Ghosts of Girlfriends Past

As superficial and melodramatic as one might’ve expected, Ghosts of Girlfriends Past stars Matthew McConaughey as Connor Mead – a high-powered fashion photographer who has long-since established a reputation for himself as an unapologetic ladykiller. His skirt-chasing ways are threatened after he’s provided an up-close-and-personal look at the meaningless nature of his existence by three ghosts, which inevitably forces him to reconsider his relationship with longtime friend Jenny Perotti (Jennifer Garner). Ghosts of Girlfriends Past has been infused with precisely the sort of predictable and downright familiar sensibilities that one has come to associate with most modern romantic comedies, and it’s certainly not surprising to note that McConaughey’s mere presence ultimately winds up exacerbating the film’s various problems – as the actor delivers a variation on the smarmy work that he offers up at least twice a year in other films of this ilk. It’s clear that McConaughey actually fares more poorly than he usually does, however, as he’s inexplicably playing even the most low-key of moments at a level of energy that seems incongruous to the material (although, to be fair, the actor does a nice job with a heartfelt third-act speech). And while the supporting cast has been peppered with a number of familiar faces – including Breckin Meyer, Lacey Chabert, and Robert Forster – Michael Douglas’ turn as Connor’s sleazy uncle inevitably establishes itself as a highlight within the proceedings (which, given a proliferation of lines like “dames, they’re like horses – they spook easy,” certainly doesn’t come as much of a surprise). The end result is an almost aggressively mediocre romcom that’s unlikely to hold much appeal for most viewers, and it’s impossible not to wonder just how many more of these things McConaughey has in him (ie it’s becoming increasingly difficult to remember that the guy once possessed a whole lot of promise).

** out of ****