THE BREAKER UPPERERS
Directors: Madeleine Sami and Jackie van Beek
Cast: Madeleine Sami, Jackie van Beek, James Rolleston, Celia Pacquola, Ana Scotney, Rima Te Wiata, Jemaine Clement, Rose Matafeo
Rating: (M)
★★★★★ (out of five)
Seconds into the film and the cinema was convulsed with laughter so the answer is a resounding yes from the lower South Island, with a special thanks for the Mosgiel joke.
On my personal rating system, any New Zealand comedy that has the good sense to find a spot for Rima Te Wiata is worth a look. Once again, Te Wiata plays a mother, just not her usual brand of sweet befuddled mum. In fact, it soon becomes obvious that writers/directors/stars Madeleine Sami and Jackie van Beek are all about the jokes and, if another actor can sell a joke, they will be given ample opportunity to do so.
Mel (Sami) and Jen (van Beek) are best friends with a complicated backstory. A shared bad romantic experience led them to start an agency devoted to helping people dump their partners. Jen adores it, but sweet-natured Mel is starting to have second thoughts about the ethics of it all.
New client Jordan (James Rolleston) wants to break up with his "missus", but Sepa (Ana Scotney) is not a girl to be trifled with.
Rolleston has gravitated towards dramatic roles since his triumph in Boy, but here he is effortlessly funny as the sweetly dim-witted Jordan.
- Christine Powley
