Features

Jojo Rabbit

Taika Waititi
D, United States 2019
108 min
V'19

New Zealand’s Taika Waikiki is considered one of contemporary cinema’s major pop-culturally savvy talents. And with his latest “antihate- satire” JOJO RABBIT, he’s definitely out to underline his status as such. Waikiki himself plays a screwy slapstick-Hitler, 10-year-old Jojo’s best, albeit imaginary friend. Jojo aims to be a fearless Nazi, only he’s too sweet and not reckless enough to even kill a bunny. Waikiki mixes elements of broad comedy (Sam Rockwell as an intoxicated Nazi captain) with a more subtle approach to upending and playfully unearthing the stereotypes and resentments of the era (and the analogous, ever recurring ingredients of the period piece).
​When Jojo discovers that a Jewish girl named Elsa is hiding in his attic, the two start a duel on who is more convincing in acting out clichéd and popular concepts of nationhood and race – the boy actually starts creating a sketchbook on Jewish otherness.
Waikiki delivers a comedy full of quirky ideas, some of them a bit overstretched, others brilliantly trenchant. As a satirist, he prefers to look on the bright side, until David Bowie can finally sing his song “Helden” (in German). Scarlett Johansson also gives a buoyant performance as Jojo’s mother, who has her own life-defining secrets. (Dominik Kamalzadeh)

Credits
  • Griffin Davis - Jojo Betzler
  • Thomasin McKenzie - Elsa Korr
  • Taika Waititi - Adolf Hitler
  • Scarlett Johansson - Rosie Betzler
  • Sam Rockwell - Captain Klenzendorf
  • Taika Waititi nach einem Roman von Christine Leunens
  • Mihai Malaimare Jr.
  • Tom Eagles
  • Michael Giacchino
  • Ra Vincent
  • Mayes C. Rubeo
Czech Anglo Productions, Piki Films, Defender Films, Fox Searchlight Pictures

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Buena Vista International
DCP
Farbe/SW
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