Jojo Rabbit is a joyous comedic journey with a heart that also happens to center around a Nazi youth with an imaginary Hitler friend. It sounds insane, but it’s the insane that you have to see.

Score: 4.5/5

Right from the start of Jojo Rabbit it is very apparent that although it is set in one of the darkest periods of human history this is a positive movie looking for the bright side in terrible times. It’s heartfelt, joyful, funny, and doesn’t dwell on the negative side of things for very long. It’s not that it is trying to hide from the bad aspects of the situation, it just bravely chooses to say “that happened, but you can still be happy.”

Jojo Rabbit follows Jojo (played by the talented Roman Griffin Davis), a young lonely German who wants acceptance and friends by believing in the Nazi propaganda. It’s when he finds out that his loving mother Rosie (Scarlett Johansson), is hiding a Jewish girl in their house that the boy’s world is turned upside down. Throughout the movie Jojo’s brainwashing is challenged by the good qualities his mother taught him and a budding love for a girl he was being taught to hate.

It’s crazy that a movie with an imaginary best friend Hitler played by the writer/director Taika Waititi works so well. It works because of the excellent lead performances from Davis, Johansson, and Thomasin McKenzie who plays the Jewish Elsa. Yet it also works because of the rest of a great ensemble with the likes of Sam Rockwell, Alfie Allen, and Rebel Wilson. And I cannot forget to mention Archie Yates who plays Jojo’s not imaginary best friend Yorki. That kid is perfect in this movie and every line that comes out of his mouth is pure gold.

That’s kind of the case for everyone though because the script is just as top-notch as the cast. The word play jokes are perfect, situational gags brilliant, and the heavier moments touching. This is one of the best feel good movies of the year because it finds ways to overcome a lot of terrible things in our real human history. Leave it to Taika Waititi to find a way to make a movie with Hitler and Nazis a funny and positive joy from start to finish.