“The Breaker Upperers” opens on a scene of apparent tragedy. Two police officers console a woman sobbing uncontrollably. They appear to have just delivered some tragic news. As the officers exit the scene and return to the car to inform the man in the back seat that he is a free man.
Welcome to The Breaker Upperers agency. Those with a wad of cash and a lack of a backbone can turn to Mel and Jen of the Breaker Upperers agency to fix your relationship woes — by having the ladies dump the other party for you.
Taika Waititi (“Thor Ragnarok” and “What We Do in the Shadows”) executive produces the film, providing further evidence to the fact that everything Waititi touches turns to comedic gold. However, the vast majority of credit goes to his fellow New Zealanders Jackie van Beek and Madeleine Sami, who pull triple duty as the stars, writers, and directors of the film.
Sami and van Beek bring both an outrageous and awkward humor as Mel and Jen, respectively. Jen, still reeling from an old heartache, is straight-laced and aloof rule-follower. Mel is a free spirit who wears her heart on her sleeve. Sami and van Beek’s electric chemistry keep audiences laughing throughout the entirety of the film, whether it be a slight chuckle at a quiet joke or a full-on belly laugh at the duo’s antics. “The Breaker Uppers” is just plain fun.
The film’s writing flows nicely and feels natural enough, to the point that it has an air to improvisation to it (I am not sure how much, if any, the cast did end up improvising). Some of the jokes are subtle, depending solely on van Beek, Sami, and wonderful supporting actor James Rolleston’s impeccable delivery. Other moments are rooted in outrageous humor that teeters between slapstick and cringey. I dare anyone to keep a straight face watching van Beek and Sami portray strippers in a case of mistaken identity.
And somehow, in spite of its layers of jokes, this film has a big ole heart at its center. Once Mel begins to question the ethics of their business, Jen reevaluates her negative thoughts on love. But it’s not a romantic love that she opens her heart to. It’s the unconditional love of her best friend Mel.
For an American viewer such as myself, a few social cues and references may have not quite landed. But all-in-all, “The Breaker Upperers,” is a funny and heartfelt film that deserves the large audience that its recent arrival to Netflix will inevitably bring it.
-by Brynne Ramella
