This motion picture is All Reich. I kinda like JoJo Rabbit.

Rating: 8/10 (20 December 2019)

A satire black comedy about making fun of Nazis is always going to be funny in my book; despite some people feelings about uncomfortable laughing at the subject matter. After all, 1940 Charlie Chaplin's masterpiece 'The Great Dictator' is one of my favorite movies of all time. Since humor is subjective some people might still find this movie a bit unfunny regardless if it has Nazis or not. On the other hand I really doubt that peace loving musicians like the Beatles found it funny to see the German version of their pop songs be turned into a represented of fascist cult of personality culture. Maybe David Bowie, but who knows. Nevertheless director Taika Waititi still went down the rabbit hole and delivered a surreal surface level humorous look of what life was like for the citizens of Nazi Germany by telling the story of young Hitler Youth member, Johannes 'Jojo' Betzler (Roman Griffin Davis) finding out his mother Rosie (Scarlett Johansson) is hiding a Jewish girl, Elsa Korr (Thomasin McKenzie) in their house. Without spoiling this coming to age journey based on author Christine Leunens's book 'Caging Skies' too much, Waititi indeed put a rabbit out of his hat and delivered an unexpected magic trip through World War 2 in a boyhood whimsy child's perspective. The screenplay also written by the director didn't felt as bleak and harden as the more adult like writing approach the source material had. The film's story felt more dream like. The movie is also beautifully shot. There were several lingering shots focus intently on the mother's distinctive shoes foreshadowing future events that was a really nice touch. It's just too bad that it's really hard to figure out the timeline of events were as historical accuracies was somewhat tossed out of the window. Honestly for a director who explicitly did zero research on Adolf Hitler, he was also fine in his acting as the make believe friend version of the dictator who eat unicorn and smokes too much. While the whole imaginary best friend was not in the source material. The scenes with him and JoJo were charming, but also somewhat disturbing when it has to be to overlook that. It wasn't as deliberately light hearted vapid silly and corny offensive as 1990 British sitcom 'Heil Honey! I'm Home' which was cancelled after one episode. The filmmaker did show how brutal his teachings can honest be with the rabbit killing allegory scene. Much in the same way Walt Disney 'Education for Death: the Making of the Nazi' cartoon did in 1943. Nor does the filmmaker shy away from the many crimes that the Nazis had competed. The powerful emotional hanging scene is one such example. The way it was shot with shot of the feet lying lifeless is haunting. Then there was the intense suspenseful sequence involving the Gestapo led by a sinister agent Deertz played by Stephen Merchant coming to the titular character's home for a visit. That was very creepy. The film also even challenge the concept of war with JoJo challenge his mother's lack of patriotism. That scene with the mother acting like the father with the soot and her not breaking character in order to apologize for yelling is really commanding. Scarlet Johannsson's acting really capture that moment even if her character didn't seem so traditional mother like. It's very emotional and heart breaking. You really do see JoJo start to question his beliefs after that. So begins a tense, complex, and at times hilarious series of exchanges between Elsa brilliant played by McKenzie & himself. Roman's acting is truly amazing for somebody that young. Glad they made JoJo somewhat likeable. The character here is a lot more sympatric than the source material version who kept Elsa a slave for years after the war because he couldn't cope with losing. Also glad that the filmmaker didn't make them hate each other in the end like the book due to the confusion of possession for love. That was too much of a downer. Regardless one thing I didn't really get was what they were going with his mentorship with Captain Klenzendorf (Sam Rockwell). I felt like that subplot got lost. Don't get me wrong, Rockwell's acting is pretty good as the tired bitter injury ex- Wehrmacht soldier, but what was the endgame for him. One minute he seem like he is bad mouthing the party's policies during the war during a lecture at the youth camp and turning a blind eye in order to protect JoJo from the Gestapo, but in the end, he's still fighting for the party. I guess it can be said that his loyalty is with protecting Germany, not the Nazis but it's not really explore or explain. It's difficultly to find a read on that character. It's frustrating but not quite hopping mad. I also found Archie Yates portrayal as Yorki, Jojo's best friend very amusing. However I felt that the character didn't have much to do besides spill exposition and be comedy relief. In truth a more tragic ending for him could had been really powerful for the film; much in the same way Piggy met his end in William Golding's novel 'The Lord of the Flies' showing the end of childhood's innocence. Still the movie was push the envelope enough. It didn't really play it safe. Overall: It's a pretty good film. The flick's messages about acceptance and tolerance is just as needed now as it did in 1945. There is a lot to relate to today's modern society. In the end, it's a wonderful motion picture that needs to be seen. So hop onto it & check it out!