---
title: "Jojo Rabbit"
year: 2019
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/jojo-rabbit"
fi1m_id: "jojo-rabbit"
imdb_id: "tt2584384"
tmdb_id: 515001
wikidata_id: "Q54862508"
fi1m_score: 88
critics_score: 56
critics_reviews: 36
published: "2026-09-17"
review_updated: "2026-10-25"
updated: "2026-10-25T10:26:22.863700+00:00"
region: "VN"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Jojo Rabbit (2019)

Directed by Taika Waititi · 1h 48m · Comedy, War, Drama

## Identity

Jojo Rabbit

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/jojo-rabbit
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** jojo-rabbit
- **IMDb ID:** tt2584384
- **TMDB ID:** 515001
- **Wikidata ID:** Q54862508
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2584384/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/515001, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q54862508

**Fi1m score: 88** · Critics 56 from 36 reviews

*In a sentence:* The children are so good that even an imaginary Hitler has to wait his turn

> Roman Griffin Davis and Scarlett Johansson give *Jojo Rabbit* the warmth that makes its account of indoctrination so moving. Taika Waititi occasionally overplays the imaginary Hitler, but this funny, compassionate film earns its faith in a child’s ability to change.

## Synopsis

Under the Third Reich during the Second World War, Jojo (Roman Griffin Davis) is a boy whose imaginary friend is Adolf (Taika Waititi), his own version of Hitler. Yorki (Archie Yates) is Jojo’s friend. Jojo tries to understand the world through the Nazi beliefs around him, with an imaginary dictator available to join the conversation. His relationship with Elsa (Thomasin McKenzie) puts those beliefs under pressure. Between the adults teaching him what to think and the people he gets to know, Jojo has to work out whose account to believe.

## Review

*Jojo Rabbit* is a funny, deeply affecting coming-of-age comedy that understands how seriously a child can take nonsense. Taika Waititi, who writes and directs, wants to make indoctrination comprehensible through a boy who treats Hitler as an imaginary friend. There is a useful idea here: a child can attach himself to something monstrous without understanding what it means. The film makes that attachment plausible, then gives the boy room to question it without pretending the beliefs themselves are harmless.

Roman Griffin Davis gives Jojo enough uncertainty to keep him from becoming simply a child delivering grown-up jokes. The performance makes it possible to care about this boy without endorsing the rubbish he believes. Thomasin McKenzie, as Elsa, is equally persuasive, bringing a wariness that keeps their scenes from becoming easy lessons in tolerance. She makes Elsa’s vulnerability matter independently of what Jojo might learn from her. Their exchanges give the difficult business of questioning a belief enough tension to hold our attention without the broader comedy.

Taika Waititi also plays Adolf, the imaginary Hitler, and the silliness has a clear purpose. We laughed at this dictator reduced to a boy’s imaginary companion, because the performance makes his authority look childish. A few routines go on too long, and once the absurdity is established, further clowning brings diminishing returns. Even so, the imaginary friend makes sense as someone this boy would invent, and the performance makes Jojo’s need for approval uncomfortably easy to recognise.

Scarlett Johansson gives Rosie a warmth that does not need the imaginary friend’s antics, and the film benefits from that quieter approach. We were moved by her scenes with Jojo because their affection gives him something believable to value beyond the beliefs he has been taught. Sam Rockwell’s Captain Klenzendorf supplies a more knowing kind of comedy. Both performances suggest lives beyond the boy’s understanding, without requiring the film to abandon his point of view.

Cinematographer Mihai Malaimare Jr. and production designer Ra Vincent make the setting attractive enough to support the fantasy. We can see why a child’s imagined world should look inviting. That appeal matters because Jojo has to discover what is wrong with surroundings and people he already likes. Presenting everything as sinister would make that discovery much easier, and much less interesting to watch.

Editor Tom Eagles has the awkward job of fitting broad farce beside scenes that ask for serious feeling. He gives the actors enough space for the serious moments to develop, so the film can change its tone without losing the people we care about. Michael Giacchino’s music contributes to the sweetness, and supports feelings the performances have already earned. At 108 minutes, the film has enough time for its story, and allows Jojo’s doubts to develop without turning every exchange into a lesson.

The consensus is far less enthusiastic than we are, particularly about the sentiment and the broad treatment of Nazis. We think the film’s affection for Jojo makes his indoctrination more troubling, because it insists that a child we like can still believe something hateful. As coming-of-age comedy, this is unusually willing to let its child be wrong. We recommend it warmly, with the warning that the imaginary dictator occasionally needs a firmer editor.

*Fi1m score 88, published 17 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

The reviews are sharply divided on Jojo Rabbit, with praise and qualified approval together outweighing outright rejection, but little agreement on whether its satire works. Praise clusters around the performances: Roman Griffin Davis’s comic timing and emotional range, Scarlett Johansson’s warmth, and Thomasin McKenzie’s scenes with Davis draw approval even from several sceptics. Supporters find the mixture of slapstick and tenderness funny and affecting, and see its gentleness as a useful way into the subject of indoctrination.

The central dispute is whether that gentleness makes hatred comprehensible or makes Nazism look harmless. Reservations repeatedly concern jarring tonal shifts, broad caricature and sentimentality that softens the history; even some favourable reviews find the comedy and drama unevenly joined. The spread is wide: Eye for Film explicitly rejects the charge of trivialising the Holocaust, while The New Yorker argues that the film’s sentimental treatment invites sympathy for Nazis.

## Straight answers

**Is Jojo Rabbit worth watching?**

*Jojo Rabbit* is well worth watching for its funny, compassionate account of childhood indoctrination, and we score it 88 out of 100. We recommend it warmly to anyone who enjoys coming-of-age comedy with difficult feelings beneath the jokes, though Waititi’s imaginary Hitler routines sometimes outstay their welcome.

**How long is Jojo Rabbit, and what is it rated?**

*Jojo Rabbit* runs 1h 48m. It is a comedy and war film.

**Where can I watch Jojo Rabbit in Vietnam?**

*Jojo Rabbit* is not on any streaming or rental service in Vietnam at the moment. It is available in 48 other countries; change your country at the top of the page to see where. Availability is checked daily.

**How violent or frightening is Jojo Rabbit, and is it suitable for children?**

*Jojo Rabbit* has a UK 12A certificate, so children under 12 need an accompanying adult at the cinema. Its Nazi beliefs and wartime setting warrant thought before watching with younger children; we would not treat the broad comedy as evidence that it is harmless family viewing. The certificate alone does not establish how graphic or frightening individual scenes are.

**How does Jojo Rabbit compare to Hunt for the Wilderpeople?**

*Jojo Rabbit* shares [*Hunt for the Wilderpeople*](https://film.one/film/hunt-for-the-wilderpeople)’s broad comedy and tenderness towards a stubborn child, but puts hateful beliefs at the centre of its coming-of-age story. We favour *Jojo Rabbit* for the difficult questions its young characters face, and recommend *Hunt for the Wilderpeople* when a wilderness friendship sounds more appealing; both earn their sweetness despite some overworked comedy.

**Is Jojo Rabbit based on a true story or a book?**

*Jojo Rabbit* is adapted from a novel by Christine Leunens, rather than presented as a true story. We would approach it as a fictional coming-of-age tale set under the Third Reich, not a factual account of one boy’s life. Reading the novel is not necessary to follow Jojo’s growing doubts about the beliefs he has been taught.

**What should I watch after Jojo Rabbit?**

After *Jojo Rabbit*, try [*Hunt for the Wilderpeople*](https://film.one/film/hunt-for-the-wilderpeople) (2016, Fi1m 82): Another stubborn child gives broad comedy a surprisingly tender centre. Then [*Good Bye, Lenin!*](https://film.one/film/good-bye-lenin) (2003, Fi1m 78): Family affection and political fantasy collide, with consequences the jokes cannot contain; and [*The Great Dictator*](https://film.one/film/the-great-dictator) (1940, Fi1m 80): Dictatorial vanity gets a thorough dressing-down, with room for an earnest appeal.

### Reviews we read (36)

- **Time Out**, Joshua Rothkopf (4/5): The review presents the film as an audacious comedy that finds a tricky way into a difficult subject. It singles out the film’s unusual premise of a Nazi boy befriending an imaginary Führer. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/jojo-rabbit)
- **Sight and Sound**, Ella Kemp (70/100, inferred): Kemp finds the film a witty, playful, well-intentioned satire, while acknowledging that its Holocaust comedy may alienate viewers. She especially praises Roman Griffin Davies’s convincing performance as Jojo. [Read](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/jojo-rabbit-review-taika-waititi-laughs-face-fascism)
- **Screen Daily**, Tim Grierson (68/100, inferred): The available text characterizes the film as a gentle satire. It singles out the boy’s imaginary friendship with Hitler as its central premise. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/jojo-rabbit-review/5142722.article)
- **The New York Times** (65/100, inferred): The page could not be read, so the critic’s verdict cannot be determined. No specific praise or criticism is available in the supplied text. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/17/movies/jojo-rabbit-review.html)
- **The AV Club**, A.A. Dowd (C+): Dowd finds the film a sentimental, thin crowd-pleaser rather than the provocative satire it promises. He particularly criticizes its gooey humanism and portrayal of Nazis as buffoons, which he says softens the horror of the Holocaust. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/jojo-rabbit-puts-a-kiwi-clown-nose-on-a-treacly-middle-1839148076)
- **Empire**, Ben Travis (60/100, inferred): The review finds the film daring but uneven, with tonal clashes that are partly redeemed by its humane second half. It singles out Thomasin McKenzie and Roman Griffin Davis for bringing tension and vulnerability to the story. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/jojo-rabbit/)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Kenneth Turan (60/100, inferred): Turan finds the film erratic but engaging, with its daring and sentimentality not always holding together. He particularly praises Waititi’s imaginary Hitler, while noting that Scarlett Johansson’s character feels underused. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2019-10-15/jojo-rabbit-scarlet-johannson-review)
- **Radio Times**, Patrick Cremona (3/5): The critic describes the comedy-drama as uneven. The review highlights Jojo’s indoctrination and the challenge to his prejudices when he discovers his mother is hiding a Jewish girl. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-6lvp40/jojo-rabbit/)
- **The i Paper**, Demetrios Matheou (★★★): The critic finds the film’s wacky approach to Nazi satire challenging, with tonal contrasts that sometimes grate, but ultimately touching rather than cynical. The central performances, especially Scarlett Johansson’s nuanced Rosie and Roman Griffin Davis’s emotional range, are singled out for praise. [Read](https://inews.co.uk/culture/film/jojo-rabbit-review-nazi-comedy-divisive-film-taika-waititi-cast-380838)
- **The Times**, Tom Shone (★★★): Taika Waititi has threaded a risky but funny path with this sweet-tempered, zany farce about a boy with an imaginary Hitler friend. It is slightly hit-and-miss but succeeds in many ways. [Read](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/film/article/film-review-jojo-rabbit-mjn02tcqz)
- **Total Film**, Jane Crowther (3/5): Crowther finds the film entertaining and emotionally affecting, but ultimately disposable rather than resonant. She praises the comic absurdity and notes a moving scene at a hanging scaffold. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/jojo-rabbit-review/)
- **IndieWire**, Eric Kohn (C): Kohn calls the film a charming but confused muddle that fails to confront the Holocaust’s realities. He praises Scarlett Johansson’s soulful comic performance and the scenes between Jojo and Elsa, while criticizing the film’s broad, superficial treatment of Nazi antisemitism. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/jojo-rabbit-review-taika-waititi-tiff-1202172024/)
- **Vulture**, David Edelstein (45/100, inferred): Edelstein finds the film an awkward tonal mixture, though he sees it as a middlebrow triumph and values its existence. He praises the charming young cast and singles out Taika Waititi’s manic performance as the imaginary Hitler for keeping the film afloat. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/2019/10/jojo-rabbit-movie-review-taika-waititi-as-hitler.html)
- **Evening Standard**, David Sexton (2/5): Sexton judges the film a tonally unsuccessful, overly cute treatment of its grim subject, with neither convincing drama nor effective spoof. He praises Roman Griffin Davis’s performance as Jojo but finds the attempted pathos and uplift lacking historical weight. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/jojo-rabbit-review-dont-be-fooled-theres-nothing-cute-about-the-hitler-youth-a4325561.html)
- **The Guardian**, Benjamin Lee (2/5): Lee finds the satire smug, thinly etched and too timid to do justice to its subject. He singles out Scarlett Johansson’s charming, convincing performance as the film’s strongest element. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/sep/09/jojo-rabbit-review-scarlett-johansson-lifts-smug-hitler-comedy)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, Todd McCarthy (35/100, inferred): McCarthy finds the film’s Nazi-era comedy divisive and ultimately less effective as its story deepens. He praises Sam Rockwell’s comic performance and the young lead’s central role, but criticizes the cartoonish treatment and choreographed ending. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/jojo-rabbit-review-1238171/)
- **Variety**, Owen Gleiberman (30/100, inferred): Gleiberman finds the film conventional and too safe, despite its claim to daring satire. He praises Thomasin Harcourt McKenzie’s performance as Elsa, while faulting the film for leaving the children’s emotions on the surface. [Read](https://variety.com/2019/film/reviews/jojo-rabbit-review-taiki-waititi-1203328083/)
- **The Telegraph** (1/5): The film is a feeble, one-note Nazi comedy that fails to land a single meaningful blow as satire and veers into sentimental tear-jerker territory. [Read](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/2019/10/05/jojo-rabbit-review-feeble-one-note-nazi-comedy-fails-land-single/)
- **Little White Lies**, Hannah Strong (15/100, inferred): The critic finds the satire painfully unfunny, politically toothless and ultimately a missed opportunity. They praise the chemistry between Roman Griffin Davis and Thomasin McKenzie, while criticizing Taika Waititi’s Hitler performance as distracting and one-note. [Read](https://www.lwlies.com/festivals/jojo-rabbit-toronto-film-festival-review-taika-waititi-scarlett-johansson)
- **Slant Magazine**, Keith Uhlich (10/100, inferred): Uhlich condemns the film as a wrongheaded, humorless satire that mishandles oppression and indoctrination. He singles out its cheap sentimentality and joke-making, while finding one German-shepherd pun briefly amusing. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/jojo-rabbit-review-taika-waititi/)
- **The New Yorker**, Richard Brody (10/100, inferred): Brody pans the film, arguing that its anti-hate satire backfires by inviting sympathy for Nazis and contemporary hate movements. He singles out the film’s sentimental humanism and its portrayal of “good Nazis” as especially troubling. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-front-row/springtime-for-nazis-how-the-satire-of-jojo-rabbit-backfires)
- **Eye for Film**, Jennie Kermode (90/100, inferred): Kermode praises the film as clever, funny and deeply humane, rejecting claims that it trivialises the Holocaust. She singles out Roman Griffin Davis’s performance for capturing Jojo’s transformation with impeccable comic timing. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/jojo-rabbit-2019-film-review-by-jennie-kermode)
- **Deadline**, Pete Hammond (85/100, inferred): The critic finds that Taika Waititi succeeds admirably in taking the risky premise of a Nazi satire and delivering a film that amuses while reminding viewers of the idiocy and horrors of Hitler and his followers. He singles out the superb performance of child actor Roman Griffin Davis as Jojo for particular praise. [Read](https://deadline.com/video/jojo-rabbit-review-taika-waititi-adolf-hitler-nazi-satire/)
- **Paste**, Joelle Monique (9.5): Monique praises the film as a tender, thought-provoking exploration of anger, despair, and empathy. She singles out the performances and its blend of slapstick comedy with serious reflection on hate. [Read](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/jojo-rabbit/jojo-rabbit-review)
- **/Film**, Chris Evangelista (9 out of 10): The critic calls the film a heartfelt, sweet, black comedy that deftly balances darkness and light. They especially praise the performances of Roman Griffin Davis and Scarlett Johansson, and the warmth of their on-screen bond. [Read](https://www.slashfilm.com/568944/jojo-rabbit-review/)
- **Collider**, Matt Goldberg (B+): Goldberg finds the film hilarious and sweet, with a heartfelt case for love over hate. He especially praises Roman Griffin Davis and Thomasin McKenzie for bringing comedy and pathos to their roles. [Read](https://collider.com/jojo-rabbit-review/)
- **Consequence**, Joe Lipsett (80/100, inferred): The critic finds the film surprisingly emotional and hilarious, praising its balance of comedy and wartime horror. They single out Taika Waititi’s witty script and comic performance as Hitler as highlights. [Read](https://consequence.net/2019/10/film-review-jojo-rabbit/)
- **The Skinny**, Caitlin Quinlan (4/5): Quinlan finds the satire sensitive, silly and sweet, with Waititi’s kind direction balancing the subject’s dangers. She particularly praises Roman Griffin Davis’s funny, emotionally perceptive performance as Jojo. [Read](https://www.theskinny.co.uk/film/new-releases/tiff-2019-jojo-rabbit)
- **The Wrap** (78/100, inferred): The critic finds the film a grandly entertaining provocation that ultimately makes a case for understanding. They praise its genuine heart and touching moments, though the Nazi-mocking joke sometimes runs out of steam. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/jojo-rabbit-film-review-taika-waititi-insists-that-nazis-can-be-funny/)
- **Den of Geek**, Don Kaye (3.5 out of 5): Kaye finds the film enjoyable and largely successful, though its comedy and drama do not fully cohere and its emotional impact feels muted. He particularly praises the performances, especially Sam Rockwell’s revealing turn as Capt. Klenzendorf. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/jojo-rabbit-review-scarlett-johansson/)
- **NME** (★★★★☆): The critic finds the film charming and often funny, though its central story is disappointingly predictable. They praise its witty script and visual style, while noting that the comedy is less caustic than expected. [Read](https://www.nme.com/reviews/jojo-rabbit-review-taika-waititi-2554204)
- **Film Stories**, Charlotte Harrison (75/100, inferred): The critic finds the film hilarious, heartbreaking and audacious, though its tonal shifts and occasional bad taste can jar. The performances, especially Roman Griffin Davis’s lead turn and Taika Waititi’s Hitler, are singled out for praise. [Read](https://filmstories.co.uk/reviews/jojo-rabbit-review/)
- **Digital Spy**, Gabriella Geisinger (65/100, inferred): Geisinger finds the film effective overall, though its comic treatment of Nazis can feel unsettling. She particularly praises Elsa’s role in making viewers empathize with Jewish experience. [Read](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a29641058/jojo-rabbit-review-hitler-nazi-taika-waititi/)
- **HeyUGuys**, Katie Smith-Wong (60/100, inferred): The film establishes a whimsical tone but loses consistency in the third act as serious elements clash with comedy. It ultimately offers sweetness and an idiotically hilarious Hitler, though some plot elements like friendship with Yorki are underdeveloped. [Read](https://www.heyuguys.com/jojo-rabbit-lff-2019-review-taika-waititi/)
- **The Playlist**, Charles Bramesco (D+): Bramesco finds the film’s plea for tolerance naively idealistic and politically misguided. He praises Scarlett Johansson’s performance as Jojo’s mother, while arguing that the film wrongly treats forceful opposition as a problem. [Read](https://theplaylist.net/jojo-rabbit-taika-waititi-tiff-review-20190909/)
- **The Ringer**, Adam Nayman (30/100, inferred): Nayman finds the film’s anti-Nazi satire overly safe and emotionally manipulative, ultimately softening the horrors it means to confront. He praises the psychological detail of Jojo’s imaginary Hitler growing spiteful as his influence fades. [Read](https://www.theringer.com/2019/10/18/movies/jojo-rabbit-review-taika-waititi)

## Details

- **Director:** Taika Waititi
- **Director:** Taika Waititi
- **Screenplay:** Taika Waititi
- **Novel:** Christine Leunens
- **Cinematography:** Mihai Malaimare Jr.
- **Editor:** Tom Eagles
- **Music:** Michael Giacchino
- **Production design:** Ra Vincent
- **Costume design:** Mayes C. Rubeo
- **Producer:** Carthew Neal, Taika Waititi, Chelsea Winstanley
- **Cast:** Roman Griffin Davis as Jojo; Thomasin McKenzie as Elsa; Scarlett Johansson as Rosie; Taika Waititi as Adolf; Sam Rockwell as Captain Klenzendorf; Rebel Wilson as Fraulein Rahm; Alfie Allen as Finkel; Stephen Merchant as Deertz
- **Runtime:** 1h 48m
- **First release (Canada):** 8 September 2019
- **Genres:** Comedy, War, Drama
- **Also in:** [Best Picture winners](https://film.one/collections/oscar-best-picture.md) (Nominee, 2019); [Golden Globe Best Musical or Comedy winners](https://film.one/collections/golden-globe-comedy.md) (Nominee, 2019)
- **Budget:** $14 million
- **Box office:** $82 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tL4McUzXfFI

## Where to watch in Vietnam

Not streaming, renting or buying in Vietnam at the last check.

Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HR, HU, IE, IL, IS, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, SI, TR, UA, US, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## Awards

- Academy Awards 2020: Best Picture (nominated); Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay (won)

## If you liked this

- *Hunt for the Wilderpeople* (2016), Fi1m 82: Another stubborn child gives broad comedy a surprisingly tender centre. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/hunt-for-the-wilderpeople.md)
- *Good Bye, Lenin!* (2003), Fi1m 78: Family affection and political fantasy collide, with consequences the jokes cannot contain. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/good-bye-lenin.md)
- *The Great Dictator* (1940), Fi1m 80: Dictatorial vanity gets a thorough dressing-down, with room for an earnest appeal. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-great-dictator.md)
- *Au revoir les enfants* (1987), Fi1m 90: Childhood friendship under Nazi persecution, treated with a restraint that makes it hurt. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/au-revoir-les-enfants.md)
- *My Life as a Courgette* (2016), Fi1m 84: Children carry difficult histories through a funny, carefully judged story of belonging. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/my-life-as-a-zucchini.md)

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© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/jojo-rabbit