We’ve all been haunted by our romantic past at one point. In “Ghosts of Girlfriends Past,” Matthew McConaughey is haunted not only by his romantic past, but his present and future as well.

Conner Mead (McConaughey) is a photographer who’s as successful in the bedroom as he is in the studio. At his younger brother’s wedding, he openly shows his disdain for the archaic institutions of monogamy and marriage. Living up to his playboy persona, he tries to woo three bridesmaids and the bride’s mother, while trading jabs with childhood friend, and former love, Jenny Parotti (Jennifer Garner).

Borrowing the concept and structure of “A Christmas Carol,” Conner is visited by three ghosts that night: the ghosts of girlfriends past, present and future. First up is Girlfriends Past, who comes in the form of the girl who took Conner’s virginity in high school. She shows him how a rejection by Jenny at a junior high dance led him to take the tutelage of his love-em-and-leave-em Uncle Wayne (Michael Douglas). A decade later, when Conner and Jenny have met again and fallen in love, Conner leaves before she can get too close.

The Ghost of Girlfriends Present visits in the form of Conner’s assistant. She takes him to several places that night, where all of the people in Conner’s life are alternately scorning and mocking him. Not quite the image the debonair playboy had of himself.

Still, Conner has not learned his lesson, as he tries to hit on the beautiful but silent Ghost of Girlfriends Future. She takes him to the church where Jenny is marrying the doctor she meets at the wedding. They then follow his brother from the church to Conner’s funeral, where nobody has showed up.

There won’t be any spoilers in this review, except to say that the movie is extremely predictable. If you’ve seen the previews, you can pretty much figure out what happens in the end. But despite knowing the end result from the start, the journey there is still enjoyable.

“Ghosts of Girlfriends Past” doesn’t have the stereotypical chick flick pitfalls of being overly cheesy and corny. The urge to roll your eyes at mushy scenes and monologues is minimal, and the humor is sharp and smart. No relying on quirky sidekicks or tired gags.

The stars of the film, McConaughey and Garner, give respectable but repeated performances, each portraying characters they’ve played before (in “How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days” and “13 Going On 30” respectively). More minor characters, such as bride Sandy (Lacey Chebert), Uncle Wayne and Ghost of Girlfriend Past Allison Vandermeersh (Emma Stone), steal the scenes they’re in. Sandy, as the wide-eyed beleaguered bride, and so totally ‘80s high-schooler Allison bring good comic relief to the film.

And Michael Douglas is clearly having fun as playboy Uncle Wayne. He’s so slick and smarmy, yet disarmingly charming, you can’t help but love him and hate him at the same time (much like his many conquests). It’s a good role for Douglas, and one of the more enjoyable parts of the movie.