Jojo Rabbit 2019
Jojo Rabbit was one of a couple of movies nominated for Best Picture that I didn’t have a chance to see before it lost (but won for screenplay). I was glad to rent it and see what the fuss was about, knowing that with only a 58 on Metacritic, it was the worst reviewed of the nominees (Joker just above at 59, winner Parasite with a 96). It is a heavy movie that also has a lot of lightness. This reflects on the director and writer, Taika Waititi, who also added a lot of lightness to an otherwise kind of heavy Thor: Ragnarok. Monty Python and Mel Brooks have certainly made fun of Nazis, so it is nothing new, but mixing in real danger and pathos is probably offputting to some. It is truly a dark comedy, making fun of Nazis at the same time it acknowledges the horrors, not just of the Nazis, but also war. That doesn’t mean the movie can’t be enjoyed, just as people have enjoyed Hogan’s Heroes as well as Schindler’s List, just not the two mixed together.
The movie is mostly a coming of age story about a misguided 10 year old, with a lot of comedy coming from Nazi buffoons, not least of all an imaginary Adolf Hitler. A lot of the comedy is over the top and feels a little improvised, which I generally don’t like, but Sam Rockwell is awfully good at it, while it is a little forced by Rebel Wilson. So not only is the story kind of incongruous, but so are the performances. It seems similar to movies by Wes Anderson or Edgar Wright in a lot of ways. It isn’t really a masterpiece, but it is a neat movie to watch and certainly different.
Written: 29 Feb 2020
Owned on: UHD, Blu-ray, Digital