‘I am going home to my mother. I need a cuddle…‘
I’m a firm believer that absolutely nothing is off limits when it comes to comedy. As long as you’re punching up in your targets and not down, it is vital that we as a species are able to laugh at even the most awful events. This is how we cope, how we get through. Despite taking on Hitler – one of the most controversial topics available – Jojo Rabbit never really feels like it strays into the realm of bad taste or being shocking for the sake of it. There are times however, when not everything in this ambitious, historical romp pays off…
Jojo (Roman Griffin Davis) is a troubled young man who takes solace in his obsession with the Nazi party. Like many young boys his age, Jojo has an imaginary friend to help him through life’s trials and tribulations. Unlike most young boys his age, Jojo’s imaginary friend is all round dickhead and sporter of terrible moustache – Adolf Hitler (Taika Waititi). Rounding off a starry cast are Scarlett Johansson as Jojo’s caring but erratic mother Rosie, Archie Yates as his bumbling sidekick Yorki and Sam Rockwell, Rebel Wilson and Alfie Allen as a trio of Nazi soldiers. Stephen Merchant also pops up in a hilarious cameo as SS officer Deertz.
Firstly, combining Hitler and comedy is obviously a risk. While it mostly pays off here, partly due to Waititi’s quasi-lovable turn as the fuhrer and partly because of Griffin Davis’ wide eyed foil to Hitler’s increasingly demented behaviour, it still feels as if this character could be removed from the film and it would be no worse for it. The best moments here take place between Jojo and Elsa (Thomasic McKenzie), the young Jewish girl being sheltered in Jojo’s dead sister’s bedroom. Jojo Rabbit is too often trying to be too many things at once – had it chosen a lane and stuck with it, we could be talking about an instant classic here. Instead, we have a film that has moments of comedic genius and moments of aching salience but one that is also interspersed with too many scenes and set pieces that just don’t work.
That being said, Jojo Rabbit is unique enough and funny enough to work in spite of its flaws, and you would rather see an auteur like Waititi take risks that don’t always come off rather than playing it safe all the time. A quick word too for one of my favourite ever actors Sam Rockwell, who once again is spectacular here. It is pleasing to see that he is now choosing the roles and gaining the recognition that his talent has long since deserved. I can’t say for certain that this success has been achieved because of me but all signs point to that being the case.
Overall, Jojo Rabbit is a film that has something for everyone without ever really coming close to being a masterpiece. And that is absolutely fine.