JoJo Rabbit - mini review (No spoilers)

[fazool]

This is a satire film by Takai Waititi. We saw an interview with him on Sunday morning and I found it intriguing.

It is described as an anti-hate satire.



It does NOT make light of war, the holocaust or anything like that. It is not disrespectful nor insensitive. It is ridiculous.

Remember the scenes in Harry Potter, where they use a Riddikulus spell to defeat what they fear, by making it seem ridiculous? JoJo Rabbit is like that.

I was on a cross country flight today and watched the film on the plane.

The movie is totally ridiculous but while laughing at (not with) the imbecilic Nazi's I also got a sense of what was happening there with blind nationalism and you got very powerful scenes where all the suffering was understood, without making it a sad, horrific war-film.

To be able to play Adolf Hitler, to make him convincing and ridiculous (all while not treading on the sensitive topic it stomped all around) was frankly brilliant.

From a "literary" stand-point, I think this is the most brilliant film I ever saw.

All of the humor was high brow - none of the jokes or gags were over-explained, overdone nor dumbed down - they were very subtle and they let you find the humor without even acting like it was a joke.

All the actors (every one) was incredible. Rebel Wilson possibly gave her best performance I've seen - she was so good. Roman Griffin Davis was incredible - I can't believe what a phenomenol actor he is at that age. Archie Yates and Sam Rockwell were sooooooo good, as well. But Taika Waititi was on a whole 'nother level of acting brilliance.

I won't say anything about what happens in the movie.

I will say this was hysterically funny, informative, touching, crushingly sad and triumphant all at once. And it was all done with class.

I would give this the highest rating possible for any film and it has become one of my favorite movies.

Two enthusiastic thumbs (way up), five solid stars and an A+ grade from me.

[DenverSteve]

The movie was well written by the director. He played a great character in the movie and was well shot. Had it not bee released in a year with other substantial films it would likely have done better at the award ceremonies. JoJo did a superb job as well. Cinematically very busy but well shot and edited.

[Alder Statesman]

My favorite 2019 film. I was glad it got the Oscor for adapted screenplay, but thought it was best picture quality.

The witty script and the cast is what makes it work. The three young people were perfect and Scarlet Johanson is memorable as a woman “doing what she can” in the face of the Nazi”s.

[DenverSteve]

Originally Posted by Alder Statesman

My favorite 2019 film. I was glad it got the Oscor for adapted screenplay, but thought it was best picture quality.

The witty script and the cast is what makes it work. The three young people were perfect and Scarlet Johanson is memorable as a woman “doing what she can” in the face of the Nazi”s.

Then, if you haven't, you need to see Parasite. That was well deserved. Fortunately, as a SAG voting member, I get to see every movie up for consideration and voting. There were some great movies this year. If you're an Almodovar fan, you should see Pain And Glory. Another great foreign film that made its way into the voting

[pieterh]

I saw the film yesterday and loved it! I thought from the trailer that it was a bit of a risk making a comedy focussing on the Nazis and the Hitler Youth.

Fairly soon into the film I got it! Satirical - humorous yes but as you say Fazool not laughing with Nazism - and hard hitting when it needed to.

The irony of Rebel Wilson’s character being the ultimate brain washed Nazi wasn’t lost on me either. As for Sam Rockwell, I’ve yet to see him give a bad performance, he is always amazing, he really inhabits his roles.

Great ending too, they keep you guessing as to whether the promise of redemption will be realised...

[Dog Shape Cloud]

I've heard people complain that the "lightness" of the film is inappropriate given the seriousness of the subject matter. On the contrary, making yet another melodrama (or videogame-like shoot-em-up, or whatever) for the West to continue indulging in its Nazi fetish would have been, as it usually is, making light of acts that were and remain unrepresentable in their true horror.

The genius of Jojo Rabbit is in that it looks through the standard trappings of WWII narrative with an authentically childlike gaze, skewing our subjective position such that for a moment we can almost see how history looks in progress, like an incomplete yet familiar object that swings partway into the frame from an unexpected angle.

[island texan]

My favorite film of the year. I was especially taken with the acting ability of the lead actor, the young man whose name escapes me, but those who've seen the picture know who I mean. Incredibly believable performance.

[boombox]

Watched it today and I concur with all the positive reviews. Fine direction and not a weak link in the cast - the youngsters were especially good. My only very, very minor complaint was that I'd have liked to see more of Sam Rockwell and Stephen Merchant's characters.