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The Ghosts of Girlfriends Past (2009)
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Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Garner, Michael Douglas
A bachelor is haunted by the ghosts of his past girlfriends at his younger brother's wedding.
Flixster Users
49% liked it
266,106 ratings
Critics
27% liked it
133 critics
PG-13, 1 hr. 40 min.
Directed by:
Mark Waters (VIII)
Release Date: May 01, 2009
DVD Release Date: Sep 22, 2009
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Flixster User Reviews
1 day ago
Dreadful. Not worth the rental. Get "A Christmas Carol" or "It's A Wonderful Life" instead.
2 days ago
My biggest fears came true when I was forced to sit down with my wife and watch a Matthew McConaughey starring romantic comedy in the form of The Ghosts of Girlfriends Past. The story concerns a super-sexy man-whore photographer who's with a new girl... (read more) My biggest fears came true when I was forced to sit down with my wife and watch a Matthew McConaughey starring romantic comedy in the form of The Ghosts of Girlfriends Past. The story concerns a super-sexy man-whore photographer who's with a new girl just about every hour (literally) and is forced to attend the wedding of his brother (Breckin Meyer) and wife to be (the beautiful Lacey Chabert), which he's uncomfortable with, especially when his only true love (Jennifer Garner) is there. As expected, the film takes a Christmas Carol path, where important figures in McConaughey's past, present, and future show up, including dead uncle Michael Douglas (playing against type in a surprisingly funny role), his first Emma Stone (also hilarious), and weird future ghost that shows obligatory death and sadness future. Much to my surprise, this film manages to be good. Yes, shocking. With direction from Mark Waters (Freaky Friday remake, Mean Girls, Spiderwick Chronicles), and writing from Jon Lucas & Scott Moore (who both gave us the Hangover), can you surmise a guess over who helped to make this movie actually funny? Unless you're a retard, you guessed the writers, who brought some actually funny characters to the table. Next big surprise: a lot of these people playing against type to deliver funny characters. From small roles by singer Christina Milian, Robert Forster, Anne Archer to bigger ones like Douglas, Stone, and McConaughey, all these people managed to show they were capable of being a different kind of funny. The fact that this movie didn't follow the McConaughey's current trend of awful films (Failure to Puke, How to Lose a Douche in 10 Days, Sacrapa) is the sole reason is bombed. Moronic McConaughey fans didn't know what to think of a movie with such different humor. Be that as it may, this is still only moderately entertaining. I enjoy my comedies with a little more balls and risque factor. Key takeaway: better than I thought it was going to be (a real-life twist for me). Best part of the movie: the Michael Jackson kid at the dance. Didn't see him coming and, as a result, I burst out laughing.
3 days ago
Take "A Christmas Carol", remove the greed concept and add love instead, mix it up with a couple of good looking actors and you get "Ghosts of Girlfriends Past". A good intentions movie about how hollow the life of a playboy is , excuse me!! HELLO!!!... (read more) Take "A Christmas Carol", remove the greed concept and add love instead, mix it up with a couple of good looking actors and you get "Ghosts of Girlfriends Past". A good intentions movie about how hollow the life of a playboy is , excuse me!! HELLO!!! I think there is an issue with likeness here. Does anybody really believe that these days? In this film we have a fable with a moral, marriage is better than "celibacy" but I am not convinced that you end up old and lonely just because you didn't get married, perhaps I am over fables nowadays.
Sadly, there is nothing original in this movie, so watch it if you must and forget it afterwards
3 days ago
A chick flick which is neither romantic nor funny enough to make you really enjoy it. Predictable as it could be expected, with pretty few funny moments, which really brings the question why is this movie qualified as a romantic comedy, when there a... (read more) A chick flick which is neither romantic nor funny enough to make you really enjoy it. Predictable as it could be expected, with pretty few funny moments, which really brings the question why is this movie qualified as a romantic comedy, when there are hardly any funny moments to be seen.
Of course Matthew McConaghey is hot and the female audience will definitely adore him in his role of the total player and heartbreaker. However there is definitely lack of chemistry between him and Jennifer Garner and this adds up another minus to the whole story and plot.
Still not too bad movie if you are on an intercontinental flight, it will definitely help you kill 100 minutes of your boring life on the plane...
3 days ago
Average american comedy: stereothypical romance plus Christmas Carol. Hollywood tries to find plots in some strange ways (37 turn to 17, museum gets alive, pair visiting four parents families etc.).
Actually I like acting of Matthew and Jennifer - i... (read more) Average american comedy: stereothypical romance plus Christmas Carol. Hollywood tries to find plots in some strange ways (37 turn to 17, museum gets alive, pair visiting four parents families etc.).
Actually I like acting of Matthew and Jennifer - it realy worked.
read more reviews (15268 total)
Critic Reviews
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The Ghosts of Girlfriends Past reviews at RottenTomatoes.com
221 days ago
Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail
Only two characters might qualify as sympathetic.full review
221 days ago
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle
Every audience member with an intellect bigger than a squid's knows at all times where Ghosts is heading.full review
221 days ago
Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times
Ghosts of Girlfriends Past doesn't do Dickens any favors, but in a year that brought us Bride Wars, it'll do.full review
221 days ago
Pete Hammond, Hollywood.com
Matthew McConaughey doesn't have a ghost of a chance in this mirthless romantic comedy that's anything but ROMANTIC.full review
222 days ago
Peter Travers
Ghosts of Girlfriends Past never comes as close as spitting distance to a laugh.full review
222 days ago
Colin Covert
Douglas, radiating an arid narcissism, does look as if he was recently exhumed. Whether this is a deliberate makeup choice or unfortunate lighting is hard to guess.full review
222 days ago
Claudia Puig
The formulaic story evaporates faster than cotton candy, and it's often as cloyingly sweet and tacky.full review
222 days ago
Ty Burr
Ghosts is better-than-average McConaughey swill, but not by much -- that's its pleasure and its curse.full review
read all 10 critic reviews
Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com
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