Stunning

Rating: 10/10 (4 January 2020)

A single word can't do justice to this film but this is as close as you'll get. A hilarious satire full of heart and moments of gut-punching tragedy. Following movies such as 'What We Do In The Shadows' and 'Thor: Ragnarok', Taika Waititi has cemented his place as a master with 'Jojo Rabbit'. The writing is perfect and had me laughing throughout as well as my Mom who was still laughing while driving home at "His face looks like a Picasso painting", one of the many, many funny quotes throughout. Luckily she didn't crash and/or wet herself. Perhaps one of the funniest moments is Stephen Merchant's first scene, when an uproarious minute of "Heil Hitler-ing" takes place which includes a fantastic shot of Merchant towering over Sam Rockwell.
The performances are fantastic from top to bottom, from younger stars Roman Griffin Davis and Thomasin McKenzie, whose relationship develops very nicely, to veterans like Scarlett Johansson who balance comedy and emotion beautifully. Rockwell is a scene stealer as the closeted Nazi and earns our sympathy by the films end. Taika Waititi is outrageous as Hitler, getting to the point where Mom was on the verge of tears by his mere presence on screen.
For as funny as it is, the film isn't without its heart breaking moments. If you've seen the movie all I have to do is mention the shoes and you know what I'm talking about. It's a tragic moment that took my breath away. However, for a tone shift so drastic, it doesn't feel out of place thanks to Waititi's brilliant direction. When the German version of 'Heroes' kicks in at the end with a snap of Griffin Davis' fingers just before the credits roll, I knew I had just witnessed something special. A modern classic already.