Madeleine Sami and Jackie van Beek deliver the comedy goods in front of and behind the camera
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The last few years have seen a Kiwi comedic sensibility taking hold, from Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement’s Flight of the Concords to the output of Taika Waititi, notably via What We Do In the Shadows and The Hunt for the Wilderpeople. Well the next wave is here, and Madeleine Sami and Jackie van Beek are adding their creative voices to this quirky mix, channeling their natural rapport into a hilarious venture, pairing them in front of and behind the camera.
They play Mel and Jackie, two women brought together by the adulterous actions of one guy. Their friendship is born out of a cynicism for relationships, which also sparked an idea which lies at the core of their thriving business: providing paying people with a service to get them out of relationships. A hilarious opening montage showcases some of the options available — portraying a pregnant lover, a kidnapping, or even going so far as to dress up as cops to report a partner going missing on a walk. But their inability to develop healthy relationships is starting to take its toll, and two new clients seem to awaken both Mel’s conscience and libido, threatening her friendship with Jackie, as well as their business.
It’s a great concept, an idea that is ripe for comedic exploitation, milked for all it’s worth with a comedy that stays relatable, while weaving in a mildly black sense of humor along with the occasional farcical escalations. At its core, it revolves around this friendship between two women, or more specifically bonds of sisterhood that are broken by and between these two women over the course of the film. The real endearing quality of The Breaker Upperers is its tone, imbued by its creators, cast, and crew. An awkward frankness permeates the dialogue, all delivered with perfect timing. The arrival of and accompanying words “crayfish orgy?” brought the house down, perhaps only topped by a showstopping rendition of Celine Dion’s It’s All Coming Back to Me Now. From top to bottom it’s a film filled with, and driven by, characters, making for a Kiwi triumph that feels like prime material for an inevitable American regurgitation. We should recoil at the horror of such an idea that will undoubtedly strip the film of its innate charm. The progression of the story does take a few ungainly lurches at times, but with such an affable vibe throughout, and those comedy highs, they’re easy to forgive, additionally smoothed over by direction that keeps the film briskly paced in terms of narrative and puns per minute.
Much has been made of the Taika Waititi connection, and the film certainly jibes with his sensibility. But Sami and van Beek are undeniably adding their own distinct voices and chemistry to this influx of Kiwi talent. The Breaker Upperers is a raucous, infectious comedy, delivered with heart, guaranteed to put a smile on your face. A downright hilarious mix of sisterhood, sabotage, and Celine Dion.
