Waititi can't put a foot wrong at the moment

Rating: 7/10 (4 February 2020)

'Jojo Rabbit' is a really odd little film when you think about it. It's a satirical comedy about one of the most serious and dark times in human history. And yet somehow Taika Waititi manages to make it work. Now don't think that just because I'm a fellow New Zealander I will give Waititi a free pass on all his films. He's proving himself to be a very fine film-maker, but I'm far from his biggest fan. This film is almost impossible to hate though. If directing is considered to be Waititi's biggest strength, then his acting can't be far behind. He has incredible comedic timing and it is on full display in 'Jojo Rabbit'. Every scene he appears in is an absolute treat.
The film has been nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards in a few days time. It deserves its nomination (I mean if you make a film about WW2 then you're about a 50% chance of getting nominated from the get go these days) but I can't see it managing to get the win. It just doesn't feel like the type of film that will appeal to quite enough voters to get over the line. Scarlett Johansson has also been nominated for Actress in a Supporting Role. This is incredibly her second acting nomination in the same year, combining with a Lead Role nomination for 'Marriage Story'. Supporting Actress is usually a very weak category, but her performance here is admittedly great. She has a limted time to make us fall in love with and care for her character, and she achieves it and then some. A lot of years she would be a serious chance of taking home the award, but I feel that her 'Marriage Story' co-star Laura Dern will be too strong this year.
The cast of this movie is amazing. It would take me too long to list all the great actors they managed to get on-board for this project. None of the them are a let down either. They all are perfectly cast and play to their strengths exquisitely. The thing about this film is that it is often so light-hearted and funny that when something serious happens it really takes you off-guard and hits you hard. You are suddenly jolted back into the reality that you are watching a Nazi war film. I had a good time with 'Jojo Rabbit'. It was about what I expected in relation to tone and I felt it worked well. It's worth a look.