The Breaker Upperers

Seen at the Paramount Theatre, Maryborough, VIC

Cecil says: The distributors of The Breaker Upperers did a good job advertising this film. They knew how to pick the best bits for the trailer, which got us to go and see it, as – we hoped – a light entertainment film on a cold Sunday morning. I wish they hadn’t.

This was awful.

I don’t even want to waste too much time explaining what was awful about it. Dreadfully written; stilted; jokes that felt more like Benny Hill or a sixth form drama production at high school. No, I’m being nice: a fourth form production.

I can’t think of any redeeming features, really. As soon as I saw Celia Pacquola on the doorstep overdoing the tears, I realised how much I dislike her acting and ‘comic’ style (she vaguely works on Rosehaven, but only against the wooden estate agent sidekick there).

The concept might have worked if better written. But it was over-acted, cliched and painfully NOT funny. Oh, and what the dance scene towards the end was all about, I have no idea. It really made me wonder who the target audience was: if Millennials, why lead with main characters who are old enough to be their Mums? If not Millennials, wtf?

Come on, New Zealand cinema. I know you can do better than this.

*

Bea says: Yes, clearly a case of all the best jokes were in the trailer...it's rare that I don't find any redeeming features in a film, but this had very few.  There were a handful of funny lines (which we had seen before).  But otherwise, despite the concept being quite good (the Breaker-Upperers can be hired to break up with your partner on your behalf), it was so poorly written - a 6th form class could probably have done better.  In fact, I mused to Cecil afterwards, it might have been originally conceived of for TV, as it did occasionally feel like a series of episodes strung together (not particularly well).  

The comedy was infantile and heavy handed; as a result just not funny.  It needed a far lighter touch, and dare I say better delivery.  You need a very, very good comic actor to work well with poor writing, and sadly I just don't think the cast were up to it.  Shortly after seeing this however, I noticed a NZ friend posting about it on Facebook - and she loved it, describing it as quintessential NZ comedy...perhaps a cultural gap?

* for the 5-6 funny lines.

Hector and the Search for Happiness

Seen at Stockton Teesside Odeon

Bea says:  Of those that I have read or seen, the reviews for this film have been mixed – but I loved it.  Perhaps it is because Hector reminded me of Cecil, but it was definitely also the key theme of the relationship of change to happiness in life – something that really spoke to me.

This film – not particularly originally - tells the story of two successful, but rather stuck and bored/boring people; the male in the couple (who is a surprisingly believable psychiatrist) decides to research the secret of happiness and travels the world to find it – I won’t tell you where he does find it, but it’s not hard to guess! 

Despite this rather hackneyed storyline Simon Pegg puts in a charming performance as the eccentric but very likeable Hector and his wife, played by Rosamund Pike, partners him well.

It does have some weaknesses in the writing – the sequence involving Hector being kidnapped and imprisoned was too OTT for my taste; what that was trying to show could have been done with a lighter touch, but overall a lot was made out of a story that in the wrong hands (writers and actors both) could have been really cheesy.  The drawing and portraying of the characters as rather cold and stiff – but not too much (Pike) and eccentric and bumbling – but not too much (Pegg) saved it from that actually.

This film made me feel happy for about a week afterwards – it worked for me!

***

Cecil says: Part of me is worried that this rather geeky intellectual type reminded Bea of me, but there is, I guess, something endearing about him, too.

This is a fun film, with some almost Mr Bean touches as Hector sets off on his first flight, sitting next to the rather uptight businessman heading for China. As Bea says, there are some weaknesses to the plot – surely even someone as geeky as Hector wouldn’t be THAT gullible? And the whole section of the film in ‘Africa’ (big place, that) was rather unbelievable.

But as Bea also says, there were many chords struck for our own experiences and our own journeys through life, though thankfully I don’t hold a candle for any old flames myself (the right thing to say, says Bea behind me as I type… but it’s true, honest)

Simon Pegg carries off the role of Hector really well. He’s got one of those faces you think you’ve seen in lots of films or TV, but when I checked his career the only thing I’d definitely seen him in was Hot Fuzz.

A really nice feel-good film, definitely recommended, and I can’t believe more people weren’t in the cinema in Stockton on that Saturday afternoon.

****

Hope Springs

Bea says: A friend staying for the weekend joined Cecil and me in seeing this fairly new release at our local cinema - billed as a comedy, and starring Meryl Streep, what could go wrong?

Well, nothing did go wrong, although it is worth saying that this "comedy" is really quite a bittersweet, and very character-driven, tale of the ups and downs of marriage - there were certainly times when the audience were roaring with laughter, but there were equally times when you could have heard a pin drop in the cinema, as some of the more painful moments of married life were explored.

Meryl Streep is always good, but Tommie Lee Jones was, if anything, better, with perfect timing and playing really well against Streep.  I was vaguely surprised by this, so checked out Jones' career on Wikipedia, to discover that he has a Broadway background - that explains that, then.

This film is definitely worth seeing - and not just if you have had a long relationship; this is thought-provoking stuff and gives plenty to think about.  Not much to critique here - well written from Vanessa Taylor, well directed and superbly acted from all three main characters - Streep, Jones and Steve Carell playing things a bit straighter as Dr Feld.
****

Cecil says: I agree with Bea, actually.

I didn't even know Steven Carell was the name of that diminutive actor who normally plays comic roles in rather second-rate movies, but he does a grand job here as the straight-faced therapist, cajoling Streep and Jones to explore what's gone wrong in their marriage and carry out various exercises aimed at getting things moving again.

I couldn't help wondering if the pin-drop silence Bea refers to in our cinema was down to the average age of the audience there that day: quite a few must have got to that 31 years' marriage stage, when things just trundle along in a rather mundane way and you can begin to question where now...

Although the couple spend most of the film way up north in Maine, Bea and I fancied we recognised the posh hotel they end up decamping to after they've had their fill of the cheap and dreary motel. Unless we're mistaken, it was the historic Griswold Inn in Essex, Connecticut. You can't be sure from the credits at the end, but we did remember that Meryl Streep's Mum lives about 5 miles away, so she must know the hotel well herself.

Funnily enough, I had to get Bea to remind me of the outcome of their relationship reviews; I had forgotten how the film ends. What lingers from this movie is a feel-good, but challenging mood.

Lovely film to see, though I wonder how I'd feel if my marriage wasn't working out too well...

***.5