Ghosts of Girlfriends Past (PG-13, 2009)

common sense media says

Predictable romcom has some iffy stuff, but OK for teens.


parents & educators say
  • 92% say sexual content is an issue
  • 58% say language is an issue

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this predictable romantic comedy about a shameless womanizer who ultimately sees the error of his ways has plenty of innuendo and discussion about sex, though there's more talk than action. Expect to see deep kissing, some groping, and a clothed man being straddled by a scantily clad woman while they make out. There's also some swearing ("bitch," "damn," etc.) and drinking, including a scene in which an uncle buys his eighth-grade nephew a drink in a bar.

Positive messages: A chauvinistic man who believes that women should be loved and left gets his comeuppance; ultimately, he's persuaded by true love to put his best foot forward.
Positive role models: While the main character is a shameless womanizer, it's clear that he's not meant to be taken seriously as a role model -- and he learns the error of his ways.
Violence: A woman slaps a man; two brothers yell at each other; a man crashes his car at the bottom of a hill.
Sex: Lots of innuendoes ("spooning isn't as much fun as forking," etc.) and a fair amount of discussion about what women and men want in bed. Deep kissing, though some of it is played for laughs. Characters talk about wanting "wedding sex," a man gropes his brother's future mother-in-law, and scantily clad women prance around a photographer's studio -- later, one of them is seen straddling the photographer and making out with him.
Language: Language includes one use of "s--t," plus "a--hole," "ass," "damn," "hell," "bitch," "laid," "banged," "screwed," "dick," "oh my God," and "goddamn."
Consumerism: A Polaroid camera figures in the plot, and characters mention alcohol brands by name.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: One character talks about snorting a pile of cocaine (but it's not shown). Characters drink heavily during a wedding weekend, sometimes intentionally to excess. An uncle takes an eighth grader to a bar and orders hard liquor for him.

More on Ghosts of Girlfriends Past

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
  • Families can talk about the movie's messages about relationships and sex. Why is Connor's behavior so bad? Why do you think he turned out the way he did? And why does Jenny still have feelings for him, considering how he treated her?
  • How is this movie similar to and different from other romantic comedies?

What's the story?

What's the story?
Celebrity photographer Connor Mead (Matthew McConaughey) is so slick that he might as well be an oil tanker. He beds women as often as he photographs them, and he never lets himself get involved. Not exactly the kind of guy you'd want to have as your best man, but that's his role at his brother's (Breckin Meyer) upcoming wedding. Connor starts the evening off by sparring with ex-girlfriend Jenny (Jennifer Garner), fondling the mother of the bride (Anne Archer), telling his brother he can still back out, and even divulging a huge secret that hurts the bride (Lacey Chabert). No wonder he starts seeing a steady stream of ghosts (a la A Christmas Carol), led by his dead uncle (Michael Douglas), who, when he was alive, taught Connor everything he knew about avoiding commitment.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 

GHOSTS OF GIRLFRIENDS PAST hews close to the romantic comedy "rules" -- you know where it's going to end within the first half hour. Which isn't to say the film's a fright. The premise may be tired, the jokes stale, and the script trite ("Pain beats regret every day of the week, and twice on Sunday," for example), but it's actually more amusing than expected thanks to two critical casting choices. First, there's Garner: Quick with verbal volleys and arch reaction shots, she grounds the movie in girl-next-door goodness. The fact that someone like her would like someone like McConaughey's Connor makes us want to believe in what romcoms sell -- love that makes no sense but works anyway. Then there's Douglas, who appears to be channeling both Hugh Hefner and Jack Nicholson. This is the Douglas we adored in Wonder Boys -- no spit-shine, no polish, just rough edges with a hint of sleaze. (Who knew playing sordid could be so fun?)

McConaughey is also relatively solid, but Garner and the supporting characters outshine him, especially Chabert, as a well-meaning woman on the verge of becoming Bridezilla, and Meyer, who adds heart to a frothy script. It's a little off putting to see A Christmas Carol "reimagined" in this manner, but we won't be a Scrooge and say it's all for naught. Truth is, there are enough laughs to entertain, if not enthrall.

Movie themes & details

Movie Details
Studio: New Line
Director: Mark Waters
Cast: Breckin Meyer, Jennifer Garner, Matthew McConaughey
Genre: Romance
Run time: 100 minutes
Theatrical release: May 1, 2009
DVD release: September 22, 2009
MPAA Rating: PG-13
MPAA explanation: sexual content throughout, some language and a drug reference
Watch our review

This review was written by S. Jhoanna Robledo
 
 

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What parents & educators say

15
Based on 12 parent & educator reviews:
  • 92% say sexual content is an issue
  • 58% say language is an issue
  • 50% say there's too much drinking, drugs, or smoking

Most useful reviews by all members

meplus2
parent of 1 , and 14 , 17 year old
 
okay for older kids but not under 15
It was a cute enough movie however there was to much sexual content and females with next to no clothes on

greenactress
teen, 15 years old
 
Not me, not you!!!
Yah not very apropriate, super awkward, i was sitting next to my mom!!! I liked it, but i thought it would be a very good, cute chick flick. WRONG! Very inapropriate, even i shouldn't have been able to see it.

scrymi
parent of and 7 , 9 , 11 year old
 
ok for tweens
it was good lots of sex and drinking though

agentcheesecake
teen, 16 years old
 
Great Movie!
I loved the plot of the movie. It was about childhood neighbors falling in love during their adulthood. However, before the main character learned his lesson, there is a TON of sex and talk about sex. It is a great movie, but I wouldn't let anyone 10 and under watch this movie.

Puppygal32
teen, 17 years old
 
14 and up
This is a very funny movie! It has it's sobby moments but, it basically is a comedy...! This movie has a lot of sexual content in it and language is crude and nasty, no F-bombs though! This is for 14 and up!

jrn
adult
 
Adults only
This movie is for adults only...only adults can see the humor and understand the stupidity of the actions portrayed by Matthew Mc's character. The female characters don't act much better. Terrible role models!

emma1997
teen, 14 years old
 
I seriosly hate this movie its absolutley rubish and not for this age.

toriluvsgym0618
teen, 14 years old
 

brymche
teen, 14 years old
 
Eeeh, okay I guess
A lot of sexual terminology and some swearing. Not too bad though. Okay for 13 and up.

brian_johnson
teen, 17 years old
 
cnt say no cnt say yes idk what to put as my title
idk but it has to be good because theres really good actors/actresses on it so ima watch it.

BugGirl
kid, 13 years old
 
Iffy Stuff
Great movie, but very suggestive. I wouldn't reccomend it for ages 13 and under.

august hope
kid, 13 years old
 
DISGUSTING!
This movie was awful! Very inappropriate, everything they said was suggestive, and most of the women had pretty much no clothes on. Don't bother with a movie like this, I was embarrassed that I watched it. YUCK!

bop
adult
 
Way too much sexual content...casual, "no big deal" attitude about unmarried, uncommitted sex

PSC-Jedi
parent of 12 year old
 
Disgusting
I find it hard to believe that CSM would allow 9 to 13 year olds review this movie when you (CSM) have it "iffy" for 14 year olds. How can I trust your ratings. I didn't even make it 15 minutes before I turned it off because it was (1) degrading women and (2) degrading women etc... No wonder we have young girls with eating disorders and becoming sexually permiscious at such early ages. In reading the reviews from young, too young to be watching this kind of movie, it's really hard for me to find you a reliable resource for guidance as to what I allow my child to watch. I was hoping to see a nice "chic flick" while all alone at home. I couldn't stomach it. It's a crude movie and shame on you CSM for you to rate it "iffy 14".

vampire child
teen, 16 years old
 
its sooo i cnt explain
i say its g's i dnt even kno wut to say its just a messed up movie and i cn understand alot of things.y would u sleep around on ur dead fiancee.Wut kind of man r u to do dat.I wouldnt let a child watch this to much sexual content and they would b like gross and they would b confused

MovieLover1222
teen, 16 years old
 
Don't watch this under 14 or 15
There was too much adult humor. And it wasn't even that great

Chapman5pixie
teen, 14 years old
 
Dont see.
I hated this movie. I was embarressed to watch it and so was my twenty year old sister in film school. mathew mcconaughey was an obnoxious character. Way to many random sex references and the jokes werent funny at all

arimjmviemusicluv3
teen, 15 years old
 

Melly_Jelly
teen, 14 years old
 
Suggest for 14 years and up only.
VERY suggestive. I wouldn't watch this with my parents at any time of day. I wouldn't watch it with anybody under the age of 12 either. Has MANY MANY sex scenes. One man has way too many girlfriend's and suggests that he slept with all of them. The ghost of the future knocks him into a hole and girls bury him. But, it was a very good movie! very suggestive, and drinking is a problem too. One scene Connor is searching the whole hotel while chanting "Alchohol, need alchohol" and ends up drinking a champagne for the wedding toast only. Has a fair amount of cussing, too. But, very good story line. And although at the begininnig Connor is very...uhm...tempted. He turns out to be a wonderful man with only one girl as the love of his life.

emanbilal
teen, 15 years old
 
its great!!!!!!!!!

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ON: Content is appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child, some content may not be right for some kids
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