'Charming' Kiwi comedy Breaker Upperers gets rave festival reviews

Madeleine Sami and Jackie van Beek's new film isn't set to debut here until May - but it's already getting rave reviews overseas.

The Kiwi comedians star in The Breaker Upperers, a new feature film which follows the duo as they run a business that breaks up relationships for people who can't face doing it themselves.

Things go awry when one of the duo falls for one of their customers.

The film was written and directed by Sami and van Beek, also features Boy star James Rolleston in his first major role since surviving a car crash, and is executive produced by Taika Waititi.

At its debut at the SXSW film festival over the weekend, it scored a sell out crowd and positive early reviews.

On Twitter, one fan wrote that it was "the funniest thing I have scene in ages".

Another said it was "about as charming and funny as they come".

On the website Filmschoolrejects, Neil Miller said the film could easily be party of Taika Waititi's cinematic universe.

"If you were to try and convince me that somewhere on the other side of town Sam Neill is kicking around with an ornery teenager named Ricky Baker, I'd buy it. The laughs are just as plentiful and the energy is equally infectious," he wrote.

"The whole thing has great energy and might be one of the funniest films I've seen this year (or last)."

The Breaker Upperers at #SXSW is the funniest thing I have scene in ages. Written and directed by two incredible women. A friendship rom-com with bite.

— torionic (@Torionic) March 11, 2018

BREAKER UPPERERS is about as charming and funny as they come. If you make it through every 90s inspired musical sequence without cracking a smile, you’re dead inside #SXSW

— Derek Deskins (@DerekDeskins) March 11, 2018

I only caught two films but damn good ones! Went to The Breakerupperers to kill time but then couldn't leave to go see the film I'd wanted bc it was so funny, go see it! Then watched Half the Picture & oooh such a necessary movie!! #TheBreakerUpperers #HalfthePictureMovie #SXSW

— Leila Bela (@LeilaBela) March 11, 2018

Hilarious and heartfelt film, great Q&A for the @breakerupperers w @madeleinesami @jackievanbeek World Premiere, y’all! pic.twitter.com/zQ8rT2Z7ed

— Natalie Durkin (@NatD_LMT) March 11, 2018

The Breaker Upperers World premiere at SXSW. Full house loved it ! Great to see kiwi humour playing so well in Texas! Well done Jackie, Madeline and all the team. @NZFilmCommissh NZFilmCommissh @breakerupperers pic.twitter.com/Wg92tbkbNl

— Dale Corlett (@DaleCorlett) March 11, 2018

The Breaker Upperers hits cinemas here on May 3.