Jojo Rabbit review: a film only Taika Waititi could pull off

Taika Waititi, left, and Roman Griffin Davis in "Jojo Rabbit." (IMDb)

No film executive’s ears exactly perk up at the idea of a movie that parodies one of the bloodiest and most devastating events in global history; but when you have a director like Taika Waititi behind the camera, there’s no denying that the film is bound to have some charisma. With a history of charming, yet quirky projects like “What We Do in the Shadows” (2014), “Hunt for the Wilderpeople” (2016) and — in a groundbreaking introduction to the Marvel franchise — “Thor: Ragnarok” (2017), Waititi has proven time and time again that he is more than capable of crafting an entertaining story. But in the case of his latest film, “Jojo Rabbit” (2019), the story might be a little “too entertaining” for some audiences to side with.

This movie takes place in Germany during World War II and follows the character of Jojo Betzler (Roman Griffin Davis), a 10-year-old German boy who idolizes Nazism and copes with his everyday problems by confiding in his imaginary best friend, Adolf Hitler (Taika Waititi). When an accident at Nazi summer camp causes Jojo to return home to his mother Rosie (Scarlett Johansson), he discovers that a Jewish girl named Elsa (Thomasin McKenzie) has secretly taken up shelter in the walls of his sister’s bedroom. This leaves Jojo in a state of internal warfare, torn between the morals taught to him by his mother and the duty placed on him by his country.

From left: Roman Griffin Davis, Taika Waititi and Scarlett Johansson in "Jojo Rabbit." (IMDb)

On paper, the plot of “Jojo Rabbit” sounds ridiculous, immature and outright offensive — leading many online critics to hastily condemn the film before it was even widely released in theaters. But while sweetness and playful humor don’t exactly pair well with a story about genocide and fascism, this “strange art comedy” still managed to become one of the most entertaining and thought provoking films of 2019 largely due to the talent of the people working behind and in front of the camera.

At this point in his career, Waititi is basically showing off. Not only has he managed to direct a film that will leave you belly laughing out of your seat one moment, and reaching for a box of tissues the next, but he also filled the onscreen role of Hitler with a necessarily one-dimensional performance that stares a man who massacred millions in the face, and laughs. Hitler in this movie isn’t the same Führer you’ve heard about in history books. He’s reduced to a child-like bumbling fool, which admittedly, leads to some outstanding comedy sequences. But while Waititi brought humor to the film, the real task was up to 12-year-old Roman Griffin Davis to bring the heart; and he surely succeeded.

Thomasin McKenzie, left, and Roman Griffin Davis in "Jojo Rabbit." (IMDb)

Despite being a newcomer to Hollywood, Davis has proven that he is already a force to be reckoned with in his gripping portrayal of Jojo. In just one scene (yes, THAT scene), he alternates between child-like bliss, shock, terror and utter heartbreak within seconds of each other. It’s clear that Davis earned his place as a nominee alongside Eddie Murphy, Daniel Craig, Leonardo DiCaprio and Taron Egerton at the 2020 Golden Globe Awards for his performance in the film. However, he was also joined by several other stand-out actors in the movie, including powerful and emotional performances from his female co-stars Scarlett Johansson and Thomasin McKenzie. Additional appearances from Rebel Wilson, Sam Rockwell, Stephen Merchant and — the underrated scene-stealer of the show — Archie Yates, also delivered some of the more hilarious lines of “Jojo Rabbit” and contributed to making it one of the funniest movies of 2019.

That being said, the film does take place in 1940’s Nazi Germany, which means there is very little racial diversity on screen; but that was sort-of the point. Waititi has called the film an “anti-hate satire” for its well-intended message hidden beneath the surface of dark humor. After watching “Jojo Rabbit,” you could argue that message is a call out for equality, despite the movie’s misleading exterior of a nearly all-white cast. In any case, there is something to be said for Waititi choosing himself, a Polynesian man of Jewish descent, to play the role of Hitler. In fact, Waititi said it best himself when asked about the decision during the movie’s premiere at the Toronto Film Festival in 2018: “The answer is simple: what better f — — you to that guy?”

Editor's note: The following review was published on the Incluvie website in January 2020. This was the first movie review I had ever written in my career as an aspiring entertainment journalist, so naturally it holds a special place in my heart. However, this wasn't the easiest task at the start. As someone with an expertise in news writing as opposed to opinion pieces, I struggled to find my footing at the start of this piece. However, once I was able to discover my voice as a writer, the words started pouring out.