I love Taika Waititi. And the most exciting thing happening this January – apart from the new vegan steak bake at Greggs – was the release of Jo Jo Rabbit.
It has been far too long since his triumph Hunt for the Wilderpeople. I have recommended this film so many times that I have probably caused ear-canal bleeds. But it is just wonderful.
So, Jo Jo’s trailer seemed as promising as Wilderpeople with a young protagonist in a bizarre world. But Jo Jo is not just a bizarre film, it’s weird and dark – but that’s partly why I loved it. That and it has buckets of charm, dollops of warmth and is a sheer joy from start to finish.
The story is surreal and centres around little Jo Jo who is a 10-year-old devout Nazi. That description probably doesn’t make you warm to him. And it’s about to get worse…his imaginary friend is Adolf Hitler. This is not someone that, by that description, you would want to be in the same room as – let alone care about. But care about him you will!
When he’s stuck at home recuperating from a feckless stunt at fascist camp he discovers that his mother is hiding a Jewish girl in the attic. It is his absolute worst nightmare. His Nazi lunacy cannot stand this.
His mother is brilliantly played by Scarlett Johansson and their relationship is a wallop of wonder with a cherry-top of cheerfulness, while also being totally tender and earnestly endearing.
The fact that Waititi can take such a serious subject as Nazism, poke fun at it – and be genuinely entertaining is total genius. He shows what an insane thing it was but he does is playfully.
The original story idea is brilliantly far-fetched – and was originally a book Caging Skies by Christine Leunens. Waititi has magicked this into a riotous screenplay.
It is genuinely funny, will have you grimacing in places and will have you Googling an extremely lovely quote from the poet Rilke as you leave the cinema.
offbeat words 
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