新西兰式幽默的分手大师

整部影片就像一群智商不高的傻瓜的狂欢。|TomrisLafflyFebruary15,2019|Ifyoudaretoforagebeyondthebackstabbingmeangirlsof“BrideWars”-likefare,moviesontruefemalefriendshipsareastaggeringscarcity,atleastinmainstreamcinema.Sorarethatwhenyouseeanindieaboutamutuallycommitted,zestyduolikeMelandJen—respectivelyportrayedbysharp-humoredNewZealandercomediansMadeleineSamiandJackievanBeek—youtakeimmediatenoteofitsquietrebellion.Notthatthethirty-to-fortysomethingladiesof“TheBreakerUpperers,”amarvelouslykooky,occasionallylaugh-out-loudfunnybuddycomedy,haven’thadtheirownshareofrivalryonceuponatime,afterlearningthatthesameromanticinterest(CohenHolloway)playedthembothbehindtheirbacksoveradecadeago.Butinsteadofturningthatanalogousheartbreakintoenmity,thesavvywomenjoinedforcesandlaunchedaquestionablylucrativeventureof,well,breakingcouplesapart.Ifyouhavealwaysdreadedanawkwardbreak-upconversationwithyoursignificantotherthatwouldsetyoufreefromadysfunctionalrelationship,thesecynicalbusinesspartnersandtheirethicallydubiousmethodsmightjustbeyourremedy.WemeetMelandJeninalarminglyfake-lookingcopuniforms,sittingaroundthekitchentableofarespectablesuburbanhomewhilethegrievingfreshwidowAnna(CeliaPacquola)sobsaboutherdeceasedhusband.Orsoshethinks;asthecowardlymanhadapparentlydecidedtocontinuehislifeelsewhereandhiredtheservicesofMelandJentodeliverthenewsofhismake-believedrowning.Thiscaseservesasourintroductiontotheworkoftheseeccentric,equal-opportunityhome-wreckers—theyinterferewithbothstraightandgaycouples,offeringthemcustomizedpackageslike“theotherwoman”—whohilariouslymovefromcasetoheartbreakingcasewiththecruelefficiencyofan“it’snotyou,it’sme”ex.Whileit’shardtoexplainhowthepair’smorallybankruptschemescontinuallybirthuproariouscircumstances—andtherearemanythroughout“TheBreakerUpperers”—restassuredthattheotherworldlyKiwisenseofhumorofSamiandvanBeek(alsothewriter/directorsofthefilm)clicksintoplaceinduecourse.It’sawrytypeofwitcementedintheirremoteisland—muchdrierthanthecomedyofaPaulFeigfilmandlight-yearsmoresophisticatedthananythingonSNL.(It’snocoincidencethatTaikaWaititi,whocomesfromthesamedisciplineofcomedy,executiveproducedthefilm).Butperhapsthegreatestrewardof“TheBreakerUpperers”isthejourneyitsmanyabsurditiestake—theymaturealongsideMelandJen,whodiscoverbotharenewedsenseofcamaraderieandanawakening,guiltyconscienceineachother.Whatjumpstartstheiradvancementironicallyhappenstobeanewbreakupcase,initiatedbytheloveableteenagerJordan(JamesRolleston).Failing(orrather,fearing)toendhisrelationshipwithhistoughgirlfriendSepa(AnaScotney)—Jordan’scryptictextemojisunderstandablygetlostonher—JordanresortstoourprofessionalstotameSepa’sangermanagementissuesandfallsforMelalongtheway.Lightonitsfeetbutconceivedwithimpressivecareforitsbrandofquirk,“TheBreakerUpperers”isembellishedwithvariousnostalgic,late‘80s/early‘90sreferences(Technotronic,CélineDionandgrungyfashionsgalore)aswellaspointedbutnon-didacticobservationsonrace,classandwomanhood.Undauntedbysillyphysicalcomedy,foul-mouthedjokesandanarrayofsexuallyveryactivefemales—chiefofthembeingJen’sperenniallysex-hungrysocialiteofamotherShona(RimaTeWiata,exceptional),whoactslikeshe’scasuallywanderedoff“BoogieNights”andlandedhere—“TheBreakerUpperers”isoftenariotwithitsbuffetofstraight-facedgoofballswithaveragesmarts.Thefilm’sendingmightbeabittootidyforitsowngood,butnotsince“ForAGoodTime,Call…”didafriendly,female-centrickiss-and-make-upfeelthissatisfying.此影评的译文可以登录火星译客网站查看，如有翻译不准确之处，望请指出，谢谢！译员：卖女孩的小火柴。校对：Thibault