DVD Reviews

Ghosts of Girlfriends Past – Blu-ray Review - CLIPS ADDED!

By Jeff Swindoll Sep 21, 2009, 11:01 GMT

Connor Mead is the kind of guy who dumps three girlfriends. At the same time. By teleconference. So when he attends his brother’s wedding he has a single goal: score with the only bridesmaid he somehow missed. But the ghost of his departed Uncle Wayne –who taught him to love ’em and leave ’em – has another goal in mind: restore Connor’s lost faith in true love, a tough assignment ...more

The old familiar Christmas chestnut “A Christmas Carol” is dusted off, updated, and given a relationship themed twist.

Conner Mead (Matthew McConaughey) is a successful fashion photographer with his choice of beautiful women. He’s dipped into the pool of women so much that he’s taken to dumping them with conference calls.

He’s going to the palatial estate of his late Uncle Wayne for the weekend because his brother Paul (Breckin Meyer) is marrying Sandra Volkom (Lacey Chabert). During the rehearsal dinner, he catches up with his old flame Jenny Perotti (Jennifer Garner). She doesn’t approve of his womanizing ways and their reunion doesn’t go well.

On a trip to the bathroom, he’s confronted by the ghost of Uncle Wayne (Michael Douglas) who tells Conner that the ghosts of his girlfriends past will be visiting him. Conner takes a waltz through his past loves and learns a thing or two about relationships.

Ghosts of Girlfriends Past is a story that you’ll probably be familiar with. You may know it more for having a main character named Ebenezer and taking place around Christmastime (a big screen 3D version starring a digitized Jim Carrey is coming to theaters in time for the holiday). This time Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol has been updated to play as a morality tale about dating and relationships.

A lecherous Matthew McConaughey, looking vaguely orange in his tan, is given the Scrooge role and made to learn about his terrible ways by looking back at his past, his present, and looking towards his future. Michael Douglas who is channeling Paramount Studios mogul Robert Evans by way of Hugh Hefner as the legendary lothario who in life trained Conner in his womanizing ways plays his Marley.

Douglas appears to be having a ball in the role. Too bad the movie doesn’t impress as much as Douglas is having fun. Conner isn’t exactly too much of a likeable character when you consider how many women he’s left crying in his testosterone-fueled wake. The rest of the cast is coasting on fumes, more thanks to the script than the talent of those involved.

Ghosts of Girlfriends Past is presented in a 1080p high definition transfer (2.40:1). Special features are presented in high definition unless noted. They include the 8 minute making of “Recreating the past, Reimagining the future,” the 4 minute “It’s all about Conner” about working with McConaughey, the 8 minute “The Legends, the Lessons, and the Ladies” about playing legendary ladies men, and 9 minutes of additional scenes in standard definition.

Disc two is a digital copy for your PC or portable device. The disc is also BD-Live enhanced with some extra goodies available for download.

Ghosts of Girlfriends Past doesn’t add up to much. You’ve seen the basic outline before and you know that Conner will wise up and redeem himself. Douglas is a breezy treat as the smarmy Uncle Wayne, but he’s not in the film enough to save it. It’s an okay time killer, but you’ll want a little more out of this relationship.