Let me preface this by saying that I had absolutely no interest in seeing Jojo Rabbit. The idea of a satire about Nazis was completely unappealing to me, and I put off watching it for so long, it became the last movie I watched before our San Diego Film Critics Society end-of-year vote.
Michael and I were both so convinced we would hate it that I told him he didn’t have to watch with me. He was about to leave the room but the movie opened with the Beatles exuberantly singing I Want to Hold Your Hand in German over scenes of Germans falling over themselves to celebrate the Fuhrer as though he were, well, the Beatles. Michael sat down and didn’t move for the next two hours.
From that first scene, which brilliantly captured fanaticism in all its different forms, we were riveted.
Jojo Rabbit is now one of my favorite movies of the year.
The story revolves around Jojo (Roman Griffin Davis), a young German boy who is obsessed with Nazis and whose imaginary friend just happens to be Hitler himself. When he discovers that his single mother (Scarlett Johansson) is hiding a Jewish girl (Thomasin McKenzie), he starts questioning everything he’s believed in for so long.
Twelve-year-old Roman Griffin Davis is astounding as Jojo, displaying a maturity and talent far beyond his years. He’s already received well-deserved Golden Globe and Critics Choice nominations, and an Oscar nod may be on its way.
Taika Waititi doesn’t just direct the film beautifully; he also takes on the role of Hitler, and is brilliant in it. Sam Rockwell is hilarious as Jojo’s Nazi instructor, McKenzie brings depth and authenticity to her character and Johansson is the kind of mother you’d hope a Hitler’s Youth wanna-be would have.
The music and the way it’s used is just perfect. It’s hard not to love a movie that features David Bowie singing Helden, the German version of Heroes.
Jojo Rabbit is such an important movie for these times. Its anti-hate message is, sadly, as relevant as ever and, maybe because the movie is so entertaining, it will finally get across.
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