Jojo Rabbit

Through his use of music and uncanny ability to find humour and heart in the darkest of moments, Taika Waititi has created an everlasting story that gives the power back to the persecuted and hope to the lost. ‘Jojo Rabbit’ will make you cry from laughter, cry from emotional pain, and cry with hope. It is simply stunning in all its facets, and a truly remarkable and unexpected film.

• Jess Fenton

Read Jess' full article... https://www.maketheswitch.com.au/article/review-jojo-rabbit-taika-waititi-strikes-comedy-gold-again-with-adolf-hitler

Manages to somehow be one of the most raw and confronting looks at various aspects of WWII I've ever seen, and yet also often genuinely very funny. I'm not sure if that's really something that you should do... But Taika did anyway, and I loved it.

Final rating:★★★½ - I really liked it. Would strongly recommend you give it your time.

Funny, light-hearted and delightful, Jojo Rabbit is a charming, and at times poetic, celebration of friendship, romance and peace, and a cheerful ode to our capability, and bravery, to save and love beyond boundaries.

A hilarious piece of political satire that isn't afraid to be serious

The great danger of lying is not that lies are untruths, and thus unreal, but that they become real in other people's minds.

• Christine Leunens; Caging Skies (2004)

We live in dangerous times. In this era of political regression, racists, xenophobes, neo-Nazis, white supremacists, white separatists, and fascists, once confined to the periphery of civilised society, have wormed their way back into the cultural mainstream, preaching hate and intolerance under the guise of terms such as "nationalism" and "patriotism". Meanwhile, politicians validate such groups by doing precisely nothing to curtail them and refusing to condemn them ("very fine people on both sides" and so forth). Far-right political parties have gained worrying footholds in numerous European countries, running on populist platforms of Islamophobia and anti-immigration, playing on peoples' fears of the Other, exploiting the dearth of facts in sociopolitical discourse, and trading in disinformation (and the less said about the current administrations in the US and UK, the better). Anti-establishment political rage is on the increase, as hordes of people disavow traditional centrism; think of Brexit, the election of Donald Trump, the Movimento 5 Stelle in Italy, the Alternative für Deutschland in Germany. Scholars and sociocultural anthropologists have posited that hateful right-wing ideologies are more validated now than at any time since the rise of fascism in places such as Italy in 1922 and Spain in 1936. And the best known example of this kind of fascist thinking, of course, is the Third Reich in Germany, beginning with the rise to power of Adolf Hitler in 1933.

And so, it's entirely fitting that a film set in this very milieu, which argues that love, tolerance, and kindness can defeat hateful indoctrination, has come along at this precise moment; because although this is a film set in Germany in 194...

"Your mother took me in. She's kind. She treats me like a person."

Taika Waititi is on a roll recently and rightfully so, because he's got a great comedic vision.

'Jojo Rabbit' is a World War II satire that's both hilarious and surprisingly tragic. Joy, terror, love, hate all in one movie. Waititi knows how far to take a joke and how humor can put on light on ugly issues. While absurd looking on the surface, but on a deeper look it's something unique.

Newcomers Roman Griffin Davis and Thomasin McKenzie take center stage upon the big cast. Their comedic timing, emotional range and overall performances are nothing short than impressive. Also Archie Yates is like the adorable child version of Nick Frost.

Speaking of big name stars. Scarlett Johansson is having a fantastic year and she once again delivers a wonderful performance. Sam Rockwell is amazing in pretty much anything he's in and here is no different. Rockwell playing a closeted homosexual Nazi is hysterical, and yet meaningful when you look at it more thoughtfully.

The weakest actor upon the cast has to be Rebel Wilson. I really didn't buy her as this character. I thought she's just doing her usual comedic traits like in every other movie, which I'm not a fan of.

Not only is Taika Waititi directing and writing, but also starring as Jojo's imaginary friend of his very own idol... Adolf Hitler. Apparently Waititi didn't have to research playing Hitler, because he thought Adolf was 'a fing c*'. Anywhere, the concept itself is really bizarre and really fascinating. While silly and entertaining, but could've been left out, in my opinion. There was a point where he completely disappears from the movie to later reappear during the finale.

At times I feel like it tries hard to be like a Wes Anderson movie, in terms of staging, quirky humor, and overall setting. Influence is one thing, but it came a point when it wasn't being it's own thing.

Overall rating: Criticisms aside, I had an abso...

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Taika Waititi delivers one of those films I absolutely love for the exact same reasons some people deeply hate it. His seamless balance between comedy and war drama makes Jojo Rabbit a thought-provoking yet hilarious depiction of how ridiculous Hitler’s followers were. Roman Griffin Davis offers one of the best young performances of the millenium, and the rest of the cast is pitch-perfect. There’s a lot of laughs, but also a lot of heart. Still, be warned: if you’re easily offended, this movie isn’t suited for you. Either go in with an open mind or don’t go in.

Rating: A-

Thought the first 35-40 minutes to be rather dull and unfunny, however the rest really brought the film together and made the first part make more sense what Waititi was doing. Some nice moments with Davis and McKenzie although can't say I fell in love with this, but still glad I watched. 3.5/5

Where this film may have missed the mark for some people is in its comedy, insofar as audiences expect a certain depth of humour from Waititi's films. Nevertheless, Jojo Rabbit is tremendously endearing, especially through the titular character's innocent portrayal by actor Roman Griffin Davis.

Its poignant ending—the last scene of which I'd rewinded about 5 times—brought a smile to my face. Likewise, the appended Rilke quote seals the film as a tremendous work of art.

Jojo Rabbit is wild. Heart-warming yet heart-breaking. Laugh-out-loud funny yet nerve-racking. This film is crazy good and offensively amazing. Please don't feel guilty for laughing, just enjoy the show.

I almost feel bad for not liking this more.