Review of Ghosts of Girlfriends Past (2009) by Dg J — 09 Jan 2011

Connor Mead (Matthew McConaughey), a professional photographer and womanizing bachelor, returns to his family's estate for the wedding of his brother Paul (Breckin Meyer) to Sandra Volkom (Lacey Chabert). There he encounters Jenny Perotti (Jennifer Garner), a former girlfriend and childhood sweetheart who is serving as wedding planner. Connor offends most of the guests by declaring his disdain for romance and marriage and attempting to convince Paul not to go through with the wedding. That evening he is visited by the ghost of his late uncle Wayne Mead (Michael Douglas), who raised him after his parents' death in a car accident and mentored him in the ways of womanizing. Wayne tells Connor that he will be visited by three ghosts that night and will learn something important about himself.

The first ghost to visit Connor is the "Ghost of Girlfriends Past" in the form of Allison Vandermeersh (Emma Stone), one of his high school girlfriends. Together they revisit scenes from his past, focusing on his relationship with Jenny. Connor and Jenny were very close as children; she gave him his first instant camera which he used to take her picture, promising to keep it forever. By middle school the two were on the verge of romance, but Connor's hesitation at a dance caused Jenny to dance with and kiss another boy. Heartbroken, Connor was told by Wayne that he must avoid romance at all costs in order not to feel such emotional pain again. For the next two years Wayne schooled Connor in the art of seduction. When he next saw Jenny, at a high school party, Connor ignored her and had sex with Allison. Several years later, as adults, Connor and Jenny rekindled their romance, but Jenny forced him to woo her for several weeks in an attempt to rid him of his womanizing ways. After they finally did have sex, Connor panicked and left while Jenny was asleep, leaving her heartbroken. His relationships thereafter consisted of a series of meaningless flings.