I didn’t think I’d laugh so much. I knew the story line was clichéd and Matthew McConaughey who played the main character 'Connor Mead' was type cast, but it was a good laugh. In a nutshell, the story is about the ultimate playboy; doesn’t believe in love and thinks marriage is for the weak and insecure. At the end of the movie we see a redeemed man, a man who confronts his fears and insecurities and finally accepts the liberation that love can give to those who believe and give it freely.
The plot is built around the famous Charles Dickens book ‘A Christmas Carol’ where the main character Scrooge who didn’t believe in Christmas has a life changing experience on Christmas eve. He is visited by 3 ghosts; the ghosts of Christmas past, Christmas present and Christmas future. They take him on a tour of his life scrutinizing his past, present and future letting him see firsthand the consequences of continuing in his disregard for the spirit of Christmas; the love and giving it spreads to all who believe.
In this movie, it’s the eve to Connor’s brother’s wedding. Connor is taken through a similar tour of his life; past, present and future. Exploring the life he has lived by excavating memories from his girlfriends from the past, examining the women in his present and showing him a glimpse of a gloomy future if he continues his current behavior.
It’s amazing how things from our past cause dents in our lives and we consciously or subconsciously shut them off to protect us from getting hurt. We find out that Connor’s beliefs and resulting behavior are deep rooted in events of his past; his parent’s death at an early age which led to him being raised by his uncle, a celebrated womanizer; an epitome of playboy and Don Juan put together. When Connor is heartbroken as a teen he seeks solace in his uncle who mentors him in the art of seduction, feeding him with tactics on retaining power and selfish pleasure in the game of love.
There was an interesting quote in the movie, something like ‘the person who loves less has more power in a relationship’. It made a lot of sense when we think about unrequited love and the pain that it can cause the lover on the receiving end. The quest for power turns a relationship into a game of manipulation and desire to conquer. It takes the fun, lightness, laughter and joy out of it. However, the ending of the movie was apt as we are made to see that in love, it’s not about power, or who has power, it’s about the more loving, the one who can love regardless, the one who chooses love above all else.
It was a good chick flick. Saw it with two of my girls; we had a lot of fun watching it and of course the usual commentary. I am not sure how the guy’s would have appreciated the movie i.e. what angle they would have seen it from. For me, it was funny and that’s entertainment. It had a Hollywood fantasy ending where things always work out in the end and that I agree is what we should always believe.
If I learned one thing about this movie, it echoes the words of my friend Mezie ‘na when person wake up be im morning’ i.e. whatever time a person wakes up is their morning. People can and do change but they do so at their own time. All efforts to change the person earlier may fail but at the appointed time change will occur and all the time and effort that appeared to have been in vain will come full circle. No knowledge or experience is ever lost.
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