REVIEW: 'Ghosts of Girlfriends Past'

Rated: PG-13 (Sexual content throughout, some language, and a drug reference)

I think I finally understand why my wife loves the romantic comedy genre, and it has nothing to do with if the movie is good or not.

It's the "fantasy" aspect of it. Women love to dream and fantasize about weddings and love, hence why the romantic comedy continues to thrive. It's the same way with geeks as we love Harry Potter, the Terminator, and Spider-Man.

So I understand the repeat factor involved. I will go see every new Batman film, no matter what. How can I expect a woman to not go see every new Matthew McConaughey movie?

So it's no surprise that "Ghosts of Girlfriends Past" is the same thing we've all seen before.

The filmmakers will try to fool you into thinking it's new because they are spinning "A Christmas Carol" in a new way, and they'll try to pass it off as creativity.

Here's how "Ghosts of Girlfriends Past" plays out: McConaughey plays Conner Mead, a successful portrait photographer with a reputation for getting women out of their clothes in front of and behind the camera.

One weekend, Conner goes back home to his late Uncle Wayne's estate to be a part of his brother's wedding. When Conner's womanizing antics leave everyone upset, he is visited by the ghost of his dead uncle who tells him he'll be visited by three ghosts.

Look, whenever filmmakers think its "clever" to adapt Dicken's "A Christmas Carol" with a hip twist, the only thing that can result is us viewers getting coal in our stockings.

You can probably guess the rest of the film from here. The three ghosts visit him, and make him realize the error of his ways so that he'll realize he is suppose to be with his one true love, played by Jennifer Garner.

Why is she his true love? I don't know as the filmmakers try to convince us that they belong together because she was the one to give him his first camera. Big freaking deal!

There's absolutely no chemistry between the McConaughey and Garner, and I will still stand by my belief that Jennifer Garner is one of the most overrated actresses of our time. She's a stiff brick with hollow eyes. Even in last year's "Juno", Garner was the weak link.

Michael Douglas plays Conner's Uncle Wayne, who apparently is one of the greatest womanizers of all time. Douglas looks like he's having fun, but still, he's a joke.

The only one who comes out of this film unscathed is Emma Stone. Don't recognize the name? You will within the next few years. She was in "Superbad" and "The House Bunny" and has started to carve out a nice resume.

Stone plays the ghost of the girl who Conner lost his virginity to back in 80's. She shows Conner scenes from his life as a child, including the death of his parents; his first meeting with Jennifer Garner's character, and some of the life lessons Uncle Wayne gave Conner. Her spunk and line delivery is spot on and she is definitely the scene stealer.

"Ghosts of Girlfriends Past" can have its title replaced by any Matthew McConaughey starrer within the last 10 years. I'm certainly glad this film is in my past.

2 buckets.

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