Jojo Rabbit

 

Jojo Rabbit 2019

• Director: Taika Waititi
• Seen by this director: What We Do in the Shadows, Boy, Flight of the Conchords, Eagle vs Shark
• Based on book by Christine Leunens
• Cast: Roman Griffin Davis, Thomasin McKenzie, Scarlett Johansson, Taika Waititi, Sam Rockwell, Rebel Wilson, Alfie Allen, Stephen Merchant, Archie Yates
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Roman Griffin Davis – nothing yet, but wow, watch out for this kid!  
• Thomasin McKenzie – The Hobbit Battle of Five Armies
• Scarlett Johansson – Hail Caesar, Lucy, The Avengers, He’s Just Not that Into You, The Other Boleyn Girl, The Prestige, The Island, In Good Company, The Love song of Bobby Long, Girl with the Pearl Earring, Lost in Translation, The Man Who Wasn’t There, Manny and Lo
• Taika Waititi – What We Do in the Shadows, Boy, Eagle vs Shark, Flight of the Conchords
• Sam Rockwell – Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri, Moon, Frost/Nixon, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, Galaxy Quest, The Green Mile
• Rebel Wilson – Absolutely Fabulous the Movie, Pitch Perfect
• Alfie Allen – John Wick, The Kid, The Other Boleyn Girl, Elizabeth
• Stephan Merchant – Fighting with My Family, Life’s Too Short, I Give It a Year, The Invention of Lying, Extras, Hot Fuzz
• Archie Yates – nothing yet but what a sweetie
• Why? Waititi
• Seen: 12 December 2020      

       Jojo (Davis) is, his friend Adolf (Waititi) tells him, the best little Nazi ever, and the boy jumps and skips joyfully down the street and through the forest while the Beatles happily sing ‘Komm, Gib Mier Deine Hand.’ He’s off to a week-end camp where boys will become soldiers and girls will learn to cook and become pregnant. They’ll all learn to burn books and hate Jews and fun stuff like that.

       A comedy about Nazis. About bullying. About killing. About kindly Adolf giving advice to a sad lonely little boy.

       Funnily enough, it’s very funny. And incredibly serious. And sad. And bittersweet.  Essentially perfect.

       See it. Now.

 5* of 5