'Jojo Rabbit' and walking the comedy-drama tightrope
Taika Waititi, perhaps the most consistent and hilarious comic voice in cinema this decade, takes his biggest risk yet with the World War II-set Nazi comedy, “Jojo Rabbit.” It’s a coming-of-age tale of a Nazi-obsessed 10-year-old German boy who discovers his mother is hiding a Jewish girl in their attic.
As if that isn’t tricky enough for a comedic storyline, Waititi, the writer/director of “What We Do in the Shadows,” “Hunt for the Wilderpeople” and “Thor: Ragnarok” also stars in the film as the boy’s kooky/supportive imaginary friend, Adolf Hitler.
The PG-13 film generated plenty of controversy ahead of its release, as some suggested Hitler and his horrific regime shouldn’t be the backdrop of a light-hearted comedy. On the other hand, when the film began screening at festivals, some critics wished the movie took itself less seriously and ratcheted up those ridiculous satirical elements even more.
The criticism on both sides only emphasizes the risky balancing act at play in “Jojo Rabbit,” a movie that can be hilarious and whimsical in one moment, then shift abruptly to something sentimental or even devastating. The movie provokes right from the start, opening with a montage of Hitler speeches and images of his fanatic followers set to the tune of a German-language version of The Beatles’ “I Wanna Hold Your Hand.”
The choice informs how we meet the basically brainwashed Jojo (an incredible young actor named Roman Griffin Davis), a good-hearted boy who just wants to impress the big kids and be a good little Nazi. His imaginary friend, Adolf, encourages his efforts with friendly advice, infantile musings and only the occasional terrifying bluster. Meanwhile Jojo’s mother, played by Scarlett Johannson, tries to get her son to see the world in a more tolerant way She’s making quiet efforts to oppose the regime too, but she’s also reeling from the loss of a daughter and the long-term absence of her husband, Jojo’s father.
This premise, alongside the gallows humor and wacky Hitler performance, simply won’t be tolerated by some audiences, and that’s okay. To be fair though, “Jojo Rabbit” takes a smart approach to both the imaginary Hitler, the bafoonish Nazi soldiers in the film (including Rebel Wilson and Sam Rockwell), and the real life atrocities and devastation that serve as a backdrop to Jojo’s journey. While Waititi is mocking the ridiculous and oppressive ideas that Hitler and the Nazi’s believed (in particular towards the Jewish people), he still makes sure to emphasize the catastrophic consequences of their actions.
The key relationship in “Jojo Rabbit” focuses on Jojo and Elsa, the Jewish girl he discovers in the attic. At first, Jojo is hilariously terrified (because of his absurd assumptions about the Jewish people), then slowly begins to realize that she makes his stomach feel like butterflies. Elsa is played by Thomasin McKenzie, who broke out in last year’s excellent “Leave No Trace,” and she’s the emotional anchor to the film, especially as the film continues to make drastic tonal shifts
There’s a point in “Jojo Rabbit” where the movie becomes more drama than comedy, including one particularly heartbreaking and tough-to-shake sequence near the two-thirds mark. It’s an important shift that Waititi handles incredibly well, though some of the humor after this point feels strained and unnecessary.
Still, the movie retains its humanity and provides some hopeful commentary on the power of love and tolerance. It may not be a particularly nuanced message, but it’s a powerful one. The cast contributes so much to the film’s overall success too, not just the lead performances by Davis and McKenzie, but also essential supporting turns by Rockwell and especially Johannson.
It’s weird to think of a movie like “Jojo Rabbit” as a crowd-pleaser, but in the end, that’s exactly what it is, or at least for the folks who can get on its wavelength.
Go see ‘Parasite.’ Now.
Perhaps the most acclaimed movie of the year so far is “Parasite,” the dark comedy/domestic drama/thriller/unclassifiable new film from Bong Joon-ho, the Korean filmmaker behind crossover hits like “The Host” and “Snowpiercer.”
Believe the hype.
The movie focuses on a poor family living in a dingy subterranean city apartment and their efforts to obtain service jobs from a wealthy family. Their “infiltration” of the posh house on the hill plays in part like a “Mission: Impossible” entry, with each family member taking great lengths to fool their way into lucrative positions, including jobs as the rich family’s driver, housekeeper, etc.
Then the movie takes several twists and turns, and the less you know about the plotting of “Parasite” the better. The film is beautifully crafted, tense and wickedly entertaining. There’s really nothing quite like it. Don’t read anything more about it; just make a point to see it.
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Tyler Wilson can be reached at twilson@cdapress.com. He is the co-host of Old Millennials Remember Movies, available wherever you get podcasts and at OldMillennialsRemember.com.