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A30 PEOPLE & ARTS
Wednesday 11 september 2019
Waititi’s ‘Jojo Rabbit’ finds a mixed response in Toronto

By JAKE COYLE again, it was even harder “Thor: Ragnarok.” It’s a
Associated Press when Waititi was pitching coming-of-age story about
TORONTO (AP) — It’s just “Jojo Rabbit” to film ex- a 10-year-old boy named
a few hours before “Jojo ecutives. “You don’t walk Jojo (Roman Griffin Da-
Rabbit” will make its world into a studio and say: ‘Nazi vis) who lives with his mom
premiere at the Toronto comedy!’” he says. (Scarlett Johansson) and
International Film Festival, “Jojo Rabbit” is as singular has an imaginary friend he
and writer-director Taika as its director, the New Zea- talks to for company and
Waititi is still figuring out land filmmaker of absurdist guidance.
how to talk about it. comedies (“What We Do in Oh, and also “Jojo Rabbit”
“I’m still learning, really, the Shadows,” ‘’The Hunt is set in Nazi Germany and
how to describe it,” Waititi for the Wilderpeople”) that imaginary friend is Ad-
says. who’s coming off helm- olf Hitler.
It’s no easy task. But, then ing the 2017 Marvel smash But that summary doesn’t
really do the job either.
Hitler, as played with bug-
eyed flair by Waititi, is really
the young, uncertain boy’s
confused, half-formed idea
of Hitler, the man he’s been
indoctrinated to idolize.
The movie starts off a mad- This Sept. 8, 2019 photo shows writer-director-actor Taika Waititi
cap comedy and gradu- posing for a portrait to promote his film, “Jojo Rabbit,” at the
ally morphs into something Fairmont Royal York Hotel during the Toronto International Film
sweetly sentimental, as Festival in Toronto.
Jojo begins questioning Associated Press
what he’s been told about 18, had come into Toronto you have to worry about
Jews after discovering one one of the festival’s biggest this movie because once
(Thomasin McKenzie) living question marks. It might you see it, it speaks for itself.
in his attic. leave that way, too. It’s uplifting and it’s a very
“Jojo Rabbit” is about grow- Last month, Variety report- positive message.”
ing up in a world where the ed that some Disney ex- Regardless, “Jojo Rab-
received wisdom is ridicu- ecutives were concerned bit” makes for one of the
lous. about “Jojo Rabbit” being more audacious gambits
“It’s vital that we keep re- too edgy for the company, by a filmmaker coming
telling these stories and which earlier this year took off a box-office success,
doing them in inventive control of Fox Searchlight with industry capital to
and interesting ways,” said as part of its larger acqui- burn. Waititi, who’s Jew-
Waititi, alluding to more sition of 20th Century Fox. ish and Maori, from the Te
straightforwardly serious One executive reportedly Whanau-a-Apanui tribe,
films about WWII Germany. worried that the film would originally wrote the film
“If that involves adding hu- “alienate Disney fans.” years ago (before his pre-
mor and absurdity, then so But Waititi said he doesn’t vious three features) after
be it. It’s still communicat- believe that report. He has his mother’s description of
ing the same ideas.” his own history with Disney. a novel (Christine Leunens’
Whether Waititi managed Waititi’s “Thor” movie was a “Caging Skies”) piqued his
to pull it off was of consid- Disney release and made interest.
erable debate once his film $848 million worldwide. “Over a couple years I just
did hit audiences Sunday He’s set to direct its 2021 slowly chipped away at the
night in Toronto. “Jojo Rab- sequel. script. I was never really im-
bit” was hailed as a mas- “About a month before patient to make it. I always
terpiece, Waititi’s eccen- that article, Iger and Horn knew that it was going to
tric opus and a worthy heir had seen the film and they be a good film and a really
to Charlie Chaplin’s “The have been very compli- important story, and that if I
Dictator” by some, while mentary. They gushed over had to wait, that would be
others deemed it a badly it,” said Waititi, referring to fine,” he says.
misjudged misfire that awk- Disney chief executive Bob While Waititi was on post-
wardly melds humor with Iger and chief creative of- production on “Thor,”
atrocity no better than Ro- ficer Alan Horn. “They’ve Searchlight approached
berto Benigni’s schmaltzy continued to send me sup- him about making “Jojo
“Life Is Beautiful” did two portive notes about the Rabbit.” And partially be-
decades before it. film.” cause there were likely to
Entertainment Weekly Waititi also challenged the be few takers for the role,
called it “an audacious idea that an independent they suggested Waititi play
piece of Third Reich whim- film like “Jojo Rabbit” could Hitler, too.
sy that almost definitely ever be worthy of such “They convinced me to
shouldn’t work as well as consternation. play Adolf. That was never
it does.” Variety called it “It’s like saying, ‘Watch out really my idea,” said Waititi.
“’Life Is Beautiful’ made for that “Life Is Beautiful” “Look at me. I’m Polyne-
with attitude.’” movie. It’s going to bring sian. I’m the least obvious
“Jojo Rabbit,” which Fox down the corporation,’” choice. But maybe that’s
Searchlight will release Oct. said Waititi. “I don’t think why it’s a good choice.”q