A COMEDY IN THE THIRD REICH: ‘JOJO RABBIT’

With the sociopolitical climate being what it is in November of 2019, it may be difficult to see how Nazis or anything related to the tragedies of World War II could be funny. But director Taika Waititi challenges the notion with wonderful artistry and punctual comedic timing in his latest movie, “JoJo Rabbit.” 

Set in 1945 Germany, this comedy-drama follows the story of a young boy, Jojo Betzler, who fanatically idolizes Adolf Hitler and the Nazi party, so much so that he manifests his perception of Hitler as an imaginary friend, played by Waititi.

After a Nazi youth training camp accident that leaves him scarred and temporarily debilitated, Jojo, played by Roman Griffin Davis, finds himself stuck at home recuperating when one day he discovers that his mother Rosie (Scarlett Johansson) has been secretly hiding a young Jewish girl in their house.

This dangerous and obvious contradictory action by his mother challenges Jojo’s beliefs about Jews and the Nazi party as he slowly forms a friendship with the girl, Elsa Korr, played by actress Thomasin McKenzie.

As can be expected with experienced talent such as Johansson filling out the cast, the performances in this film are spectacular, Davis and McKenzie putting on exceptionally captivating performances in particular. But the real star of this movie is the amazing balance Waititi creates between his satirical comedic digs and the solemn realities of Hitler’s regime. While the director owes much to Mel Brooks for breaking comedic ground in 1967 with the “SpringTime For Hitler” musical sequence in the film “The Producers,” his wacky performance as Hitler brings a refreshing absurdity to the screen, complete with bad German accent and a rather fake-looking mustache. 

Though Jojo’s imaginary version of Hitler doesn’t make too many appearances throughout the movie, most other moments of levity are brought through the deadpan delivery with which characters voice stereotypical Nazi ideology and other absurd beliefs. But the comedic moments in the film never last long and are always punctuated with the melancholic truth of the characters’ situations. Though the humor throughout the movie proves sparse at times, especially in the last act, thanks to Waititi and his particular brand of comedy the movie manages to maintain a precise equilibrium between its tones without offending or coming off as poor taste. Every scene is approached with tact and is gorgeously accented by some truly beautiful cinematography and accompanied by equally stellar set and wardrobe design. 

The only real complaint to be made is on the movie’s pacing, which feels a little too rushed for the first 30 minutes or so as the concept of the film tries to establish itself. The editing in the opening sequence is particularly striking, showcasing twee, old, black-and-white Nazi propaganda film footage strung together in montage in time to music. Shots of adoring crowds and young women doting over Hitler in frightening similarity to Beatlemania in the early 1960s are interspersed throughout the sequence and establish the tone of the movie perfectly.

 But, overall, it’s difficult to see how Waititi could improve on his execution of this concept. Whatever your comedic sensibilities, Jojo Rabbit is undoubtedly a thought-provoking and well-constructed piece of art, a captivating exercise in comedy and tragedy. Waititi successfully  conveys his message of hope with this film, placing faith in the naiveté of children and our communal ability to change for the better.

If you’re up for a less than cookie-cutter movie, then JoJo Rabbit is a must-see. 8.5/10