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9/10
Jojo Rabbit is a real treat, a laugh-out-loud comedy offering a refreshingly clever and creative take on a part of history we know so well. It’s vivid, heartwarming, expertly crafted and relentlessly enjoyable.
The film follows Jojo Betzler, a young Hitler-Youth recruit, whose best friend and imaginary companion is his hero, Adolf Hitler, embodied by the film’s own writer and director Taika Waititi. At a training weekend, he badly injures himself, leaving him scarred, crippled and excluded. His mother Rosie – played by a sparkling Scarlett Johansson – is often out of the house on mysterious business, leaving Jojo home alone while he convalesces. During this time, he discovers that she has been hiding a Jewish girl in the walls of their house, who he eventually finds himself befriending, making him question his knowledge, beliefs and allegiances.
It may seem like we’ve heard this story before, but although this part is predictable, it joins with the well-designed narrative shocks in other places and squirm-worthy scenes of suspense to make a wholly satisfyingly film.
What’s especially appreciable is that it has a strong moral core without ever being preachy or putting its story and characters second. It sends us timeless proverbial messages that we are always in need of being reminded of: to do what we can, and to never stop dancing. It’s about perspective as well, learning to see for yourself when the temptation to see through someone else’s eyes in order to fit in is overwhelmingly strong.
Although the ghostly presence of Jojo’s deceased sister felt a bit too convenient at times, and more could have been made of the fact that the Nazi’s were as much for annihilating cripples from society as Jews, it has a near-perfect screenplay for its backbone.
The central performances are all standout, and the love between the characters feels real. The additional appearances of the likes of Rebel Wilson and Steven Merchant add extra spice to the film’s comic side, as well.
The visuals are relentlessly captivating, providing a rich layer of meaning to be picked apart in repeat viewings. There is a stagnant stillness and a vividness in the process of fading that feels like a dash of Wes Anderson has been washed over the film stock.
Although it’s probably more likely to call itself a comedy, Jojo Rabbit is a shining example of a new kind of historical drama for our age. In line with The Favourite, it uses history as a vehicle through which to tell a story for today, not trying to give us facts so much as playing with the past to give us truths.
Regardless of the controversiality it has garnered, it is an anti-hate satire so can’t tip-toe around the matter. It tackles discrimination head-on with blunt humour and emotional intelligence. Cleverly, the most horrifying things in the story are obscured and treated with sensitivity. It’s highly emotional in more heartwarming ways than heartbreaking ones, though there are plenty of those too.
It’s genuine humour, brimming tenderness and enchanting visuals are so enjoyable, that during the last scene, I found myself wailing inside, for I really didn’t want it to end.
DEEP FOCUS 