One of the greatest comedic performances in history, in my opinion, is Charlie Chaplin’s portrayal of Hynkel - Dictator of Tomania (a parody of Adolf Hitler and Germany) in The Great Dictator. Seeing someone portray one of the most evil individuals in history in such a ridiculous and humorous way makes for great laughs, and, in general, an enjoyable time. Only about eighty years after Chaplin’s impeccable performance, the wildly talented Taika Waititi creates a film where Hitler, once again, becomes the center of attention in a satirical and hilarious way. Hitler, alive in the mind of prepubescent Jojo Rabbit (Roman Griffin Davis), attempts to help the young man solve a pressing issue. Jojo is a Nazi fanatic who, with every fiber of his being, believes that the führer is the solution to the Jewish pandemic. He attends school with the intention of becoming a full-blown Nazi when he is old enough, he belittles anyone who thinks differently than his fearless leader and is determined to become Hitler’s right-hand man as soon as possible and help to irradicate the Jewish scum that plagues his country and the world. When Jojo finds a Jewish girl, Elsa (Thomasin McKenzie), in his house, hidden by his mother, Rosie (Scarlett Johansson), he is torn and is unsure of how to proceed. Does he tattle on his mother or does he turn on himself and his country in order to help protect Elsa?
Casting, as everyone knows, can make or break a film. So much depends on whether or not the actors are capable of embodying the characters they are tasked with portraying. With that being said, it seems apparent that casting someone who has absolutely no experience in the world of film as the lead is incredibly risky. Des Hamilton, Maya Kvetny and Waititi were willing to take a risk on Davis and cast him in the most important role in Jojo Rabbit. Prior to watching I was completely unaware that Davis had absolutely no experience acting in films, and to be honest, watching the film does not reveal his secret. At just twelve years old, Davis appears to possess a talent that is hard to find, a talent that I believe will translate to him becoming one of the more well-known actors in Hollywood. From the opening seconds, it becomes clear that Davis is capable of leading this talented cast and delivering in every way. He is quick-witted, energetic, hilarious and seemingly fearless in his approach to lead a number of well established actors (including Sam Rockwell, Alfie Allen and Rebel Wilson--who I typically struggle to appreciate, but was hilarious in this film).
Like Davis, the casting department chose two other unlikely talents to join the cast and help to lead a well-developed satire about hate and asinine views of the Nazis. McKenzie and Archie Yates (Yorki) have little experience--especially Yates--and, yet, the two manage to deliver sparkling performances that entice audiences and deliver some of the most hilariously messed up dialogue that I have heard in a long time. This triad of young talent has the ability to guide a film that, in reality, is no place for children. They come together and appear to have a connection that one might have with a sibling or a life-long friend. Their chemistry is beautiful and their abilities surpass any and all expectations.
The fact that Jojo Rabbit really is no place for kids, but works, is a testament to Waititi’s ability as a writer, director, producer and actor. He is the whole package in the world of Hollywood and he possesses nearly every intangible necessary to find success in the rocky waters of that world. Waititi is credited with essentially saving the Thor franchise in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, bringing to life one of the most comically brilliant characters in the MCU (Korg) and helping to develop Lucasfilm’s first live-action television series, The Mandalorian. His brilliance has no bounds and he regularly finds new ways to entertain audiences. Jojo Rabbit, however, appears to be very different from the films that he typically takes part in. Satire can be difficult to pull off, as it is often there to ruffle some feathers and bring to light the faults in a particular facet of a government or economic system. I would be hard pressed to say that anyone is upset with a satirical representation of Adolf Hitler, but the difficulties remain the same as finding the correct way to portray him requires great thought and preparation. He pulls off the difficult task with what appears to be great ease. Every word out of Hitler’s mouth, every emotion present on his face and every exchange between him and Jojo puts a smile on the faces of the audience and intrigues them more than the moment before.
Jojo Rabbit was nominated for more than one hundred fifty awards and rightfully so. This cast and crew deserved and continues to deserve any and all praise it receives in the future. Waititi is credited as the primary reason that Jojo Rabbit found so much success, however, it is this entire cast and crew that deserves to be praised for their acting ability, camera work, casting choices, editing, etc. Every person appears to pull their weight and help being to life a hilariously brilliant rendition of Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany. Not a moment passes when audiences feel unimpressed, not a performance that goes unnoticed and not a contention error in sight. From beginning to end, the cast and crew of the renowned Jojo Rabbit present audiences with a beautiful satire, a hysterical comedy and a touching romance (of sorts) that reaches audiences and makes them feel as if they are a part of the story. Gather your family and find a way to watch the spectacle that is Jojo Rabbit.
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