OK so there’s no real surprise with this film - there’s the arrogant photographer with commitment issues, the slighted and heart broken girlfriends, throw in a bit of Scrooge-like ‘this is your life’ moral teachings, and hey presto you have yet another romcom.
We’ve all seen this type of flick before, many times in fact involving Matthew McConaughey himself (he’s smooched everyone in Hollyhood ), but you know what, women, such as myself, are so blinded by his gorgeousness that we don’t seem to mind too much and hey if it keeps a smile on the face throughout then the film is not half bad.
Apart from McConaughey’s obvious charms, the film, directed by Mark Waters, is funny and witty in many places, and overall quite entertaining. The acting is not going to win any Oscars but it’s good, although I did find myself a little annoyed with the true love interest Jenny Perotti (Jennifer Garner ). The script writers left her looking a little dowdy and just sulking around the place. Garner is capable of so much more and wasn’t given enough opportunity to shine.
McConaughey plays Connor Mead who is a notorious male chauvinist photographer with more game than he knows what to do with, actually he copes just fine by juggling many women and dumping them before the word ‘love’ comes into the equation. He loves only himself, well, he really does love his baby brother Paul (Breckin Meyer ) and absolutely idolises his late uncle Wayne, played by Michael Douglas, who pulls off the Hugh Heffner type character brilliantly.
Connor tries to talk Paul out of getting married on the eve of the wedding but there’s some friendly words of advice coming his way. Uncle Wayne warns Connor not to follow in his footsteps and also of the arrival of three ghosts who will take him back to his past, present, and his lonely future. Allison Vandermeersh, AKA ghost of the past played by Emma Stone, is absolutely brilliant here as an over-exited bubble-gum popping freckled teenager. The ghosts try to help Connor discover when and how he became such a egotistical womaniser. Is there still time for him to change, discover what is important in life, and ultimately to be happy?
Surprisingly the Dicken’s Scrooge tale works quite well here. There were one or two cringy moments but all together the film is a good watch and will give you a few chuckles.
Verdict 3.5/5
