Film Reviews

Ghosts of Girlfriends Past

• Rating:
• Director: Mark Waters
• Starring: Emma Stone
• Details: US/100mins (15A)

Playing ostensibly like the classic 80's Bill Murray starrer Scrooged, GOGP is merely another chance for Matthew McConaughey to play another rogue womaniser who, y'know, ultimately has a heart of gold. If McConaughey's smugness became airborne, we'd all be screwed. Not that this is a particularly bad film, you've just seen it a million times before, and the object of many a woman's affections doesn't even brandish his man nipples, so there will be nothing to distract you from the overly familiar banality of it all.
This time out, our chiselled hero is an egotistical photographer, who likes to have sex with beautiful women then not call them - the bastard. When his brother announces he's getting married, he heads on home to be best man, and finds "the one that got away" in the fine form of Jennifer Garner. But being that he doesn't believe in the institution of marriage, he sets about, inadvertently, ruining the happiest days of their lives. But then his first lay turns up, and takes him through his past present and future relationships - which, somewhat surprisingly, doesn't involve one STI. Garner pops in and out every once and a while to charm the pants of us with her inherent affability; while Michael Douglas is the (dead) playboy Uncle, who thought McConaughey his bang and bounce philosophy.

Director Waters can direct this type of stuff in his sleep, with the likes of Mean Girls and Just Like Heaven on his CV. Hardly classics, Mean Girls had an extremely sharp script and 'Heaven' the always engaging presence of Mark Ruffalo. McConaughey is in no way likeable in this film - you still can't help but dislike him after the obligatory epiphany takes place. Douglas has his moments, Emma Stone is amusing and Garner is as lovely as ever, but McConaughey really needs to start challenging himself again - when was his last decent performance? Bang average, as you'd expect.

Review by Mike Sheridan