Premiered at the Toronto Film Festival September 8,2019
A Taika Waititi film
Plot (Spoiler Alert)
A young German boy, Jojo, wants to be a Nazi when he grows up and he is training himself to become one. He gets picked on by the other kids, who are also training to become Nazis. When Jojo needs to express himself he talks to his imaginary friend, who resembles Hitler. Jojo finds a Jew, Elsa, hiding behind a secret door and he doesn’t know what to do. Jojo’s mother, Rosie, is the reason Elsa is in their house and reporting this to the Nazis could get both him and his mother in trouble. Jojo has never met a Jew before and the more he gets to know Elsa, he realizes that Jews aren’t so bad.
Blaine: A friend of mine, Timothy Durbin, once said that there are plenty of stories to tell that take place during World War II and that’s true. There’s been tons of movies that take place during World War II that show us different stories whether they are fiction or non-fiction. The idea for “Jojo Rabbit” was inspired by a book, “Caging Skies”, written by Christine Ruins and Taika Waititi’s mom had recommended that he read it. She explained the plot of the book and it really attracted Taika. Even made him think it should be a movie. However the book was different from what Taika was expecting, but it helped give him the idea for “Jojo Rabbit”. More ideas were coming to Taika the more he thought about “Jojo Rabbit” and he wanted to make his story funny because comedy is the only genre for him.
“Jojo Rabbit” has one of those backstories where a filmmaker has a great idea for a movie, but no studio wanted to finance it. Taika had finished his script for “Jojo Rabbit” in 2011 and each studio he went to turned it down. This went on for a year. Taika decided to put “Jojo Rabbit” aside and put his mind on other projects, “What We Do in the Shadows”, “Hunt for the Wilderpeople” and “Thor: Ragnarok”. In 2017, out of the blue, Fox Searchlight contacted Taika to tell him they wanted to make “Jojo Rabbit”. Taika was pleased to hear someone was interested in “Jojo Rabbit” after waiting six years for an answer. Fox said they would make “Jojo Rabbit” on condition that Taika play imaginary Adolf Hitler. It was never on Taika’s mind that he would play Hitler. Taika had other actors in mind for the role of Hitler in the beginning, but it was ok for him that he would play the part. Everyone, Taika hired to be involved with the project, thought he was brilliant and they knew “Jojo Rabbit" was going to be great because they loved Taika's screenplay and thought it was brilliant.
Taika wants to find actors who look like they fit the part or close to it. Roman Griffin Davis’ background is his father is a cinematographer and his mother is a writer and director. When it came to casting the leading role, Jojo, Taika froze for a sec as soon as Roman entered the room. During the audition process, Roman showed his mature and sensitive side and Taika loved that. Roman however wasn’t sure if he was doing a good enough job, but he was exactly who Taika needed to play Jojo. Jojo does his best to be a Nazi, but it’s not good enough and that’s good because he deserves better. Jojo even doesn’t have the heart to kill an innocent bunny rabbit. Jojo knows Nazis hate Jews for a reason and he thinks it’s because Jews are not human. Jojo believes life is like a fairytale, like Jews being creatures instead of human beings. A lot of kids at that age believe in things that are fictional. Roman shows Jojo is an innocent boy with a dream. But that dream will do nothing but turn him into a nasty person. All Jojo wants to be in life is a Nazi and go off to fight in the war. There are somethings Jojo doesn’t feel comfortable with that the Nazis do. He just doesn’t fully realize it yet.
Taika had Thomasin McKenzie in mind for the Jew hiding out at Jojo’s place, Elsa, because he had seen her work and she felt right for the part. There was no one else Taika wanted to play Elsa than Thomasin, he was positive about that, and he got his wish. Thomasin basically did the project for Taika because she thought he was so creative. The story for “Jojo Rabbit” sounded original to Thomasin and she admired Taika for showing something new for the war genre. Being in Nazi Germany during World War II is hard times for Elsa. She has been separated from her family and is living in an environment where a lot of citizens want her dead just because she is Jewish. There have been a lot of Jews in these World War II movies who are survivors, but Elsa is not just a survivor, she is also strong spirited and I’ve never seen that before in this type of character. Both Taika and Thomasin agreed that Elsa should have a lot to her then just a Jew hiding from Nazis. Elsa is also the smart and clever type. She messes around with Jojo because he believes in nonsense. Elsa is good at sneaking up behind you when you least suspect it. When Jojo first encounters Elsa she acts like something out of “The Grudge” or the Grimreeper. Nazis hate Jews and Jojo dislikes Elsa at first, but that’s only because he is doing what everyone else does. Jojo tries to be a jerk to Elsa, but being the jerk not only hurts Elsa, but Jojo as well. Jojo takes the pain away by trying to do something nice. It makes Elsa happy that there’s a good person in Jojo as he tries to spare her feelings.
Jojo’s mother, Rosie, is a woman who is full of life and wants world peace instead of world war. Taika Waititi based Rosie on his own mother because she was the only person who raised him growing up and he didn’t have a father. Rosie represents the type of mother you want to hug tight and never let go. There’s nothing Rosie loves more in the world than her boy, Jojo. Rosie gives Jojo warm hugs and she is always there to lighten things up for him. Through her performance, Scarlett Johansson shows that Rosie is a fun, positive, loving woman. Scarlett is also very expressive through her performance. If any harm comes to Jojo, Rosie deals with the person responsible. Jojo has an accident with a bomb and gets a few scars, so what does Rosie do?…...she kicks the guy who is responsible, which is Captain Klenzendorf, played by Sam Rockwell, in the nuts, slaps him on the face and she’ll do it with a smile. Not the first time a character Scarlett Johansson played took down Sam Rockwell. Scarlett and Sam worked together on “Iron Man 2” and she twisted his arm in that movie.
Rosie knows how passionate her boy is about being a Nazi so he can fight in the war, but Jojo doesn’t know what war is truly like. Rosie already lost her daughter, probably to some kind of sickness, the thought of her boy being killed in battle would devastate her. Jojo doesn’t know how lucky he is. While Nazi soldiers are off being blown up or shot at, Jojo is in the presence of two loving people who are nothing but fun to be around. Jojo can’t understand why his own mother would protect a Jew and disobey a Nazi rule. But Rosie isn’t a Nazi, she’s just German, a German who sees everyone as the same. Rosie doesn’t want to choose sides between Jojo and Elsa. Rosie loves Elsa as if she was her own. Jojo gives his mother the look during dinner and gets serious with her. But Rosie knows how to push Jojo’s buttons and it doesn’t matter if what Rosie is doing is illegal or not, she is still Jojo’s mother and he loves her with all his heart. Rosie wears these special red shoes that she likes to move around and dance in. There are shots that will only have her feet in the frame next to Jojo and you could say that’s her signature. Scarlett loved taking on a character who is a mother because she’s a mother herself and she loves everything about motherhood. Scarlett brought that into Rosie. Scarlett also loved her co-worker, Roman Griffin Davis, because he was so cute and lovable to work with. Jojo is seeing things in a different and better way thanks to Rosie and Elsa.
Jojo gets unexpected visitors, led by Stephen Merchant, and they want to inspect Jojo's house. It’s a scene where you’re concerned because Nazis are exploring the entire house and you don’t want them to find the secret door that Elsa is hiding behind. Jojo is doing his best to protect Elsa. Stephen Merchant shows his character is creepy because he’s a Nazi for one, he is curious about the things he sees in the house, he’s observant. He notices Jojo doesn’t have a knife and Nazis are always told to be carrying a knife. Elsa reveals herself in order to back up Jojo. Elsa pretends to be Jojo’s older sister, sense no one outside the house knows Jojo’s real sister is dead. Elsa tries to think fast when she is questioned. Elsa also does her best to not show fear on her face even though she is very afraid that she will be exposed and Jojo might go down with her. Being threatened by a ten year old German boy is no big deal, but being in the presence of Nazis who are nothing but serious is dangerous. Thankfully, everything works out and the Nazis suspect nothing.
Taika Waitit may not be a dramatic director, but for “Jojo Rabbit” he did add a couple of scenes that are dramatic because it’s a movie that takes place during World War II and it was dark times in Germany.
Any German who doesn’t obey Hitler’s law are hung from the neck. Jojo finds his beloved mother hung and it’s heartbreaking for him. You never see Rosie’s face, just her feet wearing those red shoes she loves so much. I guess showing all the details to her dead body would be too much to show. I mean it’s sad enough seeing Jojo in tears and holding on to the legs of his mom’s corpse tight.
Jojo is devastated for his loss and he almost blames Elsa for his mother’s death. Of course the Nazis are unaware that Rosie was hiding a Jew. Rosie did other things. She wanted to spread the word of peace and to stop wars. I know Rosie’s way of wanting peace sounds like a hippie thing. Rosie couldn’t help being the good person she was and she was brave enough to be herself. Anyway, Jojo tries to put a knife through Elsa, but again Jojo doesn’t have the heart to take a life. His conscience won’t allow him to. Elsa understands the pain Jojo is feeling about losing a loved one because she has lost her family. Rosie meant a lot to Elsa too. Rosie was an angel to Elsa and she knows someone as good as Rosie didn’t deserve to die. If anyone is to blame it’s the Nazis because they choose to be cruel and hateful.
With Rosie gone, Jojo and Elsa have to look after each other now. Jojo goes out scavenging for food, like a Jew would and he and Elsa keep each other company in the house. Jojo already did a good job looking after the house whenever Rosie was out. He is showing how responsible a ten year old boy can be. Jojo is following in his mother’s footsteps. It’s better than walking in Hitler’s.
Imaginary friends are supposed to support you and make you happy. Through the film, it shows imaginary Hilter trying to encourage Jojo to not give up on his dreams, again even though that dream will bring out the worst in people. Imaginary Hitler is also silly because imaginary friends can be silly too. But the closer Jojo gets to Elsa, the more this imaginary Hitler shows his true ugly side, just like the real Hitler. Jojo is starting to see Hitler less of a role model and more of a terrible person. The war is nearly over and Jojo learns that Hitler has given up by taking his own life. So now Jojo has realized the person he has looked up to this whole time went out as a coward in the end.
There are things in life you wish you never saw. Jojo’s eyes are wide open now that he sees the harm war can bring with death and destruction. Things are getting worse in his home town with the Americans invading. I don’t think Taika would want to show too much in the scenes that are serious like Jojo losing his mom and seeing how dangerous war can be because this is a movie that focusses on a kid.
Jojo manages to survive along with Captain Klenzendorf, the Nazi who was in charge of teaching Jojo how to be a Nazi. Klenzendorf was in battle before he taught children, so he is a veteran. Sam Rockwell thought of Klenzendorf as Bill Murray in a Nazi uniform and both Sam and Taika shared a laugh together. Klenzendorf can surprise you. He’s a Nazi, but more importantly he is a man with heart. Klenzendorf was around when Jojo’s house was being inspected and he asked Elsa if he could see her pass port. Elsa used the passport of Jojo’s deceased sister and Elsa does resemble her looks. Klenzendorf discovered Elsa isn’t who she says she is, but Klenzendorf managed to cover for her. Klenzendorf also sees something special in Jojo. Klenzendorf knew Jojo’s mother was something. Klenzendorf knows Jojo is meant to be a survivor more than a Nazi and he makes sure Jojo doesn’t go down with the Nazis, but Jojo doesn’t want to leave Klenzendorf. In their time together, Jojo and Klenzendorf were sharing a bond. Klenzendorf pushes Jojo away and says he’s a Jew so Jojo can be free.
World War II is over and with it over, Elsa is free to explore the world again. It scares Jojo that he would have to lose the last human being he has left in the world that he loves. Jojo lies to Elsa by saying Germany won the war just so she won’t leave, but Jojo’s conscience won’t allow this. Jojo knows he has to be thinking about what is best for Elsa and not himself. It’s not easy for Jojo to tell the truth to Elsa, so he shows it to her instead. Jojo tells Elsa he has an escape plan. So Elsa tidies up and Jojo takes her outside, but really there is hardly any danger anymore. Everything is peaceful. Elsa slaps Jojo on the face for lying to her about who won the war. Even though Elsa is free to wander through the streets and go anywhere, still it wouldn’t be fair to leave Jojo all alone. Jojo does a good job at looking after himself, but he has no family anymore and no one wants to be alone. Elsa can leave and maybe take Jojo with her. And Elsa has no one either, sense her family was killed. Jojo and Elsa could continue to keep each other company in this brand new world. With World War II over, Jojo and Elsa celebrate with a dance.
My rating on “Jojo Rabbit” is five out of five stars.
