Jojo Rabbit

An original, witty, socially complex and mostly quite funny to the point of insane war satire that oscillates somewhere between Life is Beautiful and No Man’s Land. Though it borrows almost nothing from either, it feels at times like a mature wine that's been with us for a few years and you just know what you're in for when you watch it. Waititi proves that he can apply his talent for funny scripts not only in big blockbusters from Marvel, but equally in low-budget war comedies. Without a stronger pace or truly unforgettable scenes, but still very positive, with an emphasis on traditional human values. You won’t need to watch it again, but at least once is a must. (06/17/2020)

I admire Waititi and I really wanted to like JoJo Rabbit, and although I’m sincerely happy that it brought him an Oscar for the screenplay, I can’t avoid being disappointed. The film does have strong and excellent moments (the introduction of the characters, the Gestapo inspection and the entire relationship between Johansen and Elsa) and shines with a distinctive “happysad” signature and the wonderfully directed actors, who couldn’t be any more natural, in particular the child protagonists. Unfortunately, there are many scenes and filmmaking decisions that have a degrading effect – I love Waititi’s comedy, but his line with the imaginary Hitler is quite pointless and unoriginal; but this is the smaller problem. For me, the main shortcoming is the imbalance between the communication and the staging; for instance, the funniest part is suddenly cut off by a scene like out of Schindler’s List, which doesn’t fit in a film where the Nazis are funny caricatures. Likewise with the ending, where scenes of death and war are weirdly combined with parodic snippets – and better not talk about how some of the twists are left unresolved (they let two kids live alone in a big house and nobody cares about them?). I get that this is supposed to be the perspective of a little boy and I really enjoyed his development and varied opinions, but that perspective is not coherent and the secondary characters lack the appropriate educational value (with the exception of the mother, who’s dealt with in a pretty arguable way). All that notwithstanding, this is far from a bad film and Taika manages to transmit his simple ideas in an original and funny way. It’s a shame that they didn’t go for a more uncompromising framework and instead resorted to dodgy and kitschy motives that not even Hollywood studio conventions of can justify. 70% (01/30/2022)

Ten-year-old Jojo and his imaginary friend Adolf would do anything for Germany. But when the little hero discovers that his mother is hiding a Jewish girl at home, everything changes. Taika Waititi directs a visually very imaginative film that alternates poignant and harsh moments with humorous ones, and Scarlett Johansson and Sam Rockwell give some of the best performances of their careers. (02/18/2020)

This is my third encounter with director and actor Taika Waititi after What We Do in the Shadows and Thor: Ragnarok. He has a truly distinctive and unmissable style, in both good and bad sense, and fortunately, in the case of Jojo the Rabbit, the pros far outweigh the cons. I won't nitpick the fact that the film is predominantly in English, with German featuring only in notoriously familiar phrases. From the trailer, it was obvious that this was going to be a black comedy that wouldn't pull any punches, and it delivered. It is true there are a few moments where the black humour was a bit out of place, but in most cases it managed to create the desired effect. From an acting point of view, I have almost nothing to criticise. Everyone played their roles convincingly, perhaps only Hitler was a little too affected at times. If you accept the director's distinctive humour and conception of history, you will have no problem enjoying a film full of problematic shoelaces, horned Jews, German shepherds, metal pickers and many other bizarre elements and ideas that you will not see together anywhere else. A bonus was a German cover of David Bowie's “Heroes”. (01/23/2020)

Taika Waititi is a filmmaker worth keeping an eye on - assuming you appreciate his somewhat disrespectful humor based on ironic exaggeration and unique type of poetry. His talent and limitations are clearly evident in Jojo Rabbit. The director chooses actors excellently and is able to bring out the maximum from them, especially the child actors, including Roman Griffin Davis. He has a developed sense of exaggeration, absurdity, and situational comedy. The humorous part of the film works much better than the part that aims to move and elicit catharsis. Kachyňa was able to sell tragedy and laughter within one style, while Waititi's transitions between frivolity and seriousness in storytelling seem rushed and sometimes even disruptive. The director is not afraid to use anachronistic musical motifs, allowing you to watch his characters in the midst of World War II accompanied by The Beatles or Bowie. Sam Rockwell is one of the most likable characters who has ever worn a Wehrmacht uniform, and you will likely love his casual captain who traded the front line for a gang of children in Hitler Youth uniforms. The success of Jojo Rabbit lies in its entertainment value, pace, and humor. Nevertheless, international audiences will especially appreciate its ability to deliver clearly articulated moral messages in a pleasant manner. It is typical Hollywood fare, and much tamer and less controversial than Taika Waititi would like. You have probably seen a similar story in slightly different packaging before. Personally, Waititi's portrayal of Hitler did not resonate with me. In my opinion, it was too childish and harmless. However, despite my aforementioned remark, it does not affect my overall impression of 75%. It is a crowd-pleasing film that also appeals to family audiences. It does not require deep historical knowledge from you, and honestly, it is better not to scrutinize Waititi's storytelling style too much, as you may find flaws within it. (01/31/2020)