It is hard to imagine a perfect movie. But Jojo Rabbit by acclaimed director Taika Waititi is pretty damn close. A masterful mix of humor, heart, satire, and drama, Jojo Rabbit plays the human heart like a friggin’ violin. And the song it plays will make you laugh out loud, chill you to your bones, and cry. I cried. A lot.
Set at the tail end of WWII, Jojo Rabbit is about a 10-year old boy, who wants to be a Nazi in the way most kids want to play professional basketball. From the opening moments of the film, Jojo’s boyish Aryan enthusiasm practically spills out the screen. At Nazi boys-camp, Jojo suffers an accident that lands him back home with his mother, Rosie, played by Scarlett Johansson. Jojo’s zeal for Naziism comes face to face with the challenge of the Jewish girl his mother is hiding in their walls. And that is the basic premise of the movie. Oh, and Jojo’s imaginary friend is Hitler played by Waititi himself, a Polynesian-Jew.
Jojo Rabbit is a comedy-drama anti-hate satire film. There is no getting around that Naziism, and the horrific violent racism of the German Reich are scars on the body of humanity. But the film is from the perspective of a 10-year old boy. And as such, everything is playful, colorful, and funny.
The film is genuinely funny throughout. And the humor is not limited to Waititi-Hitler and his imaginary antics. There are just plain funny bits like Sam Rockwell as a washed-up Nazi officer having to be scoutmaster to a bunch of kids. It is the absurdity of a comedy about a little Nazi boy that allows the film to also tread into the dark territory of WWII without your heart closing up.
In fact, the juxtaposition of the comedy with the horror of the German Reich creates a magic that allows the Waititi to tell a truly powerful story. Within the first few scenes, the film does not blunt any of the racism of Naziism. While Waititi-Hitler is absurd and funny, he also slips into bone-chilling racist tirades. At their camp, Jojo and the boys are taught about Jews. They are referred to as animals or devil-monsters, and always with the pronoun “it.” Never personified. Always objectified.
Elsa, the Jewish girl hiding in Jojo’s walls, is the direct challenge to this idea. Jojo confronts Elsa and interacts with her as though she were some demon-monster capable of hypnotizing him. But it is through the love of his mother, Rosie, that Jojo is able to see Elsa as a person worth protecting. The heart of the film is in Rosie. While Jojo has a zeal for Naziism, Rosie has a zeal for life. She is just a mom who wants her son to be a playful kid instead of a child pretending to be an adult.
Waititi uses subtlety extremely well with the plot. Instead of being tremendously on the nose about the trauma Jojo’s family has experienced, the narrative introduces elements slowly and with a deft hand. Jojo and his mom live in a big house with many empty rooms that are empty because of the war. But this is in the background and no character explicitly says, “Jojo and his mom have experienced tremendous loss because of the Reich.” This helps underscore the drama inherent in the plot and breathes power into each scene.
A movie like this would not be possible without a strong cast. Somehow this is 11-year old Roman Griffin Davis‘, who plays Jojo, first film role. How could that be? He does so, so, so, so good. Davis has such a kindness about him that it is hard not to love him immediately, despite him dancing around Germany heil-ing people left and right. I can’t imagine anyone but Davis in the role. Portraying a childish zeal for Naziism while also being the protagonist is a narrow line to walk.
Thomasin Mckenzie is a breakout in her role as Elsa, bringing power to an otherwise powerless Jewish girl hiding for her life. Elsa and Jojo’s interactions throughout the film push Jojo forward in his development. She is the agent of change in the film and is wise enough to see through Jojo’s Nazi-youth facade. As I said before, Johansson is the beating heart of the film. Her capacity to display strength and love through vulnerability is amazing. And everyone else from Sam Rockwell to Archie Yates, Jojo’s portly friend, is so worth watching. And of course, Taikia Waititi, as Adolf Hitler, is amazing.
Putting Avengers: Endgame in its own category, Jojo Rabbit is my favorite film of the year. If you were to see only one film this year (besides Endgame) make it this one. It is such a timely movie. And it is sure to delight just about anyone who buys a ticket. You will laugh, you will cry, and you will walk out with a full heart.
Jojo Rabbit releases nationwide November 8th.
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