Jojo Rabbit Review

The bizarre world-building and wacky characters that run rambunctiously rampant throughout writer/director Taika Waititi’s anti-hate satire Jojo Rabbit produces consistently enjoyable moments of over-the-top hilarity that’s intertwined with the serious subject matter of Nazi-controlled Germany. Although the film occasionally suffers from flagrant tonal inconsistencies throughout some of its more ambitiously comedic moments, there’s an incredible balance that Waititi manages to achieve with the content of the film. Goofy yet equally thought-provoking, Jojo Rabbit often finds success with its mixture of profanity and melancholy.

Based on the book Caging Skies by Christine Leunens, Jojo Rabbit follows the story of Jojo Betzler, a ten-year-old Hitler Youth who is ecstatic to share the radically growing Nazi beliefs of his nation during WWII. However, when Jojo discovers that his mother is hiding a Jewish girl within the attic of their home, it challenges him to questions his philosophies and the world around him. To do this, Jojo turns to an imaginary friend, an extremely sarcastic and idiotic Adolf Hitler.

There’s undeniable frailty when purposefully injecting humor into severely dark events, yet Waititi’s sarcastic self-awareness and willingness to experiment in absurd themes pays off more than it misses. Although the comedic elements become increasingly predictable as the film progresses, Jojo Rabbit never pushes its humor to the point of exhaustion. Instead, Waititi produces effective pacing that helps the film mix its radically different tones more appropriately.

Unfortunately, the directing and visual storytelling doesn’t always match the originality and ambitious obscurities of the script. Moments throughout Jojo Rabbit can lean too heavily into its big heart and satirical essence, while Waititi’s approach feels emulative. Clearly inspired by the energetic and calculated stylishness of directors like Wes Anderson, Jojo Rabbit is presented effectively, but often feels like it’s missing Waititi’s own stylistic panache from behind the camera. However, his immensely enjoyable performance as the clumsy and half-witted Adolf Hitler makes up for his lack of disposition while directing.

Overall, the film's outrageous self-awareness manages to harmonize with its sensitive subject matter without feeling superficial or offensive. Although the tone of the film can sometimes feel jarring, Jojo Rabbit is a carefully crafted and compassionate comedy that proves unafraid to tackle themes that some filmmakers wouldn’t dare to attempt.

As sarcastic as it is sincere, Jojo Rabbit manages to effectively produce ridiculous satire through the exceptional awareness of real history.

Produced By:Fox Searchlight Pictures
Runtime: 108 minutes
Rating: PG-13