Waititi hits it out of the park with another off-beat comedy

Rating: 10/10 (22 December 2019)

And one that made me cry as often as I laughed. I'm admittedly biased as Waititi has been my favourite director since the first time I saw "Eagle vs Shark", and I've loved every film of his since.
In this world where cinema seems to be on the decline and destined to maybe only exist on television at some point, and also a world where bland pablum like the endless string of superhero and action films where it is obvious in their execution that the accountants are running the show, so to speak, with films designed specifically to appeal to the widest world-wide demographic possible, films like this are such a welcome breath of fresh air.
I really don't understand all the poor critic reviews, but obviously suspect it has to do with set and setting of this film, but that is part of the beauty of it. Compared to the conclusion of the Star Wars saga, a movie that was all about fan service, with no chance-taking, no surprises, no risks, "Jojo Rabbit" stands in such stark and positive comparison specifically because it is the director/writer's creative vision on full display.
Why a touching film can't also include satire with the last days of the Third Reich as the backdrop is something completely lost on me, and smacks of more than a bit of racism, like all Germans who had to live through that era are too inherently evil to portray characters with heart and soul, and in the main character's case, not even a child seems worthy of any redemption. Maybe I'm wrong, but that's what some of the critic's reviews feel like.
In any case, sometimes sacred cows make for the most delicious hamburger, and the performances are all outstanding ("Leave No Trace" was my top film of 2018, so it was a nice surprise to see the incredibly talented, and natural, actress show up in this film as well. Don't let the lack of critical acclaim make you shy away from at least giving this film 20 minutes to see if you can look past the black (and apparently also taboo-breaking) comedy/satire/drama that offends some delicate sensibilities... I'm guessing you won't be disappointed.