Review of Ghosts of Girlfriends Past (2009) by Jay B — 29 Jan 2011

It must have seemed like a great idea to ape A Christmas Carol and turn the main plot from the redemption of a miser to the redemption of a womanizer. Unfortunately, it simply doesn't work, and we spot why at the end.

In ACC, the redemption of Scrooge is made obvious in the final part of the story, where we and all around him can see that he's truly changed, and Scrooge donates money, and acts kinder to strangers and the people in his life. We believe he's changed, and we don't blame the other characters for believeing he's changed.

Here, Conner Mead (McConaughy) MAY have changed after his supernatural experiences, but would have a hard time selling the idea that he has. He has to give nice warm and fuzzzy heartfelt speeches about love, commitment, and changing for the better ....but after a long history of loving women and leaving them, such a speech must surely sound like more of the same speil. We might buy that he's been scared straight, but we can't buy that the women in his life buy it.

Oh, it's not all bad. The Ghost of Girlfriend Past, gives us the biography of a womanizer, which can be interesting. After a minor romantic disappointment, young Connor falls under the cynical and misogynistic tutalige of his uncle Wayne (Douglas), who teaches him to be a very good player. Soon Conner's off and running, beginning his trail of broken hearts behind him. Jenny (Garner), his childhood sweetheart is the only woman in his life that he wants worse then the others, but can't resist treating badly, for fear of attachment.

GOGP seems like it has a few things to say about the modern battle of the sexes, but sadly has to contain all these threads into one easy to tell story, and the threads don't fit into the structure.