Controversial crowd pleaser on a child's perspective of propaganda

Rating: 9/10 (13 October 2019)

Audience REACTIONS at its World PREMIERE:
😄😄😂😄😄😄😂😄😄😄😂😄😄😄😂😄😄😄😂😄😄😄😂😄😄😄😂😄😄😂😄😄😂😄😄 (35 scenes with laughs)
😥 (1 cry)
😱😱(2 shocks)
👏(1 applause during film)
🏆Strong Oscar potential
🏆TIFF People's Choice Award Winner
Jojo Rabbit (Taika Waititi) is brilliantly funny, securing it the Grolsch People's Choice Award, an obvious choice based on audience reaction during the screenings. There were more scenes of audible laughter than in any other film we saw. Our last film of the festival, we were watching this film as it was being awarded the landmark award of the festival; a consummate way to close off the festival!
Set in Germany during the Second World War, Jojo Rabbit is vastly different than the films we think of from this setting. Some will argue that it makes light of the horrors of the time. It is frivolous in its interpretation of the superhero status of Hitler (portrayed as the young character's imaginary friend Adolf) as well as the horrid descriptions of Jews. Some viewers may find this unsettling.
While it is certainly much lighter than we would expect from a film on Nazi Germany, there are lessons of acceptance under the humour. From a child's perspective, we can see the effects of propaganda and brainwashing by the state, and the power of personal relationships in changing that narrative. With witty pacing and a dynamic cast, the characters become larger-than-life, but balance with each other in the point of view of a young boy.
While this film will be one of the more controversial of the year, it is undoubtedly funny, and is sure to be a crowd pleaser. You are sure to laugh your way through the film and discuss it long after.