The defence The Sentimental Softie
“Sincerity is not manipulation.”
The film risks embarrassment to make emotion communal, and that openness is harder than fashionable detachment.
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Ghosts of Girlfriends Past
Romance · Comedy · Fantasy · 2009
Celebrity photographer Connor Mead lives life in the fast lane, committed to lifelong bachelorhood and simultaneous relationships with multiple women. On the eve of his younger brother Paul's wedding, Connor's mockery of love proves a real buzz-kill for everyone - including his childhood crush, Jenny, the one woman who always seemed immune to his considerable charms. Later that night, he gets a wake-up call from the ghost of his late Uncle Wayne, the hard-partying, legendary ladies' man who was Connor's mentor. Uncle Wayne has an urgent message which he delivers through three ghosts who guide Connor on an eye-opening tour of his romantic past, present and future. Along the way, they attempt to discern whether he will ever be able to change his ways -- and if there is any hope of him finding true love.
Movie details
Ghosts of Girlfriends Past
“You can't always run from your past.”
2009 Romance · Comedy · Fantasy 1h 55m
Critical arithmetic
The consensus, allegedly.
Scores change. Arguments endure.
IMDb
5.8 / 10
97.5K votes
Rotten Tomatoes
27 %
Tomatometer
Metacritic
34 / 100
Metascore
TMDB
6.0 / 10
Community rating
External scores via OMDb · CC BY-NC 4.0. Values normalized for display; availability varies by title.
Celebrity photographer Connor Mead lives life in the fast lane, committed to lifelong bachelorhood and simultaneous relationships with multiple women. On the eve of his younger brother Paul's wedding, Connor's mockery of love proves a real buzz-kill for everyone - including his childhood crush, Jenny, the one woman who always seemed immune to his considerable charms. Later that night, he gets a wake-up call from the ghost of his late Uncle Wayne, the hard-partying, legendary ladies' man who was Connor's mentor. Uncle Wayne has an urgent message which he delivers through three ghosts who guide Connor on an eye-opening tour of his romantic past, present and future. Along the way, they attempt to discern whether he will ever be able to change his ways -- and if there is any hope of him finding true love.
CriticWise case file
What this film says about your taste.
Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.
The archetype split
Who fights over Ghosts of Girlfriends Past?
For the defence
The Sentimental Softie
“You came to feel something, and you will.”
Read their case For the prosecution
The Big-Idea Head
“You watch with your brain, not your gut.”
Read their objectionThe split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.
Taste neighbourhood
Nearby on the taste map.
TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.
Kiss Me Goodbye
Comedy · 1982
Not until three years after the death of her husband Jolly, Kay dares to move back into their former home, persuaded by her new fiancée Rupert. But soon her worst expectations come true, when not only her old memories haunt her, but also Jolly's ghost, who doesn't approve of her new mate. Invisible to anyone but Kay, he tries to prevent the wedding.
12 Dates of Christmas
Romance · 2011
In an attempt to win back her ex-boyfriend Jack on Christmas Eve, Kate ends up ruining her blind date with Miles, a handsome guy she's been set up with. In a strange twist of fate, Kate is magically given the chance to re-live Christmas Eve twelve times!
When We First Met
Comedy · 2018
Using a magical photo booth that sends him back in time, Noah relives the night he met Avery over and over, trying to persuade her to fall for him.
Just Friends
Comedy · 2005
While visiting his hometown during Christmas, a man comes face-to-face with his old high school crush whom he was best friends with – a woman whose rejection of him turned him into a ferocious womanizer.
Valentine's Day
Comedy · 2010
Intertwining couples and singles in Los Angeles break-up and make-up based on the pressures and expectations of Valentine's Day.
Think Like a Man Too
Comedy · 2014
All the couples are back for a wedding in Las Vegas, but plans for a romantic weekend go awry when their various misadventures get them into some compromising situations that threaten to derail the big event.
Electric Dreams
Romance · 1984
Miles Harding buys a state-of-the-art computer that starts expressing conscious thought and emotion after an interaction with spilled champagne. Things begin getting out of hand when both Miles and Edgar, the computer, fall in love with beautiful neighbor Madeline Robistat.
The Heavenly Kid
Fantasy · 1985
After dying in a car crash, Bobby Fantana is forced to pay for his misdeeds by becoming someone's guardian angel. He reluctantly agrees to watch over awkward high schooler Lenny Barnes, teaching him how to be cool and confident. As Bobby teaches Lenny, the two form a close bond.
Made of Honor
Comedy · 2008
Tom and Hannah have been platonic friends for 10 years. He's a serial dater, while she wants marriage but hasn't found Mr. Right. Just as Tom is starting to think that he is relationship material after all, Hannah gets engaged. When she asks Tom to be her 'maid' of honor, he reluctantly agrees just so he can attempt to stop the wedding and woo her.
Saving Silverman
Comedy · 2001
A pair of buddies conspire to save their best friend from marrying the wrong woman, a cold-hearted beauty who snatches him from them and breaks up their Neil Diamond cover band.
Where it lives
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Names above the title
The people responsible.
Cast & crew
Directed by
Mark Waters
Written by
Jon Lucas · Scott Moore
Matthew McConaughey
Connor Mead
Jennifer Garner
Jenny Perotti
Michael Douglas
Uncle Wayne
Breckin Meyer
Paul
Lacey Chabert
Sandra
Robert Forster
Sergeant Volkom
Anne Archer
Vonda Volkom
Court is in session
Put Ghosts of Girlfriends Past on trial.
Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.
The prosecution The Big-Idea Head
“The strings are showing.”
Every cue tells you exactly what to feel and when, leaving sentiment to do the work character should have done.