Posted November 15, 2019
Cinemania Student Critic Review: Jojo Rabbit
by David Sapp, 8th Grade Cinemania Student Critic
Taika Waititi’s 2019 film Jojo Rabbit is a film about a young boy who, influenced by the community he lives in, takes up being a Nazi. It is one of the few films I’ve seen that can balance a dark drama and a comedy perfectly. It will be funny at times, then the tones will switch and things will suddenly get very tense and sometimes sad, yet this never seems choppy or out of place in any way. There is a bit of bloodshed due to war but overall I feel that this film can be watched by an audience of any age and still be enjoyed. He manages to portray the horrible events of WWII while still maintaining a whimsical, funny vibe throughout. No genre overpowered the other and no jokes felt obnoxious or unnecessary. It has the format of a children’s movie, yet has some very dark undertones.
There is a message under the skin of the whole film about how people should keep trudging on in bad situations and the bright coloring and lighting along with the joyful, bouncy tune of the classic rock songs only adds to this. It gives the audience light through all the dark and it works very well. The relationship between the characters was very charming and would not work without the great child acting. Also, the idea of Hitler (played by Waititi himself) in the form of an imaginary friend was a very clever way to portray change within Jojo’s mind as the film progressed and develop his character more. It’s very original, meaningful, and overall a wonderful film.
Jojo Rabbit opened Friday, Oct. 24 at the JBFC. Visit the JBFC film landing page for showtimes and tickets!
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