The Breaker Upperers | In Cinemas | From July 26th | ★ ★ ★ ★
We totally fell in love with this quirky and hilarious comedy comedy from New Zealand when it opened the recent Revelation Perth International Film Festival. Now the movie, which was written by and stars Jackie Van Beek and Madeline Sami, is screening on general release.
Mel and Jen have an unusual business, they help people end their relationships. Whether it’s turning up at someone’s front door as a singing country cowgirl duo to deliver a message of dumping, or posing as police officers to break the news that a loved on is just ‘never coming back’, they bring relationships to an end.
Things start to go awry when Mel begins to get too involved in some of the duo client’s lives and funds herself unable to make a clean break. Among the comical characters she can’t shake are the needy, depressed and grief stricken Annie – brilliantly played by Celia Pacquola – and simple but adorable rugby player Jordan portrayed by Boy star James Rolleston.
Add to this a madcap bunch of comical characters including Jen’s coke snorting Mum, a lesbian police officer in search of strippers, and Jordan’s attitude filled but unwanted girlfriend Sepa.
This movie is filled with beautifully odd moments, quotable lines by the bucket load, and every single character – even if they’ve only got one line – is unique and interesting.
The only complaint is this film seems too short- at just 82 minutes we could have gladly hung out with Jen and Mel for a lot longer.
Catch it in a cinema new you.
The film has a memorable scene where one of the characters picks up a karaoke microphone and delivers a rendition of Eric Carmen’s All By Myself. The tune was also a hit for Canadian diva Celine Dion, with Dion arriving to tour in Australia this week Van Beek and Sami have launched an appeal to get her to see their film.
Graeme Watson
