Jojo Rabbit
Directed by: Taika Waititi
Written by: Taika Waititi - Based on the novel by Christine Leunens
Starring: Roman Griffin Davis, Scarlett Johansson, Thomasin McKenzie, Taika Waititi, Sam Rockwell, Rebel Wilson, Stephen Merchant, Alfie Allen, Archie Yates
Comedy/Drama/War - 108 min Reviewed by Charlie Juhl on 23 Oct 2019
Written by: Taika Waititi - Based on the novel by Christine Leunens
Starring: Roman Griffin Davis, Scarlett Johansson, Thomasin McKenzie, Taika Waititi, Sam Rockwell, Rebel Wilson, Stephen Merchant, Alfie Allen, Archie Yates
Comedy/Drama/War - 108 min Reviewed by Charlie Juhl on 23 Oct 2019
Jojo Rabbit should feel out of place. It should come off so over-the-top and ridiculous to provoke articles pondering why it exists at all. However, 2019’s political and social climate is a lot different than many imagined it would be. Compared to the film’s 1945 setting, we are in the space age, flying car future. The tenets of Nazism and its globally destructive fanaticism should only be textbook philosophies and spur sorrowful mournings of what once was. Unfortunately, 2019 is uncomfortably like the 1930s. Far-right extremists shout their disinformation and hate through social media echo chambers generating a militant following force. There are now those who belong and "the others". This is why director Taika Waititi feels the need to mock and satirize current events. He sees warning signs, and in the shadow of Charlie Chaplin and the Marx Brothers, confronts the uncomfortable and malign with humor, winks, and farce. Waititi’s Jojo Rabbit is a remarkable achievement of wit and wariness - truly one of the best films of the year.
Based on the novel, Caging Skies by Christine Leunens, Waititi (Thor: Ragnarok) adapted the story for the screen, directed it, and cast himself as Hitler the clown. He sports the skinny mustache, slicked down hair, and brown uniform, but this Hitler resides in the mind of 10 year-old Jojo Betzler (Roman Griffin Davis). Hitler is an odd choice for an imaginary friend, but for all of Jojo’s life, the German state has brainwashed and indoctrinated him regarding Hitler’s genius and God-like status; therefore, Jojo sees Hitler as the ultimate father-figure. Jojo is both proud and uncertain to finally be old enough to join the Hitler Youth, wear a uniform, and display his official Jungvolk knife. Jojo is small and a bit out of step with his peers, so what better place could there be to fit in and feel one with the crowd than at Jungvolk Camp?
Based on the novel, Caging Skies by Christine Leunens, Waititi (Thor: Ragnarok) adapted the story for the screen, directed it, and cast himself as Hitler the clown. He sports the skinny mustache, slicked down hair, and brown uniform, but this Hitler resides in the mind of 10 year-old Jojo Betzler (Roman Griffin Davis). Hitler is an odd choice for an imaginary friend, but for all of Jojo’s life, the German state has brainwashed and indoctrinated him regarding Hitler’s genius and God-like status; therefore, Jojo sees Hitler as the ultimate father-figure. Jojo is both proud and uncertain to finally be old enough to join the Hitler Youth, wear a uniform, and display his official Jungvolk knife. Jojo is small and a bit out of step with his peers, so what better place could there be to fit in and feel one with the crowd than at Jungvolk Camp?
Waititi’s Hitler leans down to give Jojo personal pep talks and charges at imaginary foes with him in the woods. We’re all taught to listen to, follow the instructions of, and trust our teachers and authority figures in the room. If Jojo’s local Nazi Captain, his school teachers, and even his mates habitually extol Hitler's virtues and demonizes some group called the Jews with their serpents tails, horns, and forked tongues, then that must be the way of things. Jojo’s mom presents him with an alternative view of life though. Rosie Betzler (Scarlett Johansson, Avengers: Endgame) urges Jojo to stay a kid for awhile longer, acknowledges Germany is losing the war, and busies herself with mysterious activities outside the house leaving Jojo home alone for long stretches.
Suspecting ghosts, Jojo discovers a girl, Elsa (Thomasin McKenzie, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies), hiding in an upstairs wall. She’s worse than a goblin or a monster, she’s a Jew. Stuck in a situation where Jojo cannot turn her in without getting his mother killed, Jojo slowly learns to understand Elsa as a human being and start to question whether or not everything the world taught him about Jews is real. It doesn’t look like she has horns. McKenzie as Elsa goes strong instead of meek. She’s pissed off she has to live in a wall, hide from the world, and remain at the mercy of an ignorant kid who cannot understand what is going on around him. She uses her power over Jojo in enjoyable, and later, educational ways.
Since the audience experiences everything through the eyes of a 10 year-old, the world comes off that much brighter, bigger, and extreme. Waititi makes the Betzler home look gargantuan, many people wear bright reds and greens (the opposite of what one normally pictures from a World War II film), and even peppers scenes with anachronistic German versions of “I Wanna Hold Your Hand” and David Bowie’s “Heroes”. The supporting cast are a class of goofballs and one-dimensional caricatures. Captain Klenzendorf (Sam Rockwell, Blaze), can barely hide his incredulousness and fatalism from the kids as he encourages them to run through the woods and blow stuff up. Rebel Wilson (Isn't It Romantic) believes everything she was ever taught about Jews and beams when she when she tells the kids, “It’s time to burn some books!” Stephen Merchant (Good Boys) as a sleazy Gestapo agent is equal parts menacing and foolish. He could probably catch some Jews if he and his cohorts were not so busy “Heil Hitler”ing everybody all the time.
As chaotic and carefree as the film sometimes feels, it employs its fair share of gut punches and wrenching dramatics. One scene in particular, which will produce outright gasps in the audience, Waititi set us up for hook, line, and sinker with fashion and shoes. His camera stays in tight on Jojo, no need to pull back, we all suddenly and most seriously get it. Later on, in one of the year’s perfect scenes, the kids dance to David Bowie producing a feeling of euphoria even though the worst has just happened. Jojo Rabbit will have its haters. Some will scream how dare Waititi make light of the Holocaust or how could he attempt to humanize or make us empathize with Nazis. Waititi is not the first director to confront hatred and intolerance with satire. The most serious and upsetting events and people on Earth must be confronted with mockery. Jojo Rabbit is a sly poke back at those who walk too confidently outside with tiki torches and alternative facts. Nobody will empathize with Nazis here. You hate them as much as ever, but you will feel for an innocent kid who trusts and has been misled by a devious world. Bravo to Waititi for fighting back. The outrage should be aimed at those who make this film necessary, those who bring back these shades of intolerance and hatred. Let the artists do their part too.
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