Seen on: May 1, 2009

The players: Director: Mark Waters, Writers: Jon Lucas, Scott Moore, Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Garner, Breckin Meyer, Lacey Chabert, Robert Forster

Facts of interest: Mark Waters also directed "Mean Girls," "Freaky Friday" and "Just Like Heaven."

The plot: Connor Mead is a famous photographer who despises love and marriage, until he's visited by three ghosts who show him just how big a prick he really is.

Our thoughts: Trust me, you can certainly live happily ever after without seeing Mark Waters’ latest comedy “Ghosts of Girlfriends Past.” I wouldn’t go as far and say I hated the film, but its lack of an original story line and the absence of laughs really made it hard for me to fall for this one.

Matthew McConaughey plays celebrity photographer Connor Mead, a cocky bachelor who adores exploiting his fame to lure attractive women into his bed. As a strong supporter of casual sex, Connor is someone who likes to mock romance and strictly refuses to believe in the institution of marriage.

So when he decides to attend his brother Paul’s wedding, Connor just can’t help but make everyone feel miserable with his usual selection of sarcastic comments and rude behavior targeting at all things love. But much to his surprise, a sudden turn of mysterious events will soon change his life forever.

Just when things can’t get any worse, Connor runs into the ghost of his late uncle Wayne (Michael Douglas), who tells him he will be visited by three other ghosts who will guide him through his past in order to help him understand in what ways his unacceptable behavior has hurt most of the people he encountered over the years.

It’s pretty easy to figure out where “Girlfriends Past” is heading next. Watching himself act like a jerk in the past, present and future slowly helps Connor discover he is indeed capable of having actual feelings for other people, and before we know it, he’s doing everything he can to win the heart of his childhood love Jenny (Jennifer Garner).

Screenwriters Jon Lucas and Scott Moore use the basic idea of “A Christmas Story” to put their own spin on the classic tale, but to be honest, they drastically fail to inject their script with anything new or remotely interesting. The ghosts’ visits obviously help us viewers understand who Connor really is, but to be honest, the journey is a rather boring one.

There are of course a few exceptions, but all in all, I didn’t catch myself laughing a lot during this film, even though I originally thought I would a lot. Unfortunately, none of this material is particularly funny, and even the characters’ often exaggerated behavior is a tad too goofy to be hilarious. Douglas is definitely funny, but that’s it.

“Girlfriends Past” is sold to audiences as a chick flick, but to be honest, I would probably be offended by the movie if I were a girl. Even as a guy, I think women here are pretty much depicted as dumb sex objects, and I just can’t see the humor in that. Sure, the film doesn’t take itself too seriously, but that doesn’t mean the jokes should be tasteless.

McConaughey hasn’t really delivered a solid lead performance in quite a while, and although he does a decent job playing a nasty bachelor you will easily hate, his numerous attempts at delivering humor fall flat. His chemistry with Garner lacks energy as well, and she’s not exactly in her best shape either.

Freaky quote: “Uncle Wayne, you're dead!" – Matthew McConaughey

The final word: “Ghosts of Girlfriends Past” boasts a couple of hilarious moments and an overall mildly entertaining plot, but the clichéd story of a love hater transforming into a charming boyfriend lacks magic. I really love Waters’ “Freaky Friday” and “Mean Girls,” but this is a comedy I certainly won’t revisit.

Article by Franck Tabouring