Jojo Rabbit - Movie Review

Rating: 9/10 (15 May 2020)

Taika Waititi is slowly becoming one of my favourite directors working today, and Jojo Rabbit is possibly my favourite film that he has ever made. It's between this and Hunt for the Wilderpeople, but I'll be rewatching that film soon to get my definitive favourite. Thor Ragnarok is also incredibly fun, and What We Do in the Shadows is hilarious.
The acting in Jojo Rabbit is great. Taika Waititi plays the imaginary Hitler, and he is joined by extremely talented actors, such as Scarlett Johansson, Sam Rockwell, Rebel Wilson, Stephen Merchant, Alfie Allen, and Thomasin McKenzie. However, the star of the film is definitely Roman Griffin Davis as Jojo, and the on-screen relationship he shares with Yorki is extremely touching.
I was very happy that Waititi won the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay, because the script managed to be witty and heartfelt at the same time. One second I was laughing hysterically, and the next second my heart felt as if it had been ripped from my chest.
The characters are also really well developed, and it was nice seeing the war through the eyes of a ten-year old boy. It's a very unique approach, and Waititi adds his one-of-a-kind style to it. The characters also have a definitive arc throughout the film, which was nice because we were able to see a naÃ¯ve Jojo transform into someone who realises that maybe the German war and Hitler aren't all they're cracked up to be.
I do think that the third act is a little weaker than the first two, but it's still great and contains some amazing moments. It also didn't do anything to knock my socks off, but it didn't really need to and those are minor nit-picks in an otherwise fantastic film. Jojo Rabbit is, without a doubt, a strong recommendation.
SCORE: 88%