And who said summer Nazi camp wouldn't be fun?
Certainly not Taika Waititi, whose new film feels anything but typical or expected after Thor: Ragnarok. Then again, that big-budget win might have been exactly what allowed Waititi the ability to execute this little bitch of a movie. Alternately hilarious and heartrending, Waititi works hard to masterfully handle complex themes and seemingly irreconcilable tonal extremes in this film. The extent to which he succeeds is in the eye of the beholder, but he cannot possibly be accused of being anything but original.
We begin in a Wes Anderson-esque tribute to coming of age. It's fun and interesting, especially since the camp is led by Sam Rockwell and Rebel Wilson. The cheeky presentation, shot straightforward and simply edited, with bright sunshine and cheery rousing music, lulls you into a pleasant sense of gentle -- wait. Did I mention this is a Nazi camp?
As the opening trumpets fanfare, we hear a chorus of children singing something akin to a German drinking song, and we are quickly introduced to Jojo, excited to be on his way to a Hitler Youth training camp with his friend Yorki. Jojo's fanatical obsession with Nazism manifests in his imaginary friend, Adolf Hitler himself, played by Waititi himself. This Hitler is about as bonkers as a little boy might imagine, and he repeatedly offers Jojo cigarettes and terrible advice while remaining cutesy and energetic. Despite Jojo's jingoism, however, his mettle is tested when older campers dare him to kill a rabbit. He does not, and shortly thereafter nearly blows himself up with a grenade. He is thence known as the deformed and meek "Jojo Rabbit".
I had rather hoped this sequence -- which is primarily my impression from the trailer -- would last at least half the film. Instead, it's a surprisingly brief camp experience, and Jojo is suddenly back home with his lovely mother Rosie (Scarlett Johansson). Rosie's a free-ish spirit and secret Jewish sympathizer, remaining in the graces of Nazi Germany while secretly hiding a Jewish orphan named Elsa. When Jojo discovers Elsa's presence, he is confused and terrified but keeps it a secret from everyone including his mother. The two children embark on a strange relationship -- "getting to know you", as the song goes -- and become friends by the end. Spoiler alert? I think not; there's nary a moment in this coming-of-age comedy we don't see coming.
Except, that is, for the sudden dramatic turn that, while somewhat predictable, managed to stop my breath short. It hurts a lot, and the rest of the film tries desperately to balance the tragedy with some kind of release. And while I think it succeeds dramatically, I had some trouble swallowing a few elements that felt a bit problematic. The film's narrative follows Jojo from naivete (falling prey to the dangers of blind loyalty) to some kind of higher maturity, but even at the end he exhibits foolish and selfish tendencies toward the girl he professes to love. Does his affection for her truly change his mind and heart, or is it just boyish infatuation? Does he really step away from the horrors of the Nazi psychosis, or is it all just adolescent eccentricity on a huge social scale?
And the film's ambiguous use of Scarlett Johansson only sharpens my suspicion that Waititi isn't quite sure what the purpose of this movie is. Its sharp comedy pricks fanaticism and bigotry, sure, but often at the expense of those whom it should be championing. While I was personally moved by the climax and ending, I could feel the film deliberately pulling specific heartstrings, and that kind of emotional manipulation belongs to Disney more than to this sort of arthouse satire. This should be The Producers, not Bambi, and by the end I really had no idea what message to take from this movie.
Are we at a point where we can laugh at and about Nazis without considering the implications of their depiction, in any medium? If you think so, be aware that you might come off as tone-deaf (or at least ambiguous) as Waititi does here.
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