Summary
Who would have thought that a film about forcibly and irreversibly uncoupling people could be so funny?
New Zealand comedy has broken out onto the world stage in strange and magical ways over the years. Flight of the Conchords gave us a taste of its unique beats, while Thor: Ragnarok proved it was possible to caress the Antipodean humour into a blockbuster. THE BREAKER UPPERERS is a fiercely proud Kiwi comedy, and unquestionably one of the funniest films of the year so far.
Jen (Jackie van Beek) and Mel (Madeleine Sami) have been friends for 15 years, ever since they discovered that they were being two-timed by the same man. Now they run a business where they break up relationships for cash. Sometimes it’s elaborate plots involving faked deaths and pregnancies, at other times it’s a phone call. However, after victim Anna (Celia Pacquola) reminds Mel of her conscience, the unstoppable friendship begins to crumble.
Comedy is pretty subjective, but co-stars/writers/directors Jackie van Beek and Madeleine Sami manage to find the right balance of pathos and side-splitters. Pacquola’s performance, in her debut feature, is the embodiment of this approach. Introduced with a comically awkward extended bout of sobbing, her increasing bout of bad luck pushes through the tragic and comes out the other side as hilarious. (“I used to have a cat. But it died. I think.”)
Yet as a platonic rom-com, it’s the interplay between van Beek and Sami that hits us in the feels and funnybones. There’s verbal sparring filled with razor sharp dialogue. Then it’s the height of glorious silliness as the duo recreate a karaoke video for Celine Dion’s “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now.” If the film meanders, it’s when the pair aren’t on speaking terms, but that really only reinforces how strong this team is.
The rest of the film is filled with a who’s who of Kiwi comedy. There’s the obligatory appearance of Jermaine Clement as a random Tinder date. If James Rolleston, as a client/would-be love interest for Mel, it’s because he’s the slightly grown up star of Taika Waititi’s Boy (2010). Newcomer Ana Scotney creates a street-wise character as iconic as any of New Zealand’s countless cinematic eccentrics.
Ending with a dance sequence set to K-Ci & JoJo’s “All My Life” is about as perfect a way to wrap up a comedy as any, leaving the audience with a joyous celebration of the assembled talents on screen. Here’s looking forward to more from this team. See it as soon as possible so you can have bragging rights when they get their eventual Hollywood franchise.
2018 | New Zealand | DIR:Jackie van Beek and Madeleine Sami | WRITER:Jackie van Beek and Madeleine Sami, James Rolleston | CAST: Jackie van Beek, Madeleine Sami, Celia Pacquola, Ana Scotney | DISTRIBUTOR: Madman Entertainment | RUNNING TIME: 82 minutes | RELEASE DATE: 6 June 2018 (SFF), 26 July 2018 (AUS)
