Very funny, though it falls short of what it could be

Rating: 7/10 (25 November 2019)

"Jojo Rabbit" is a light-hearted comedy exploring dark elements. It tells the story of a 10-year-old boy growing up in Germany near the end of World War II. He's a lot like other boys his age, struggling to fit in and find his way, searching for group and sense of belonging. Unlike a lot of boys his age, he is a passionate Nazi who gleefully exclaims, "Heil Hitler!" as he skips down the street to a camp for young Nazis-in-training. Accompanying him as he skips, cheering him on, is his imaginary friend, Adolf Hitler, himself.
Hitler, played with uproarious levels of buffoonery by writer/director Taika Waititi, provides many of the film's early laughs. Sadly, the movie fails to deliver on its early promise. It doesn't crash burn - the end product is still respectable - but all the parts never totally come together in a completely satisfying way. We hope for more from a proven entity like Waititi.
The title "Jojo Rabbit," as it turns out, is half the name of the 10-year-old boy and half the name of a cute, fluffy animal. Jojo (Roman Griffin Davis) becomes the begrudging recipient of the nickname "Jojo Rabbit" for his choice to not coldly murder an innocent rabbit while at Nazi camp. An older boy makes a different choice regarding the rabbit, then callously chucks the body across the woods.
Jojo doesn't fit in here. He doesn't want to be a Nazi. He just doesn't know it yet.
Jojo lives with his loving, playful mother, Rosie (Scarlett Johansson), who secretly works for the resistance. However, she allows Jojo to follow his misguided Nazi ways, knowing this will keep him safe from party members who search the town for dissenters. Johansson plays the part with impressive layers of complexity. While appalled by her son's Nazi passion, she understands that now is not the time to reprimand him. She quietly does her work and continues to love her son dearly, which is precisely why she opts not to tell Jojo about the young Jewish girl she is hiding in her wall.
When Jojo finds the girl (Thomasin McKenzie), he is shocked and horrified. But he quickly discovers that she isn't at all the way Jews have been described to him. "Where are your horns?" He asks her sincerely.
It's not long before Jojo begins to realize the girl he has been told is a monster is actually a friend, while his imaginary friend is the real monster. If you've seen any movies before, you know this is coming. Nevertheless, a few moments successfully tug at the heart strings. Another moment doesn't work quite as well and ends up feeling forced, even manipulative.
The movie's execution winds up being a bit disappointing because of how much potential seemed possible in the opening act. The best moments are the funniest ones, usually featuring Hitler and Jojo, along with a few others that include the scene-stealing Archie Yates, who plays Jojo's friend.
Despite the movie's success in comedic execution, the heavier material waivers, leaving the vision of the story a bit foggy. What could have been a best-of-the-year contender, winds up being merely an above average comedy.