Film Review | Jojo Rabbit

Jojo Rabbit is directed by Taika Waititi and stars Roman Griffin-Davis, Taika Waititi, Scarlett Johansson and Thomasin Mackenzie.

Comedy/History/War/Drama. Released 2019.

Jojo Rabbit is an anti-hate satire that follows a young boy (Roman Griffin Davis) in Hitler's army (Taika Waititi), who finds out that her mother Rosie (Scarlett Johansson) is hiding a Jew named Elsa (Thomasin Mackenzie) in their home. 

I haven't known what to think of Jojo Rabbit in the leadup to seeing it. Taika Waititi is becoming an unstoppable force, and Scarlett Johansson is among my top 3 actresses in the business, even generating a surprising amount of awards buzz for supporting actress along with lead actress for Marriage Story. I've been intrigued by its extreme divisiveness - some people absolutely adore it whilst others think it is utterly awful. It has been described as a crowdpleaser but the tone seems ludicrous and inaccessible. A risk, but an intriguing one. I have been looking forward to watching Jojo Rabbit to see what side of the fence I lay on. And also, because, it has looked great to me.

Jojo Rabbit does everything it needs to. Taika Waititi has given us something that feels totally original. It almost feels like a family-friendly film about the holocaust, and the commentary on how young children can be so easily influenced to believe a certain ideology is powerful. It is a very heart-warming story, but doesn't fail to portray the harsh realities people had to deal with during the war. There is one scene so perfectly executed which made my jaw drop; it is subtle, chilling and devastating. Kudos to Waititi for demonstrating his ability to not only execute perfect comedy and deliver a fairly light and uplifting film on the whole, but also to not shy away from the very, very harsh realities of Nazi Germany was equally impressive and so tasteful when considering this specific scene.

I am divided on how I feel about Jojo, played by child actor Roman Griffin-Davis. For some reason, I didn't find him to be a likeable character. I am aware that he is 10 years old, and at this point in our lives, most of our decisions are made to serve ourselves, but I just found that he was rather selfish and that his perspective never actually changes. The film presents his journey as a growth in maturity and open-mindedness, but - and I don't want to spoil it - his decisions are not motivated by what is right; they're motivated by what he wants. Jojo Rabbit ends with warmth and charm, but what I just described did affect how I felt when walking out of the film. As a character who starts the film worshipping Hitler, aspiring to be a member of the Hitler Youth, I feel that Jojo never really changes. No, he doesn't still remain a worshipper of Hitler when it ends - spoilers but not really - but they aren't for the right reasons. Roman Griffin Davis is committed to the role, and I commend him for being the face of such a star-studded cast and his ability to hold his own, but part of me just didn't believe him, which is unfortunate. Regardless of his age, it took me out of the film.

Taika Waititi is laugh-out-loud hilarious when on-screen as Adolf Hitler, Jojo's imaginary friend. He proves yet again that he is a complete comedic genius, however he isn't as significant in the film as you would expect. He acts more like a reoccurring symbol of how Hitler is presented to children in Nazi Germany, and I'm shocked Waititi managed to pull it off so successfully - it could've been uncomfortably distasteful. Sam Rockwell and Rebel Wilson both offer hilarious supporting performances and own the screen every time they're on, and Scarlett Johansson as Rosie proves yet again why she is one of my absolute favourite actors. I believe she is the heart and soul of this film, and it may be my favourite character she's ever played. She is charming, playful, warm and so comforting to those on-screen and also me as an audience member. Rosie as a character is written beautifully by Waititi and Johansson is so perfect in the role. She brought a few tears to my eyes... as she has done in all three films she has made this year (Avengers: Endgame, Marriage Story, Jojo Rabbit). I really feel that she's had what could be considered the greatest year of her career. She's demonstrated her versatility in three wildly different roles: a superhero spy, an actress getting a divorce, and a mother/freedom-fighter in Nazi Germany, two of which I hope she gets nominated for... and it seems like it could be going in that direction. Marriage Story is such a sure bet that she could even walk away with the award against a less deserving Renee Zellweger, and a Jojo Rabbit nomination is just down to competition, but I really hope she gets in.

When considering the fresh young faces we are introduced to in Jojo Rabbit, Thomasin Mackenzie shows real promise... I can see her dominating the industry in a few years. Archie Yates is my favourite though. He nails every line and I loved every moments he was on screen. Aside from Johansson, he put the biggest smile on my face.

Jojo Rabbit is a charming film with a good heart, but its under-developed and questionably-written protagonist causes the ending to not be as gratifying as intended. With a genuinely beautiful performance from Scarlett Johansson, brilliant comic relief from Taika Waititi, Sam Rockwell. Rebel Wilson and real promise shown by Thomasin Mackenzie, Archie Yates and - the Golden Globe-nominated - Roman Griffin Davis, it makes for a worthwhile, very entertaining time.

B+