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A get even sex addiction comedy, Ghosts Of Girlfriends
Past retools the basics of Dickens' A Christma Carol, but
comes off more like a commitment challenged Scrooge on Viagra.
In other words, it's the sort of grossout faux feminist
fare that is drenched in sleaze, while wallowing in what
it postures about condemining.***
Miscast in the extreme and not feeling at all like
the conniving chauvinist he's claiming to be, is laid back
soft-spoken Matthew McConaughey as Connor Mead. He's a prominent
fashion photographer who doesn't comprehend why any female
would want to be more than a sex object in life, and thinks
nothing of dumping women 'in bulk' via a conference call,
because his schedule is just too busy for one-on-one farewells.
Connor is also the kind of guy who believes action in movies
refers to the sex scenes, and prides himself on the ideal
maximum 39 minute relationship with a woman.***
When Connor must begrudgingly take time off to attend
the wedding back home of his nerdy brother, Paul (Breckin
Meyer), he runs into a childhood playmate and first crush,
Jenny (Jennifer Garner). But she has only contempt for the
shameless stud, and isn't shy about letting him know. Zero
Chemistry Alert.***
Also turning up, most unexpectedly from the afterlife
in the catering hall john, is the ghost of Connor's Uncle
Wayne (Michael Douglas), a departed playboy who raised the
young Mead boys after their parents were killed in a car
crash. And though Wayne once schooled Connor in the art
of serial seduction, including field trips to singles bars
presented to the boy as classrooms, Uncle Wayne is atoning
now for his former dissipated indiscretions on the planet,
by arranging for his sex crazed apprentice to be visited
by the apparitions of a selection of avenging females.***
Ghosts Of Girlfriends Past does have its quickie laughs,
like Uncle Wayne driving around in his nifty bed-mobile.
And Connor cruising for 'wedding sex' while dodging the
'bridesmaid estrogen lynch mob' prior to the ceremony, and
accidentally hitting on his brother's future mother-in-law,
played by Anne Archer.***
{Blu-ray}-(Image and Sound):
Ghosts of Girlfriends Past looks surprisingly good
in high definition. Detail is strong throughout and this
transfer is very much true to director and cinematographer
intent. While this isn't one of the best transfers I've
seen on the format for a modern film, it's still a very
good one video-wise. Audio isn't far behind - being this
type of film, it's naturally a front-heavy audio track.
Ultimately, what few issues there are with this transfer
are ultimately forgettable. The movie looks and sounds excellent.
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