The Breaker Upperers - REVIEW - Sydney Film Festival 2018

I've never been to the Sydney Film Festival before. Whether it was timing, lack of available funds, or simply forgetting that it was on; I've made all the excuses in the past. This year however I made it a mission of mine to attend, and not only just attend but make a point of seeing female-directed films only. The festival runs from the 6th - 17th of June and across this week I am seeing 4 films directed by a variety of women.

I began my Sydney Film Festival experience with The Breaker Upperers by New Zealand comedy duo Madeleine Sami and Jackie Van Beek who both wrote, directed, and starred in the film. What struck me straight away about this movie was its true New Zealand style of comedy; A tone that has been more widely appreciated since the success of filmmaker Taika Waititi (Thor: Ragnarok, Hunt For The Wilderpeople), who also executive produced the film. This meant that there was no shortage of laughs all the way through but whilst there were no doubts that this was a comedy the film actually had some new and interesting things to say about relationships.

The film's plot focuses on two women who start a company breaking couples up for money. This leads to moral dilemmas, a breaking down of their own friendship, and a cross-examination of what love really is. The exquisite cast gives effortlessly comical performances that allow the themes explored to be enjoyed on a level of ridiculousness but also realism. The two main characters are also women that are rarely seen on screen. They are “older” (being 36 and 42), one is bisexual, and there is even an instance of a relationship with a 17-year age gap between one of the women and a younger man. All things I have never seen represented in a film before.

And yes I will reiterate this is a comedy and none of it is taken very seriously, yet it still somehow feels closer to reality than anything I have seen tackling similar issues before. I thoroughly enjoyed the light-hearted ride that The Breaker Upperers took me on and whilst the film probably wouldn't pass the Bechdel test it was wholeheartedly a film about women, by women.

Coming later this week I have my thoughts on Half The Picture, which was an enlightening cinema experience, and also notes from a panel of the same name I attended shortly after seeing the film.