Ghosts of Girlfriends Past (2009)

Stars: Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Garner, Breckin Meyer, Lacy Chabert, Emma Stone, Michael Douglas
Genre: Comedy, Romance, Fantasy
Rating: C+

For what it is, Ghosts of Girlfriends Past is not a bad movie.  It definitely isn't a good movie, but nor is it bad.  It's rather lame and completely ridiculous, while also being fun, entertaining, and enjoyable.  If you don't like chick flicks, I would strongly advise avoiding Ghosts, but if you do, you won't regret seeing this movie.

Ghosts tells the story of Connor Mead (McConaughey) as he comes to realize just how little he has in his life.  Orphaned at a young age Connor and his younger brother, Paul (Meyer), are brought up by their womanizing, partying Uncle Wayne (Douglas).  While Paul turned out to be a pretty good guy Connor largely followed in his uncle's footsteps, becoming both a womanizer and a famed photographer.  All that changes, possibly, on the eve of Paul's wedding, when Connor is visited by a number of ghosts in an A Christmas Carol update.  Can Connor redeem himself, or is it too late?

The acting in this is not stellar, and to be honest few of the actors in it are really known for being amazing actors.  I was a bit disappointed by Douglas for accepting the role in the first place, although his film selection has been questionable, at best, in the last decade.  McConaughey and Garner both played their roles well, although I've never been a huge fan of either.  I do have to say that Garner is better suited for this type of film or a TV role than some of her other ventures.  I did enjoy Mecker and Chabert - Chabert's performance as a bridezilla was enough to make me never want to see her as an actual bride.  The show was stolen by Stone, in my opinion, who played Allison Vandermeersh, the titular Ghost of Girlfriend Past.  Of all the characters in this movie, I enjoyed Allison the most, despite the fact that the character was completely ridiculous.  Even though I spent a lot of time rolling my eyes when she was speaking I enjoyed watching her.  As for the story... it's a romance themed version of A Christmas Carol.  It is very much typical of both the story itself, which has been remade in one form or another about as often as Romeo and Juliet, and of romantic comedies.  Clearly not original, but since when did a lack of originality mean a lack of fun?  After all, there are only seven basic plots, so when it comes down to it nothing is entirely original.