Successfully blends quirky humour and heavy hitting drama without ever losing sight of its own unique identity

Rating: 9/10 (26 December 2019)

Jojo Rabbit is a comedy drama war film written and directed by Taika Waititi (Thor: Ragnarok, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, What We Do in the Shadows). Based on the novel "Caging Skies" by Christine Leunens, it successfully blends quirky humour and heavy hitting drama without ever losing sight of its own unique identity.
During the last years of World War II, the timid ten-year-old Johannes Betzler (Roman Griffin Davis) joins the Hitler Youth as he longs to defend his Nazi German homeland from the allied powers. Supporting him along the way is his imaginary friend - an eccentric childlike version of Adolf Hitler (Taika Waititi). After refusing to kill a rabbit during a training exercise, Johannes is given the derogatory nickname "Jojo Rabbit" by the other youth members. One day, Jojo discovers to his shock that his mother Rosie (Scarlett Johansson) has been hiding a young Jewish girl named Elsa (Thomasin McKenzie) in the wall of their house. Knowing full well that they will all be executed if the Nazis find out, Jojo decides to strike a deal with Elsa in that he will protect her in exchange for her sharing "Jew secrets" with him.
As is the case with all of Taika Waititi's films, Jojo Rabbit is filled with his signature tongue-in-cheek comedy that even the most casual of audiences can enjoy. Most of the laughs come from scenes where Jojo's interacts with the imaginary Hitler, which is what someone of his age would perceive Hitler to be like. However, whenever the film needs to touch on serious topics, such as the Jewish plight under Nazi rule, the film never trivialises such a thing and handles it in a respectful manner. This is a difficult film to get the tone just right for, but thanks to the careful efforts of Waititi, he manages to strike that perfect balance between funny and sombre.
In terms of production values, this may be Waititi's best work to date. His use of muted background colours is particularly noteworthy, as it helps make his lead cast members stand out in several scenes, especially during parts where they need to be seen separately from other Nazi characters. The use of cinematography is great as well, as we are shown the widespread Nazi presence in Jojo's small village, whether it's the tanks all lined up against buildings or the "unpatriotic deserters" being hanged in the streets. This again reminds us that even though the film is technically a comedy, it still uses Nazi Germany as a backdrop, who were responsible for many horrific acts.
All of the cast members did a superb job in their roles. Young newcomer Roman Griffin Davis carries the film in such a natural fashion that it is hard to believe that this is his very first role in a motion picture. He and Thomasin McKenzie, the latter of whom rose to prominence with her memorable performance in the 2018 film "Leave No Trace", had such wonderful on-screen chemistry and I loved watching the two of them interact with one another in spite of their character's polar opposites. Scarlett Johansson is also worth noting as Jojo's mother Rosie. Even though her screen time is limited, she leaves an impression thanks to her ability to chew the scenery as much as possible.
In conclusion, while the film's use of Nazi Germany as a backdrop for a comedy may seem off-putting to some mainstream viewers, any fan of Taika Waititi's work should enjoy it immensely. It truly shows how far he has come since his humble beginnings back in New Zealand and certainly has me on board for any future projects he has lined up for us.
I rate it 8.5/10