is being comforted by Brad (Daniel Sunjata), and is upset that his own actions and attitude are bringing the two closer. He is further upset to discover that Melanie and the three women whom he previously broke up with by conference call are bonding over his disregard for their feelings.

Returning to the house, Connor finds Sandra furious at learning that Paul had slept with one of her bridesmaids very early in their relationship, information that Connor had let slip earlier in the evening. Connor attempts to mend the situation but only makes things worse, and Paul tells him to leave. On his way out, he is confronted by the "Ghost of Girlfriends Future" (Olga Maliouk), who takes him forward in time to see that Jenny marries Brad while Paul remains alone. Further in the future, Paul is the only mourner at Connor's funeral. Wayne appears and tells Connor that this is his future if he continues on the same path, pushing him into the grave to be buried by his many ex-girlfriends.

Connor awakens in the Mead home and learns that Sandra has called off the wedding and is on her way to the airport. He intercepts the bridal party and convinces Sandra to forgive Paul by sharing lessons learned from his own mistakes, particularly that the pain of heartbreak is outweighed by the regret of never risking one's heart in the first place, something he admits to always regretting having done. Connor helps Jenny to restart the wedding, which he photographs, and afterwards he reconciles with Jenny by showing her the picture he still carries of her as a child and by promising to always be there when she wakes up. The two kiss and dance in the snow to the same song Connor once hesitated to ask her to dance to.

Meanwhile, Wayne tries to hit on the ghost of girlfriends future, but she magically vanishes after throwing a drink in his face. Then he tries to hit on the ghost of girlfriends present, but Melanie informs Wayne she is one of the attendees and vanishes. Melanie and Brad start talking and then dancing. Wayne is left with the ghost of girlfriends past, Allison, who is not interested since she is only 16. Wayne says that they are ghosts and therefore ageless.

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Ghosts of Girlfriends Past - Full Cast & Crew

• 34   Metascore
• 1 hr 40 mins
• Fantasy, Comedy
• Watchlist Where to Watch

A freewheeling womaniser is haunted by his many old flames while attending his younger brother's wedding in this romantic comedy starring Matthew McConaughey. Having conquered almost the entire bridal party, libidinous celebrity photographer Connor Mead ponders bedding the bride's mother until the Ghosts of Girlfriends Past guide him on an eye-opening tour of his romantic past, present and future. Along the way, they attempt to discern whether Connor will ever be able to change his ways.

Screenwriter

Executive producer, co-producer, cinematographer, production company, art director, special effects, production designer.

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GHOSTS OF GIRLFRIENDS PAST

"a mixed bag of love and sex".

What You Need To Know:

(PaPa, BB, C, OO, FR, Ho, LL, V, SS, Ho, N, AA, D, M) Strong mixed pagan worldview with main character living life of a playboy and partier, which eventually changes, but there are other characters who share this view and continue to practice it, mixed with a strong moral, Christian worldview with a positive emphasis on marriage and main character states that love is giving without expecting anything in return, happiness comes from caring more about people, forgiveness is a result of love, and even though there is a risk of getting hurt by loving someone, it is ultimately worth it, plus main character says “thank God” three times and occult elements where ghost appears to man telling him not to waste his life and ghosts of dead people and spirits appear to main character, a minor character makes a reference to the false religious concept of karma, and some homosexual references and jokes; 14 obscenities (no “F” words) and 10 profanities (mostly “oh, God” and 1 “GD”); some comic violence includes woman slams man’s head into steering wheel, woman slaps man, car crashes through glass, man crashes car in snow embankment, man gets punched in the face; strong sexual content includes abundant sexual references and material including women in skimpy lingerie pose for photo, women in revealing, practically transparent underwear, woman poses for photo in sexy underwear, woman makes out with man leading to implied fornication, groomsmen are in awe of main character because of his sexual exploits, woman makes threat to cut off man’s private part, man makes reference to orgies, man puts the moves on woman but she sees through his ploy and calls it a cheap sexual innuendo, woman comments that a man is “not really married” unless he has children, man tells man on phone to “screw” himself, man touches woman’s breast thinking she is a ghost, man makes sexual advances on older woman, man asks woman what her stance is on casual sex and woman says she is for it, bridesmaids continually look for opportunities to fornicate during weekend bridal festivities, woman says bridesmaid will only be “partially satisfied” by man, ghost makes sexual moaning sounds in man’s bed, woman makes sexual moaning sounds in man’s bed, middle-school-aged girls say that boy wants to make out with girl using tongue, man says that middle-school-aged boy used to get “excited” (different word actually used in movie) in the boys’ gym shower, brief reference made to STDs, implied fornication between two teenagers, girl compares man’s first sexual experience to Neil Armstrong walking on the moon, implied fornication between man and woman, reference is made to 20 years of foreplay, ghosts of women remind man about his sexual exploits with them, five instances of various crass words used to refer to sex, bridesmaid says she wants to “do” main character, reference made to woman’s sexual encounter with a celebrity, man says he is woman’s designated wedding sex, ghost crudely says women like to do sex, in one scene it’s implied that condoms fall from the sky illustrating the number of times the main character has had to use them, bridesmaids corner main character to get him to do sex with them but when he refuses they set their sights on the groomsmen, older ghost makes sexual advances toward other ghosts (one of which is 16 years old) and makes lewd comments, one lewd, potty humor reference, and four brief homosexual references with a women who has had a sex-change operation; women wear revealing lingerie for photo shoot, women wear transparent underwear and backsides are visible, cleavage depicted; alcohol use depicted with women drinking shots, people drink wine at wedding dinner party, man guzzles one drink after another to drown out the happiness of others around him, ghost drinks alcohol, man drinks in bar and also orders drink for underage boy who tries it, ghost offers to buy man a drink, man desperately steals wedding day wine to drink; one reference to cocaine; and, brief discussion of divorce, man cheated on woman at beginning of their relationship, negative role model acting as parent to young boy, and even though love and marriage are extolled, pre-marital sex is not rebuked.

More Detail:

If you’ve seen A CHRISTMAS CAROL and more recent movies like 13 GOING ON 30 and JUST LIKE HEAVEN, then you’ll understand what GHOSTS OF GIRLFRIENDS PAST is all about. Sadly, the few funny moments, coupled with the movie’s ultimately moral message of love and marriage, do little to make up for the unnecessary abundance of sexual material and the neatly concealed message that love leaves room for premarital sex.

The story opens with Connor Mead (played by Matthew McConaughey), a successful celebrity photographer and handsome playboy who desires nothing more than to live and make love freely with no strings attached. Connor sees this lifestyle as the solution to avoiding the hurt and pain that relationships can bring, a lesson taught to him by his Uncle Wayne (played by Michael Douglas), a hard-partying, ladies man and Connor’s mentor.

During the wedding festivities of his soon to be married brother, Paul, Connor’s cynical attitude goes just a step too far as he needlessly bashes marriage as “an archaic and oppressive institution” and love as a myth equal to the Easter Bunny during the wedding rehearsal dinner. Connor’s careless words confirm the expectations of his childhood friend, former girlfriend, and current bridesmaid Jenny (played by Jennifer Garner) that including Connor in the celebration might just ruin the entire wedding.

Just when it seems like Connor is doomed to annihilate the happiness of the wedding party, he gets a shocking visit from his late Uncle Wayne, still as vulgar as ever, who urgently warns him, “Don’t waste your life like I did.” He tells Connor that for his own good, three “ghosts” of his past, present and future girlfriends will visit him. As the journey unfolds, he is given a new perspective on the various relationships throughout his life, with one in particular – his relationship with Jenny.

GHOSTS OF GIRLFRIENDS PAST is a large-budget movie containing some excellent production values such as the overall storyline, witty lines with timely deliveries, and the acting by chick flick pros Matthew McConaughey and Jennifer Garner. Sadly, the movie contains many problematic elements regarding the production and the movie’s content.

First, the second ghost who visits him, the Ghost of Girlfriends Present, is actually the spirit of his assistant from work who is neither dead, nor has ever been his girlfriend. In response to Connor’s surprise at seeing her, she tells him that she has been sent to help him because he does not have a present girlfriend and she, being his assistant, is the most consistent girl in his life at the moment. This makes no sense whatsoever and the fact that she isn’t even dead makes it even weirder; it’s as though the ghostly or spiritual side of herself has separated from her physical body to impart a message to Connor.

Second, as Uncle Wayne continually appears to Connor throughout the movie, the impression is given that he is still carousing and carrying on as a ghost as he would do on earth if he were still human. He does not seem to be suffering any eternal consequences for the way he lived his life on earth.

Third, during the younger years of Connor’s life as he is trying to get Jenny to have sexual relations with him, she sees him for the player he is and won’t allow herself to be seduced by his charms. Jenny tells him that she wants to be wooed and pursued, which he acquiesces to doing. Her wise decision is a commendable portion of the storyline and it almost seems like the filmmakers might actually make a good point with it, but alas, this is ultimately ruined when she eventually jumps into bed with him after a few weeks of wooing, and the relationship ends in heartbreak and disappointment.

Contrary to the problematic elements, there is one big redemptive element in that Connor Mead’s outlook on life and love and marriage changes throughout the course of his journey. In fact, there are a couple of scenes toward the end of the movie in which he espouses his new perspective, which surprisingly contains many Christian elements, although his redemption is devoid of God. He says that love is something very powerful and out of it comes forgiveness for there is no guarantee that you won’t get hurt or experience pain by loving someone, but it is worth the risk and it is better than walking away from love. In his wedding toast, he says that true happiness comes from caring more about people, not less, and that love is about giving your all to everyone without requiring anything in return.

Although MOVIEGUIDE® would like to recommend GHOSTS OF GIRLFRIENDS PAST due to these very commendable elements, extreme caution is advised due to the filmmakers use of cheap sexual material, alcohol use, a negative role model, light pagan and occult elements with a reference to karma, and the promotion of pre-marital sex. Please read the content section for further information. There are much better romantic comedies to see, such as RUNAWAY BRIDE with Julia Roberts and Richard Gere.

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Ghosts of Girlfriends Past

From wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Ghosts of Girlfriends Past is a 2009 American romantic comedy film directed by Mark Waters . The script was written by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore , based on Charles Dickens ' 1843 novella A Christmas Carol . Filming spanned February 19, 2008 to July 2008 in Rhode Island with stars Matthew McConaughey , Jennifer Garner , Lacey Chabert , Emma Stone , and Michael Douglas . The film was released on May 1, 2009. [2]

Ghosts of Girlfriends Past features a wedding day and the day before, rather than the familiar Christmas and Christmas Eve from A Christmas Carol . The three ghosts share similar appearances with the original descriptions, and the film shares the traditional plot points from the book.

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• Master Douglas (Uncle Wayne) - Ghosts of Girlfriends Past
• 🎥 GHOSTS OF GIRLFRIENDS PAST (2009) | Full Movie Trailer in HD | 1080p
• Ghosts of Girlfriends Past - Original Theatrical Trailer
• The Ghosts of Girlfriends Past - trailer
• Allison Vandermeersh- All Powers from Ghost of Girlfriends Past

Transcription

Connor Mead is a famous photographer and womanizer. After breaking up with three women simultaneously on a conference call to save time, he travels to his late uncle Wayne's estate to attend the wedding of his brother Paul to Sandra. There, he becomes reacquainted with Jenny Perotti, the only girl who captured his heart. After delivering a drunken speech at the rehearsal dinner, Connor is visited by the ghost of the inveterate playboy Wayne, who warns Connor that he will be visited by three ghosts who will lead him through his romantic past, present, and future.

The first is the "Ghost of Girlfriends Past" in the form of Allison, his first lover. They revisit scenes from his past, focusing on his relationship with Jenny. She and Connor were very close at school; she gave him his first instant camera which he used to take her picture, promising to keep it forever. By middle school, they were on the verge of romance, but Connor's hesitation at a dance caused Jenny to dance with and kiss another boy.

Wayne advised a heartbroken Connor to avoid romance at all costs in order not to feel such pain again, and began to teach him his techniques as a pickup artist. When he next saw Jenny, he ignored her in favor of Allison. Several years later, Connor and Jenny met again and rekindled their romance. After spending the night together, Connor realized that he was falling in love and panicked, leaving Jenny to wake up alone and broken-hearted.

Back in the present, Connor accidentally destroys the wedding cake and fails to reconcile with Jenny. He is confronted by the "Ghost of Girlfriends Present" in the form of his assistant Melanie, who shows him the other members of the wedding party making fun of his shallow lifestyle. Paul expresses hope that he will someday improve, while Jenny is being comforted by Brad, which upsets Connor. Melanie and his newly-jilted trio of lovers discuss his lack of empathy.

Sandra hears of Connor's accidental revelation that Paul slept with one of her bridesmaids early in their relationship, and furiously confronts Paul. A returned Connor attempts to mend the situation, but Paul tells him to leave. He is visited by the "Ghost of Girlfriends Future", who takes him forward in time to see that Jenny marries Brad while Paul remains alone. Further in the future, Paul is the only mourner at Connor's funeral. Wayne appears and tells Connor that this is his fate if he continues on the same path, pushing him into the grave to be buried by his many ex-girlfriends.

Waking up in bed, Connor is relieved to find it is early on the day of the wedding, but discovers that Sandra has called it off and departed. Intercepting her car, Connor convinces her to forgive Paul, saying that the pain of heartbreak is outweighed by the regret of never risking one's heart in the first place. At the restored festivities--where he serves as wedding photographer--Connor reconciles with Jenny by showing her the picture he still carries of her. They kiss and dance in the snow to the same song Connor once hesitated to ask her to dance to.

His work complete, Uncle Wayne strikes out with the Ghost of Girlfriends Future, tries to hit on Melanie before her corporeally-present counterpart dances with Brad, and is finally rejected by Allison, the Ghost of Girlfriends Past, who still appears 16.

• Devin Brochu as Little Connor
• Logan Miller as Young Connor
• Kasey Russell as Little Jenny
• Christa B. Allen as Young Jenny
• Michael Douglas as Wayne S. Mead, Connor and Paul's uncle and legal guardian , is based on Ebenezer Scrooge's business partner Jacob Marley depicted as a not-so-thinly-veiled caricature of famed Hollywood Producer Robert Evans .
• Breckin Meyer as Paul Mead, Connor's younger brother, is based on Ebenezer Scrooge's nephew Fred.
• Lacey Chabert as Sandra Volkom, Paul Mead's fiancée
• Robert Forster as Sergeant Major Mervis Volkom
• Daniel Sunjata as Brad Frye
• Emma Stone as Allison Vandermeersh, the Ghost of Girlfriends Past
• Noureen DeWulf as Melanie, the Ghost of Girlfriends Present, is based on Bob Cratchit .
• Olga Maliouk as the Ghost of Girlfriends Future
• Anne Archer as Vonda Volkom
• Amanda Walsh as Denice
• Camille Guaty as Donna
• Rachel Boston as Deena
• Christina Milian as Kalia
• Emily Foxler as Nadja

Ghosts of Girlfriends Past was originally set up in 2004 at Touchstone Pictures with Ben Affleck attached to play the lead character and Kevin Smith to direct, but both opted out and Disney cancelled the project. [3] [4] Betty Thomas was also attached to direct at one point, and Affleck's LivePlanet was also on board to produce. [5]

It was primarily filmed at Crane Castle in Ipswich, Massachusetts . [ citation needed ] The church scene with Garner marrying another man was filmed at the Martha-Mary Chapel in Sudbury, MA. It was built by Henry Ford in honor of his mother and mother in law. It is on the same property as the historic Wayside Inn, dating from 1716. It is the oldest operating inn in the country. The film also reunited Michael Douglas and Anne Archer for the first time since the 1987 hit thriller Fatal Attraction , but they shared no scenes together. Christa B. Allen played the younger version of Garner's character, as she did in 13 Going on 30 in 2004.

• "Ghosts of Girlfriends Past" - All Too Much featuring Matthew Sweet
• " Hush " - Gavin Rossdale and All Too Much
• "Got a Lot of Love for You Baby" - The Ralph Sall Experience
• " Keep on Loving You " - REO Speedwagon
• " You Can't Hurry Love " - The Ralph Sall Experience
• " Ladies Night " - Kool & the Gang
• " The Safety Dance " - Men Without Hats
• "Yeah (Dream of Me)" - All Too Much
• " Holding Back the Years " - Simply Red
• "Sleep" - All Too Much

Critical reaction

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes , the film holds an approval rating of 28% based on 144 reviews, with an average rating of 4.3/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "A retread of A Christmas Carol , featuring Matthew McConaughey in a retread of his Dazed and Confused role, Ghosts of Girlfriends Past lacks originality, humor, and any semblance of charm." [6] Metacritic assigned the film a weighted average score of 34 out of 100 based on 29 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews". [7] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B" on an A+ to F scale. [8]

On the film's opening weekend, it debuted at #2 with a gross of $15.4 million (3,175 theaters, $4,854 average), far behind X-Men Origins: Wolverine ' s $85.1 million gross. [9] The film made $55.3 million in the United States and Canada along with $47.1 million from foreign territories for a worldwide total of $102.4 million. [1]

The film was released on DVD and Blu-ray on September 22, 2009. [10]

• Adaptations of  A Christmas Carol
• List of ghost films
• ^ "Warner Bros. Pictures Presents GHOSTS OF GIRLFRIENDS PAST World Premiere Monday, April 27, 2009" . Business Wire . April 16, 2009 . Retrieved July 7, 2020 .
• ^ "Ghosts of Girlfriends Past" . Filmfreakcentral.net. May 1, 2009. Archived from the original on March 6, 2012 . Retrieved March 5, 2012 .
• ^ Lussier, Germain (December 24, 2012). "How Kevin Smith Almost Directed Ben Affleck in a Disney Movie and Why 'Fletch Won' Never Happened" .
• ^ Spector, Josh (August 6, 2003). "Dis' 'Ghosts' materializes for Thomas" . The Hollywood Reporter . Archived from the original on August 19, 2003 . Retrieved July 13, 2022 .
• ^ "Ghosts of Girlfriend's Past: Reviews" . Metacritic . 2009 . Retrieved May 24, 2009 .
• ^ "Home" . CinemaScore . Retrieved March 6, 2022 .
• ^ "Box Office Mojo" . Box Office Mojo. May 4, 2009 . Retrieved July 7, 2020 .
• ^ O'Connell, Sean (May 1, 2009). "Ghosts of Girlfriends Past" . filmcritic.com . Archived from the original on December 30, 2011 . Retrieved January 10, 2011 .

External links

• Ghosts of Girlfriends Past at IMDb
• Ghosts of Girlfriends Past at AllMovie
• Ghosts of Girlfriends Past at Box Office Mojo
• Ghosts of Girlfriends Past at Rotten Tomatoes