Film Review: Jojo Rabbit

Taika Waititi’s anti-hate satire is a stunning response to contemporary far-right radicalization.

In the opening title sequence of Jojo Rabbit, historical footage of Adolf Hitler making public appearances is accompanied with a German rendition of The Beatles’ song “I Want to Hold Your Hand.” This association demonstrates the Rockstar-like popularity Hitler had with the German people when he was in power. It is this very mentality that Jojo Rabbit challenges, attempting to dismantle the effects that fanatical hatred has on people. 

Johannes “Jojo” Betzler (Roman Griffin Davis), a young boy in Nazi Germany, has fully taken on the ideology of the Third Reich. He is involved in the Hitler Youth program, and he even has an imaginary friend version of the dictator (Taika Waititi), with whom he banters and shares his concerns and fears. However, Jojo is also very shy and precocious, and this earns him the moniker “Jojo Rabbit,” after he is unwilling to kill a rabbit in one of his youth camp exercises. Nevertheless, Jojo remains resolved to embody the will of the Nazi party. That is, until he learns that his mother (Scarlett Johansson) is hiding a Jewish girl (Thomasin McKenzie) in their home. This discovery will lead to Jojo questioning his own hateful beliefs, while, in the meantime, Nazi Germany crumbles all around him. 

Jojo Rabbit manages to balance its sardonic sense of humour with genuine heart. On several occasions, it employs dark comedy to lighten the mood, and then it rapidly switches into emotionally shocking territory to great effect. I’m not ashamed to say that I both laughed and cried when watching this film. I believe that provoking such physical responses in viewers is the mark of a good film. 

At a time when further and further people are being radicalized into adopting ideologies of Nazi-like far-right hatred, Jojo Rabbit has the power of standing up against this pernicious process. What strikes me is the cleverness in how Waititi subversively employs the same tactics of edgy irreverence as extremists often use in order to delegitimize and deconstruct their very own ideologies. If Jojo Rabbit portrays the Nazis as idiotic buffoons, it’s not because the film actually believes that this is what the Nazis were really like, but because the film does not believe that the Nazis and their ideology deserve to be taken seriously. This is further evidenced by Waititi’s decision to not do any preparation in order to play Adolf Hitler. 

Jojo Rabbit has the topicality and drama of an Oscar contender, but along with a satirical edge that conceals a whole lot of heart. The genuine passion and affection that Waititi feels for the story he’s telling comes through every little artistic decision he makes. This makes the film charmingly moving and profound, as it raises questions about indoctrination and identity that are deeply resonant in today’s day and age.