Jojo Rabbit (2019)

• Year: 2019
• Released: 08 Nov 2019
• Country: New Zealand, Czech Republic, United States
• Adwords: Won 1 Oscar. 49 wins & 193 nominations total
• IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2584384/
• Rotten Tomatoes: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/jojo_rabbit
• Metacritics: https://www.metacritic.com/movie/jojo-rabbit
• Available in: 720p, 1080p, 2160p
• Language: English, German
• MPA Rating: PG-13
• Genre: Comedy, Drama, War
• Runtime: 108 min
• Writer: Christine Leunens, Taika Waititi
• Director: Taika Waititi
• Cast: Roman Griffin Davis, Thomasin McKenzie, Scarlett Johansson
• Keywords: based on novel or book, world war ii, 1940s, satire, single mother,

	7.9/10
	58/100
	80% – Critics
	94% – Audience

Jojo Rabbit Storyline

1944 Germany. Ten year old Johannes Betzler, more commonly called Jojo, is the son of good Germans, his father away fighting in Italy, while he is under the care of his mother Rosie, with his older sister Inge recently having passed away from illness. With only one true friend in the form of same aged, bespectacled Yorki, Jojo, in wanting to fit in, is arguably entering what he would consider the most important phase of his young life in attending a Nazi youth camp presided over by Captain Klenzendorf, Captain K’s almost too faithful assistant Freddy Finkel, and Fräulein Rahm, who takes Nazi policies in a slightly off-kilter direction. Despite being considered an outsider by most of the other youth in town, Jojo figures he has a leg up on everyone else at camp in that he is constantly being guided by the spirit of Der Führer himself, Adolf Hitler, whose personal bodyguard Jojo aspires to be when he grows up. In his general day-to-day life but also supported by his time at camp, Jojo has a hatred for Jewish people despite not really knowing anything about them or ever having met anyone of the Jewish faith, the ultimate goal to kill them. So when Jojo meets someone Jewish for the first time, especially as that meeting is in what is for him the most unlikely of circumstances, Jojo has to figure out what to do. While truly believing he is a Nazi despite not really knowing what that means, he has to decide either to follow what he has been taught in hating and trying to kill any Jewish person despite knowing that killing is not in his true nature, or not, which may have larger consequences with relation to family. While he decides, he truly gets to know the person beyond the label of “Jewish” which may factor into what happens.

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Jojo Rabbit Movie Reviews

wacky with feeling

Greetings again from the darkness. Welcome to the most divisive movie of the year. Some will scoff at the idea and deride the filmmaker without ever even seeing the movie. Some will relay disgust after seeing the movie. A few won’t appreciate the style or structure, and will fail to find the humor. Ah yes, but some of us will embrace Taika Waititi’s wacky adaptation of Christine Leunens’ 2018 novel “Caging Skies” as one of the funniest and most heart-warming films of the year … fully acknowledging that many won’t see it our way.

One wouldn’t be off base in asking why a successful filmmaker would tackle such a risky project: a coming-of-age comedy-drama-fantasy about a 10 year old Nazi fanatic who has as his imaginary friend, not a 6 foot rabbit, but the Fuhrer himself, Adolph Hitler. After all, writer-director Waititi is coming off a couple of brilliant indies (2014’s WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS, and 2016’s HUNT FOR THE WILDERPEOPLE) and a major score with Marvel money on THOR: RAGNAROK (2017), arguably the most entertaining superhero movie of the past few years. He certainly could have continued to cash in with ‘safer’ choices; however, Mr. Waititi sees the world differently than most of us. He finds humor in the drudgery, and humanity in malevolence. He’s also a bit goofy.

Playing over the opening credits is the German version of “I Want to Hold Your Hand”, as we see old clips of German citizens cheering for Adolph Hitler in a similar manner to how fans used to scream for The Beatles. World War II is nearing the end as we meet 10 year old Jojo Betzler (newcomer Roman Griffin Davis). Jojo is fervent in his fanaticism towards the Nazi way, and buys into the belief that Jews are monsters with horns on their head. He’s such a believer that his imaginary friend is actually Hitler, well at least a bumbling boisterous version played by the filmmaker himself – enacted to extreme comedy effect (recalling a bit of Chaplin in THE GREAT DICTATOR). Mel Brooks managed to play Hitler to a laughable extreme in “Springtime for Hitler” in THE PRODUCERS, but the only thing missing her from Waititi’s costume is an old timey dunce cap.

Jojo lives at home with his mother Rosie (Scarlett Johansson), while dad is off fighting on the front line. Ms. Johansson’s performance is terrific (despite limited screen time) as she creates a believably warm bond with her son during horrific times. Soon, Jojo is off to a Nazi camp designed to teach the boys how to fight (and burn books), as the girls learn the virtues of having babies. The camp leaders are Captain Klenzendorf (Sam Rockwell), who is a bit of a joke on the surface, but more interesting the deeper we dig; Fraulein Rahm (Rebel Wilson) who boasts of having 18 Aryan babies; and Finkel (Alfie Allen) a violent psychopath. At camp with Jojo is his best friend Yorki (newcomer and scene-stealer Archie Yates), and the two show what a genuine friendship can be as the movie progresses.

Things change quickly for Jojo when, by happenstance, he discovers a Jewish girl living in the walls of his home. Elsa (Thomasin McKenzie, LEAVE NO TRACE) shows none of the characteristics that Jojo has been brainwashed into believing all Jews possess. She has no horns, flashes a good sense of humor, and is actually very nice and knowledgeable. In other words, she’s no monster. As they get to know each other, Jojo realizes this “nice” Jewish girl contrasts starkly with his lunatic hero Adolph.

Waititi’s film is ingenious satire, and it likely won’t sit well with those who think not enough time has passed to justify making fun of Nazi atrocities. It’s funny and heavy, and deals with some thought-provoking matter in an unusual way. The “Heil Hitler” count approaches the ‘F-word’ frequency of most Tarantino movies, and there is a German Shepherd gag that caught the audience off-guard. Stephen Merchant’s Gestapo search of Jojo’s house is comedy at its weirdest. The movie messes with your head as it’s some odd blend of SCHINDLER’S LIST, “The Diary of Anne Frank”, and an extended Monty Python skit.

It’s rare for a film that borders on slapstick at times to have so many touching and emotional moments. The actors are really strong here, especially Ms. Johansson and Ms. McKenzie, who as gutsy Elsa, proves again she is quickly becoming a powerhouse young actor. Roman Griffin Davis carries a significant weight in the story despite being a first time actor, and I can’t emphasize enough how young Archie Yates will steal your heart while he’s stealing his scenes. Michael Giacchino’s score and Mihai Malaimaire Jr’s terrific cinematography work well with Waititi’s vision … a satirical vision that would never work outside of his unique filmmaking talent. The story is basically proof of the adage, ‘Kill ’em with kindness’, when what we are really killing is hatred. At its core, this is a story of humanity and human nature, and how we grab hold of the wrong thing until the truth becomes evident. Now, please pass the unicorn.

Well made…but either enough to make it funny nor enough to make it a serious drama.

I love Taika Waititi’s work…so it’s not too surprising that I’d want to see “Jojo Rabbit”…his latest and strangest film project. His previous work, such as “Hunt for the Wilderpeople” and “What We Do in the Shadows”, really impressed me. In light of this, it’s very sad that I wasn’t particularly impressed with “Jojo”….though I must admit it was well crafted.

The problem for me is that the film really ISN’T a drama nor a comedy. A few things, such as Sam Rockwell’s outfit near the end of the film, simply are surreal and senseless. If you’re looking for a hilarious movie, well, with all the death and Hitler in it, it’s not the least bit funny. If you want a serious drama about the final months of the Third Reich, well, the film is often too light and carefree….an unusual case where the movie fails on both accounts with me. This being said, the reviews for this film are incredibly positive and you may well enjoy it….but for me, it’s STILL too soon to be making Hitler-fied films like this one…especially since, unlike “The Producers”, it really isn’t funny.

Through a child’s eyes

Jojo Rabbit tells the story of the final days of World War II through the eyes of a child. To be specific a member of the Hitler Youth. Young 10 yar old Roman Grifin Davies is our protagonist in this story.

When the Nazis gained power the Hitler outh was one of the most insidious ways of consolidating futue power. If they hadn’t started the European portion of World War II who knows how long they could have stayed with a whole generation of youth indocrinated as it was.

As with youth all over the world Davies is subject to peer pressure. He’s not the most athletically inclined kid around and has a problem with the physical stuff. He has however an imaginary friend. The Fuehrer himself played by director Taika Waititi encourages him on. The title comes when the kid gets sqieamish about killing a rabbit and earns Jojo Rabbit as a title of derision.

But his mother Scarlett Johansson is a lot less enthusiastic about the Nazis and she’s taken to hiding a Jewish teen Thomasin McKenzie. When the lad discovers this it puts him on the horns of a dilemma.

Part drama, part comedy, part satire, Jojo Rabbit has something to appeak to all tastes. Jojo Rabbit won an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay and was nominated for a flock of other Oscars inclding Best Picture and Best Supporting Actress for Scarlett Johansson.

Once viewed Jojo Rabbit is a film that will linger on.