Jo Jo Rabbit

I have been reading a lot about “Jo Jo Rabbit” and its audacious plot, the type that you’ll either love or hate. It won awards at film festivals, while some audience members walked out. Jo Jo is a ten year old Nazi youth, who has an imaginary friend, Adolph Hitler. The writer and director, Taika Waititi, plays the dictator as buffoonish and simple minded and I must admit, he is very funny. Roman Griffin Davis, a newcomer, is Jo Jo and he is outstanding, believable and sympathetic while spouting Nazi rhetoric. The film turns a Hitler Youth Camp into a series of funny and ridiculous episodes. Jo Jo’s mother is played by Scarlett Johansson giving a great performance. Sam Rockwell is a clownish Nazi officer, sympathetic to Jo Jo. This film is not be for everyone. Some people may find its attempt at humor offensive. If you are not offended it is a crazy story with a lot of humor and some pathos. I liked it a lot.