JoJo Rabbit movie review

MOVIE TITLE: JoJo Rabbit

RATING: PG-13 (Just because this movie is PG-13 doesn’t necessarily mean your children should watch it.)

LENGTH: 1 hour, 48 minutes

Movie Review Mom GRADE: B+

IN A NUTSHELL:

This is a very ambitious and dangerous film at the same time. It’s an irreverent look at the Nazi brown-coats during World War II and is intended to be a coming-of-age satire on hate. Without understanding that, you WILL be offended. Director Taika Waititi’s comedic perspective walks a very thin line with some extremely inappropriate and disturbing images, jokes, and situations. There is some danger in laughing at antisemitism and I have mixed feelings about how one of the absolute darkest moments in human history is handled.

All that being said, at the end of the movie, I had a smile on my face and was impressed with the bold movie I had just endured. One of the best indications that a movie is good is that it makes you FEEL and THINK. Another result of a good movie is that it gets people talking. So, does that mean THIS is a good movie? Great question. This movie is definitely not for everyone. Viewer beware.

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

An adult offers a child a cigarette.
A cute bunny rabbit gets strangled to death. (No actual animals were harmed in the filming.)
Some profanity by adults and children.
You see several dead people hanging in a public square.
Some inappropriate and crude humor.
Some sexual and homosexual innuendo.
A child gets blown up by a grenade and wounded.
Children are encouraged to kill and hate Jews.
People are in perilous situations when bombs go off.
Violence with knives, guns, grenades, and bombs.

THEMES:

“In the end, that’s all we have: hope.” – Rosie (Scarlett Johansson)
“Love is the strongest thing in the world.” – Rosie
“Life is a gift. We have to celebrate it. We have to dance to show God we are grateful for it.” – Rosie
“How do you know you can trust someone?” – Rosie
Trends, peer pressure
Doing what’s popular vs. doing what’s right
The quote at the end of the movie reads, “Let everything happen to you. Beauty and terror. Just keep going. No feeling is final.” – Rainer Maria Rilke
The danger of hate.

THINGS I LIKED:

Taika Waititi does a great job playing a ridiculous Adolph Hitler. Good for him for writing, directing, and acting in his own movie. Because he is actually Jewish, he stated that playing Adolph Hitler was great revenge. Actually,he used the “F” word in his statement. Taika Waititi also directed Thor: Ragnarok (Theatrical Version), if that gives you an idea of how flippant his humor can be in this film.
Roman Griffin Davis is fantastic as JoJo. Wow, what a little powerhouse of a young actor.
Thomasin McKenzie is also great and perfect in her role. I thought she was really special in Leave No Trace too.
I really liked Scarlett Johansson’s character. I thought it was one of her strongest performances.
Sam Rockwell is always wonderful and completely entertaining.
Witty dialogue. The audience I watched the movie with was laughing so hard I often couldn’t hear all of the lines.
Alfie Allen makes a very good closeted, gay Nazi.
Stephen Merchant looks like a tall version of that Nazi in Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark
There are some very powerful moments.

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:

The first two minutes are a bit alarming when you see a young boy pledging his life to the “savior” of Germany, Adolph Hitler. From there, it gets even worse and I almost stopped watching the movie. I’m glad I remained seated, though, because the last act was so powerful.
There’s an inconsistency of accents. All of the characters are supposed to be German, but some people speak with a German accent, others with a British one, and then there’s Rebel Wilson who can’t quite do anything without her signature Australian accent.
Jojo tells a lie in the beginning of the movie, as well as at the end, so did he really have any character growth? Would he have been as kind to Elsa if she weren’t pretty? Would he have still followed Adolph if everyone else was too?
Why would a parent allow his/her child to be indoctrinated with twisted Nazi dogma when they know better?
The tone really changes. Act 1 is a ridiculous, slapsticky satire, yet Act 3 takes a very dramatic turn.
I didn’t like how the American soldiers were portrayed and question the accuracy of what happened.
You feel uncomfortable and guilty if you laugh at most of the jokes. If you love Mel Brooks’ humor and approach to world history, you’ll probably enjoy this movie.

FUNNY LINES:

“Are you a teardrop specialist?” – JoJo
“It’s a Mexican stalemate.” – JoJo “It’s a regular stalemate.” – Elsa (Thomasin McKenzie)

INTERESTING LINES:

“What did they do?” – JoJo

“What they could.” – Rosie (Scarlett Johansson)

“I told you to draw a picture of where Jews live. This is just a stupid picture of my head.” – JoJo (Roman Griffin Davis) “That’s where we live.” – Elsa (Thomasin McKenzie)
“What’s the first thing you’re going to do when you’re free?” – JoJo “Dance.” – Elsa

OTHER MOVIES LIKE THIS YOU MIGHT ENJOY:

The Book Thief