Jojo Rabbit Review: One Of The Most "Heilarious", Heartwarming, and Powerful Films Of The Year
- naterichard98
- Nov 1, 2019
- 3 min read
DIRECTED BY: TAIKA WAITITI STARRING: ROMAN GRIFFIN DAVIS, THOMASIN McKENZIE, & SCARLETT JOHANSSON
RATED PG-13 FOR MATURE THEMATIC CONTENT, SOME DISTURBING IMAGES, VIOLENCE, AND LANGUAGE
LENGTH: 108 MINUTES
HEARTLAND INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL REVIEW #1
The Holocaust and Adolf Hitler aren't necessarily the safest choices to set a comedy around, much less a genuine surefire crowd-pleaser. In the case of Jojo Rabbit, Taika Waititi, the brilliant mind behind indie comedies from the likes of What We Do In The Shadows and Hunt For The Wilderpeople as well as the Marvel blockbuster Thor: Ragnarok, delivers what is quite possibly the ballsiest movie of the year and while the film is sure to have it's prenuptial naysayers, Waititi's comedic sensibilities are usually always a hit.
Jojo Rabbit, which is inspired by the novel Caging Skies written by Christine Leunens, follows Jojo Betzler, an imaginative 10-year-old boy living in Nazi Germany with his mother Rosie, who is secretly a Nazi defector. Unlike his mother, Jojo is infatuated by Hitler and his Nazi regime, despite not having much understanding, even to the point where his imaginary friend is a much more comedic version of Adolf Hitler. After a freak accident at Hitler youth camp, Jojo's world is shaken when he learns that his mother is secretly hiding a Jewish teenage girl named Elsa behind the walls of the house, while Jojo is skeptical at first, the two start to form a bond that begins to change Jojo's view of the world and realizes the harsh reality of what the regime he once was passionate about is really doing.
The film wins big all across the board, through it's terrific ensemble, stylish direction, a powerful script, whimsical set designs, and a message that demands to be heard. Roman Griffin Davis proves to be one of the most promising young actors working in the field in the lead role of Jojo, pulling off a performance that would even be complicated for an adult actor. Not since Jacob Tremblay in Room has a young actor given a performance this great. Thomasin McKenzie is another absolute standout here and delivers an emotionally rewarding and well-rounded performance as Elsa. The rest of the supporting cast is just as bright, with Scarlett Johansson giving a powerful performance as Rosie, Waititi stealing scenes as a kooky imaginary Hitler, and Sam Rockwell, Alfie Allen, Rebel Wilson, and Stephen Merchant being equally hilarious in their respective roles. Archie Yates also steals scenes as Jojo's hapless but caring friend Yorki.
Jojo Rabbit's script is equally as impactful as it is hilarious; in the wrong hands the film's message could've come across as muddled, confused, and to be put it bluntly offensive. Though Waititi has a lot of sensitivity for a topic as tragic as the Holocaust. There's plenty of laughs to be had, with Waititi's humor still intact, the film is unafraid of giving the audience a wide-range of emotions. Waititi has written what is easily one of the best adapted screenplays of the year, if not the best.
Waititi's direction feels like his traditional style meshed with the look of a Wes Anderson film. Everything from the films choice of a color palette, to it's beautiful production design, and Michael Giacchino's wonderful score, there's very little to complain about with Jojo Rabbit.
Jojo Rabbit is easily one of the year's very best films. It's equally emotionally charged as well as consistently funny. This is not one to miss and will hopefully continue on to be a major player during this year's awards season. Seek this one out.
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