Jojo Rabbit (2020) - Review
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| US Poster for Jojo Rabbit. © Fox Searchlight |
Based upon the novel Caging Skies by Christine Leunens, Jojo Rabbit follows Jojo (Roman Griffin Davis), a 10-year-old in 1945 Germany. Like many children his age, Jojo is part of the Hitler Youth, run by Captain Klenzendorf (Sam Rockwell), and is caught up in the Nazi propaganda, ideologies and naivete. He can't understand why his mother (Scarlett Johansson) doesn't love Hitler as much as he does, and becomes even more confused when he discovers that his mother has hidden a young Jewish girl, Elsa (Thomasin McKenzie) in the house. Thus, Jojo is left struggling to comprehend the world around him, with only his imaginary friend Hitler (Taika Waititi) to talk to. Are the Jews really as evil as he was taught to believe? Or are the Nazis not the heroic master race they claim to be? With the war hurtling towards an end, Jojo starts to realise that the world is not as it seems.
I think many people will look at Jojo Rabbit as a comedy, and whilst it is very, very funny, it's also incredibly tragic, and doesn't shy away from the harrowing events of the Second World War. Some may see the jokes as tasteless, but they are ultimately mocking the Nazis, trying to vilify them through ridicule, but also reminding the audience of how terrifying they can really be. When the Gestapo (led by Stephen Merchant) show up at Jojo's house, it's a scarily tense sequence. Jojo doesn't know what to do. What if they discover Elsa? What if they think his mother is a traitor? The consequences scarcely bare thinking about for Jojo, and I have to confess that I was on the edge of my seat. The tension was only broken by some very amusing gags, but they never undermined the emotions of the scene.
Jojo Rabbit constantly switches between laugh-out-loud comedy and harrowing tragedy, and does so with such skill that some people may find the film tonally confused. It's certainly inconsistent tonally, but this very much works to its advantage, and isn't totally unexpected from a filmmaker like Taika Waititi, whose filmography showcases his flippant attitudes towards tone quite spectacularly. Hunt for the Wilderpeople is about grief, What We Do in the Shadows is a story of friendship, Boy is the story of a young boy looking for his father, and Jojo Rabbit is the story of a young man coming to terms with the atrocities of the Nazis. Heck, even Waititi's Thor: Ragnarok is about the end of the world (albeit an alien one). Taika Waititi regularly blends comedy with tragedy, and Jojo Rabbit is a perfect example of this. It won't work for everyone, but I felt the full gamut of emotions throughout this one film, from laughter to complete sadness. Nevertheless, Waititi's films aren't without hope, and this "anti-hate satire" showcases that love is truly stronger than hatred.
Roman Griffin Davis is an absolute revelation as Jojo, tackling the character with an endearing naivete, in spite of the complexity of his emotions. Thomasin McKenzie and Scarlett Johansson are both quite understated but also brilliant as Elsa and Jojo's mother, providing the film with its emotional heart. Meanwhile, the rest of the cast play their Nazi roles up spectacularly, resulting in some hilarious moments throughout. Oh, and Taika Waititi is the best-worst Hitler ever, balancing brilliant one-liners and some terrifying moments of real-life-Hitler intensity. What at first seems like a lovable caricature of Hitler gradually transforms into something resembling the real man, and it's scary to watch how brilliantly Waititi captures this change. For a man who, by all intents and purposes, shouldn't be playing Hitler, he does it brilliantly.
Jojo Rabbit is something of an enigma. It's tonally all over the place, but still manages to make each tone work brilliantly, both isolated and as one cohesive whole. Some may find this annoying, others frustrating, but I think it really added something to what is a very complicated story. It's a challenging film in many respects, and whilst the comic moments will lead to laughter, the more serious moments will leave an uncomfortable silence. It's not to everyone's tastes, but it feels very, very Taika Waititi, and I for one really enjoyed it. Also, there's German covers of The Beatles and David Bowie songs to entertain you if you like. 10/10
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