Ah, the beauty of childhood. Running around with your best friends, making your own fun. It’s highly likely, however, that your childhood didn’t involve being a part of the Hitler Youth. Well, in the newest movie from triple-threat, Taika Waititi, it features just that. As well as, you know, the Gestapo, public hangings, and actual Hitler himself.

It doesn’t go amiss to question why such a successful comedy filmmaker would tackle such a risky subject. What also doesn’t go amiss, however, is how the story of Jojo Rabbit is handled. The movie follows Jojo, a 10 year old lad born in Germany in WWII.

His dedication to the war effort is apparent from the off – he marches around in his Hitler Youth uniform, knife readied in his belt, with his imaginary friend (who just happens to be Waititi as Hitler) issues rallying cries of support for his tiny friend. His mother (Scarlett Johansson) is quick-witted, unapologetic, and fiendishly brave. It seems as though its them and Hitler against the world, until Jojo makes a discovery in his very own house. Continue reading →