A review of a film from the British Film Institute’s London Film Festival 2019 – Jojo Rabbit – with young Jojo navigating his way through a childhood dominated by the Second World War and by his imaginary friend, who bears more than a passing resemblance to a certain Nazi leader…
Jojo Rabbit
Saturday, 5th October 2019
With films like Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Thor: Ragnarok and What We Do in the Shadows, Taika Waititi has long been amassing fans with his dark sense of humour. Whilst I have enjoyed all of his previous work, I think Jojo Rabbit is his masterpiece.
Our story finds Jojo (a simply extraordinary Roman Griffin Davis) as a young boy living in Germany in the final days of the Second World War. Jojo yearns to be an effective member of the Hitler Youth but, frankly, struggles! This is partly because his closest friend is not only imaginary but an oddball child’s conception of Adolf Hitler (Waititi, himself, in a hilarious turn). When Jojo discovers that his mother (Scarlett Johansson) has been hiding a young Jewish girl (Thomasin McKenzie) in their attic, Jojo begins to struggle with his own conscience. His desire to ‘fit in’ is at odds with what he knows in his heart is right.
Any depiction of Hitler on screen is dangerous and polarising – Downfall was criticised for making him too human, The Producers was criticised for making him too farcical. Perhaps Waititi was mindful of what Mel Brooks (who directed The Producers) once said – that, ‘by using the medium of comedy, we can try to rob Hitler of his posthumous power and myths.’ Indeed, I think Waititi manages this admirably and walks the tightrope of bad taste effectively. Tackling the inherent ludicrousness of racism and nationalism, Waititi has also crafted a film of great emotional range and surprising sensitivity.
Waititi is aided in his quest to lampoon the Führer’s regime by employing some fantastic comic talent in his cast – from Stephen Merchant’s ludicrously tall Gestapo agent, to Sam Rockwell’s war-weary Captain (in a performance that genuinely moved me to tears) and Rebel Wilson’s oddly disturbing fanatic. Above all, though, it is Johansson, as Jojo’s mother, who rises above everyone else to be truly extraordinary – furious in her protection of her son, she is charismatic, funny and moving.
In short, Jojo Rabbit is an absolute treat. Don’t miss it.
Dir-Scr Taika Waititi
Prod Carthew Neal, Taika Waititi, Chelsea Winstanley
With Roman Griffin Davis, Thomasin McKenzie, Taika Waititi, Sam Rockwell, Scarlett Johansson
USA
2019
108min
UK Distribution Fox Searchlight Pictures