The Breaker-Upperers Review
Netflix Summary
For the right price, BFFs Jen and Mel will ruthlessly end any romance. But when one of them grows a conscience, their friendship begins to unravel.
Netflix Nerd Summary
In this anti rom-com, two friends Mel and Jen (Madeleine Sami, Jackie van Beek) are hired by unhappy partners to fake their deaths or pretend to be homewreckers to end their relationships for them. Until one day they get in too deep with two clients that test Mel and Jen’s friendship and their futures as Breaker-Upperers.
Strengths
I was convinced that this was going to be another formulaic rom-com where one or both of the leads would fall in love with one of their clients, similar to the 2001 Sigourney Weaver film Heartbreakers. But the film pleasantly surprised me by making the friendship between the two leads the center of the film and subverting some of the usual rom-com tropes. The third act, in particular, flips the typical rom-com climax on it’s head when Jen has to make a grand gesture to earn back Mel’s friendship after a fight.
The film is set in New Zealand and I wasn’t familiar with the two lead actresses who also wrote and directed the film. But they share the same zany comedy sensibility as Taika Waititi and I laughed out loud constantly through the entire film which kept surprising me right up to the finale. The male lead, James Rolleston as a client who gets involved with Mel, is also hilarious, as are the other Maori supporting players.
Although the premise requires some suspension of disbelief, Mel and Jen not only keep you laughing but the film also explores the realities of being a woman struggling with being single in her mid-thirties with heart instead of pity. I hope to see more of this comedy duo who are just as multi-talented and funny as Amy Poehler and Tina Fey.
Weaknesses
The Breaker-Upperers kept me laughing and that is more than I can ask for from any comedy. Mel’s decision to have sex with their 18 year old client, Jordan, was the only aspect of the film that left me squeamish but the entire premise and the zany brand of humor allowed me to enjoy the film regardless.
If you like Set it Up you might like The Breaker-Upperers
Although The Breaker-Upperers turned out to be less of a rom-com and more of a buddy comedy, there are enough romantic elements that rom-com lovers should leave the film feeling satisfied. Those who simply enjoy comedies and especially Taika Waititi’s unique brand of humor in What We Do in the Shadows or even Thor Ragnarok should find themselves laughing.
Rating — 5 out of 5 friendship bracelets
I can’t remember the last movie (in the theater or streaming) that made me laugh this hard. Female-led comedies are still rare enough that this film was extremely refreshing and introduces two new and fresh comedians to U.S. audiences.
