Waititi’s ‘Jojo Rabbit’ Brings a Childlike Joy to Audiences Everywhere
I will forever praise Taika Waititi for how he’s able to infuse his witty, unique humor into almost any situation, and Jojo Rabbit is no exception. This time he’s managed to use a pro-nazi ten year old to show adults how absolutely childish they are when it comes to just about everything, especially politics.
This satire shines brightly in a sea of dark dramas that plague the modern cinematic experience. As a fun watch with optimistic themes, and a new perspective on WWII movies, I can’t recommend it enough.
Synopsis (Spoiler Alert!)
Jojo Rabbit follows a ten year old boy, Jojo (Roman Griffin Davis), who is absolutely obsessed with Hitler, nazis, and all things related to the Third Reich; so much so that his imaginary friend Adolf (Taika Waititi) pops up now and then, encouraging Jojo to be a good German boy in between his unicorn dinners.
Jojo’s journey starts as he goes to Hitler Youth camp and begins to realize that this ideology is more serious than he thought, but that certainly doesn’t deter him.
He soon meets Elsa (Thomasin McKenzie), a Jewish girl his mother hid in his attic. After months of antagonizing her, he begins to realize that she, and other Jewish folk, might not be that bad. Just as he starts to question the flaws in the system he believed in so fervently, his mother, Rosey (Scarlett Johansson), gets caught and hung for being a part of the resistance.
As his world comes crashing down, he finds solace in Elsa and their friendship grows stronger. When the Allied Powers finally win the war, he kicks imaginary Adolf out of his life, and he and Elsa dance for their freedom as the story comes to a bittersweet end.
All throughout, the movie displays a childlike innocence, some dark humor, and an overall playful and positive message.
Best Parts of the Film
If you like Waititi’s prior work, this will be no exception. The witty humor, and bold risks are staples of the Waititi experience.
The wonderful acting from everyone involved, including breakout performances from young actors Roman Griffin Davis and Thomasin McKenzie.
The cinematography by Mihai Mălaimare Jr. is to die for. The saturated jewel tones and impactful composition make this film a joy to look at.
Questionable Aspects
Tonal shifts midway make for an interesting shift in pace that may not appeal to all.
When dealing with a dark satire about nazis, there will certainly be some who are rubbed the wrong way.
Final Thoughts
Overall, I thought this film did an excellent job holding the playful, optimistic tone of the film up high, while also keeping the serious nature of WWII in check. Waititi’s creativity paves the way over some incredibly rough terrain to bring the joyful message of spreading acceptance to everyone, and that it’s okay to admit when you’re wrong.
I highly recommend that everyone watches Jojo Rabbit at their fastest convenience, because the message of spreading love, not hate, is one that the world needs a little more of right now.
