Free the Rabbit-Hutch One!

Rating: 8/10 (9 February 2020)

An earnest boy in a comically violent society finds himself in a dilemma when he discovers one of the enemy a bit too close to home.
Unusual comedy that swings between Gunther Grass and Mel Brooks, with a touch of Terry Gilliam, but finds its own peculiar rhythm. I think its main strength is in taking familiar aspects of the end of the war in Germany and giving them a unique angle. As for the comedy, plenty of fruitful set pieces. but only one genuine scream of a laugh just before the final scene. And there is a very touching scene involving shoes and a gallows.
Thematically, the only disappointment is that it didn't nail the lie of race - while it impishly mocked Aryanism and Aryan notions of Jewishness, it shied away from Jewish biblicalism.
There are some problems with the casting, because they use a few known comedians who aren't really film actors, and the lead actor starts off a little wobbly before hitting his stride. Even so, the imaginary friend device works perfectly. Otherwise, the performances are very good, with Rockwell the pick of the bunch.
There is the novelty, for me, of two famous songs performed in German by the original artists, and overall the soundtrack is excellent, not obtrusive. The cinematography is fine, with the Czech urban locations dominating the visual feast.
Overall: light touch on a heavy subject, but the only true movie on this subject remains Come And See.
ps.for fans of J-horror, I think there was a Ju-on joke in there, but it didn't quite work.