Ghosts of Girlfriends Past

Director: Mark Waters Mark Waters

Overview

Ghosts of Girlfriends Past -- the Mark S. Waters-directed fusion of A Christmas Carol with a traditional romantic comedy -- stars Matthew McConaughey as Connor Mead, a famous photographer and confirmed womanizer. He takes a break from his playboy lifestyle to attend his brother's wedding, where he becomes reacquainted with Jenny Perotti (Jennifer Garner), the only girl who 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 (Michael Dogulas), a Hefner-esque horndog who taught Connor everything he knows about picking up chicks. Uncle Wayne informs Connor that, over the course of the evening, he'll be visited by three ghosts who will lead him through his romantic past, present, and future. Will Connor learn to get over himself and love the right woman, or will he remain an emotional Scrooge?

Product Details

Release Date:	09/22/2009
UPC:	0794043124921
Original Release:	2009
Rating:	PG-13
Source:	New Line Home Video
Region Code:	1
Presentation:	[Full Frame, Wide Screen]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround]
Language:	English
Time:	1:40:00
Sales rank:	32,790

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Matthew McConaughey	Connor Mead
Jennifer Garner	Jenny Perotti
Michael Douglas	Uncle Wayne
Breckin Meyer	Paul Mead
Lacey Chabert	Sandra Volkom
Robert Forster	Sgt. Volkom
Anne Archer	Vonda Volkom
Emma Stone	Allison Vandermeersh
Daniel Sunjata	Brad
Noureen DeWulf	Melanie
Tom Kemp	Minister
Amanda Walsh	Denice the Bridesmaid
Rachelle Wood	Brunette Lingerie Model
Erin Wyatt	Blonde Lingerie Model
Micah Sherman	Groomsman #1
Albert M. Chan	Groomsman #2
Paul Cassell	Wedding Guest Jeff
Dan Whelton	Foyer Bartender
Devin Brochu	Young Connor
Scott Powers	Connor's Dad
Heather Wilde	Connor's Mom
Paula Merritt	Brunette Club Model
Rolfe Kent	Composer

Technical Credits

Jon Lucas

Scott Moore

Mark Waters	Director,Executive Producer
Jon Lucas	Screenwriter,Screenwriter
Scott Moore	Screenwriter
Brad Epstein	Producer
Jonathan Shestack	Producer,Producer
Cale Boyter	Executive Producer
Samuel J. Brown	Executive Producer,Producer
Toby Emmerich	Executive Producer
Jessica Tuchinsky	Executive Producer,Producer
Marcus Viscidi	Executive Producer,Producer
Marci Liroff	Casting
Jared Baker	Special Effects
Geralyn Flood	Casting

Editorial Reviews

There are only so many ways to spice up the traditional romantic comedy formula, which is probably why many of them are so dull and familiar.Ghosts of Girlfriends Past stars Matthew McConaughey as über-famous womanizing photographer Connor Mead, a single man so entrenched in his love 'em and leave 'em lifestyle he'll use a video conference to break up with three girls simultaneously. He takes time out of his busy playboy schedule to attend his brother's wedding, where he comes face to face with Jenny Perotti (Jennifer Garner), the only girl who ever truly captured his heart. Because the two have known each other since childhood, Jenny seems to be the only one who can call Connor out on his emotionally empty life and bad-boy behavior. After the rehearsal dinner -- where Connor, who hates all weddings, delivers a drunken speech about how love isn't real -- he's visited by the ghost of his uncle Wayne (Michael Douglas), a Hefner-esque horndog who taught Connor everything he knows about picking up chicks. Wayne tells Connor that three more ghosts will visit Connor that night. They proceed to show him his romantic past, present, and future, in an attempt for him to get over himself and recognize his true feelings for Jenny. Mark S. Waters is the kind of filmmaker who won't screw up a good script (Mean Girls), but he's not talented enough to make subpar material tolerable (Just Like Heaven). Because this script is so paint-by-numbers, Ghosts of Girlfriends Past shows off Waters' best and worst qualities as a director. On the plus side, he trusts his actors when the material is good, allowing them to get laughs when the dialogue is genuinely funny. On the minus side, he encourages over-the-top performances in order to disguise the flat jokes and lame slapstick set pieces -- something that makes many of the characters more annoying than endearing. But when the jokes are good -- or even just not awful -- the actors deliver. Sure McConaughey has been typecast in this role for years, but that's because he's good at it. The man knows how to mix his trademark laid-back attitude with a hint of vulnerability that makes him appealing to both men and women who want to see this kind of movie. But it's Michael Douglas who walks off with the movie because he's got most of the best lines -- his robe-clad, highball-swigging swinger gives the movie what little fresh energy it has. But "freshness" isn't even the point. After all, the people who want to see this movie will want it to be exactly what they expect. It's the movie equivalent of fast food -- nobody needs this to be good, just adequate. And Ghosts of Girlfriends Past is nothing if not thoroughly adequate.