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Jojo Rabbit
114 pages, ebook
First published March 15, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
January 26, 2021
Jojo Rabbit is the Academy Award-winning screenplay adapted from the novel Caging Skies by Christine Leunens. Tonally this is a completely different animal and it was fun to compare the two works. (My review of Caging Skies: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... )
Ten year-old Johannes Betzler is fervently devoted to the Nazi cause in spite of the running gag that he has a childish play fantasy understanding of the concepts and propaganda. The biggest departure from the novel is a wacky, imaginary Adolf Hitler who comforts Jojo after the rest of the Hitler Youth tease him for lacking the fortitude to murder a rabbit.
Imaginary Hitler lends a goofy vibe to scenes that might otherwise feel disturbing and raw. When Jojo discovers his mother has been hiding a Jewish girl, Elsa, in a secret compartment in their home, he sets out to expose all of Elsa's secrets, such as where does she hide her horns? And can she draw a picture of a typical Jew hive, where the Queen Jew lays her eggs? The book has moments of broad humor as well, but it explores much darker territory, dealing mainly with Johannes' guilt over lying to Elsa.
The script brilliantly condenses dozens of scenes from the novel into the first few pages, while still capturing the spirit of the book. It's skillfully crafted page-turner with many laugh out loud moments. One small detail that seemed a bit off: in Caging Skies, despite being one-handed, Johannes must perform all the cooking and cleaning because Elsa is hiding from several other people who live in the house. In the script Jojo and Elsa live alone, so it's a bit strange that Elsa doesn't help him. Also, I have yet to watch the film, so perhaps the ending departs from this draft I read, written in 2012, but it seems to end rather abruptly, in a way that would have benefited from an additional scene or two.
YORKI
Are you alright Jojo?
JOJO
Absolutely, I was just doing some pushups
for my muscles.
YORKI
I thought you were crying.
JOJO
Nope. Push-ups.
(flexing his tiny arm )
And don’t just assume that because
water comes from someone’s eyes that
they are crying, okay? Are you a teardrop
specialist?
YORKI
No.
JOJO
Case closed.
Ten year-old Johannes Betzler is fervently devoted to the Nazi cause in spite of the running gag that he has a childish play fantasy understanding of the concepts and propaganda. The biggest departure from the novel is a wacky, imaginary Adolf Hitler who comforts Jojo after the rest of the Hitler Youth tease him for lacking the fortitude to murder a rabbit.
Imaginary Hitler lends a goofy vibe to scenes that might otherwise feel disturbing and raw. When Jojo discovers his mother has been hiding a Jewish girl, Elsa, in a secret compartment in their home, he sets out to expose all of Elsa's secrets, such as where does she hide her horns? And can she draw a picture of a typical Jew hive, where the Queen Jew lays her eggs? The book has moments of broad humor as well, but it explores much darker territory, dealing mainly with Johannes' guilt over lying to Elsa.
ADOLF (CONT’D)
Okay, let’s talk like turkeys. I guess
you can’t tell your mother or the Jew
will cut off your Nazi head. No real
way around that right now. But y’know,
there’s no reason this thing in the
attic needs to ruin your life. I think
you could use it to your advantage.
JOJO
How?
ADOLF
Well, when someone tries to use mindpowers
on me, you know what I do?
(beat)
Use mind powers back on them.
The script brilliantly condenses dozens of scenes from the novel into the first few pages, while still capturing the spirit of the book. It's skillfully crafted page-turner with many laugh out loud moments. One small detail that seemed a bit off: in Caging Skies, despite being one-handed, Johannes must perform all the cooking and cleaning because Elsa is hiding from several other people who live in the house. In the script Jojo and Elsa live alone, so it's a bit strange that Elsa doesn't help him. Also, I have yet to watch the film, so perhaps the ending departs from this draft I read, written in 2012, but it seems to end rather abruptly, in a way that would have benefited from an additional scene or two.
April 11, 2020
I LOVED it! There are some differences between this script (written in 2012) and the script they used for the movie (which is in my top 5 movies of 2019), and there are some extra scenes.
Both the script and the movie made me feel a lot of different emotions, they made me sad and brought tears to my eyes, especially the ending, they made me happy, they made me laugh my ass off at all the jokes. Its style is quite similar to other Taika's movies, especially Boy and Hunt for the Wilderpeople (What We Do in the Shadows is completely different, and I do recommend it wholeheartedly, but that is beside the point :D ). Taika Waititi is an absolute genius.
I also really liked the quote Taika used at the end of the movie, and I think it is quite fitting for our current situation with the worldwide lockdown and the whole coronavirus thing. Definitely a perfect movie to enjoy while in quarantine.
"Let everything happen to you
Beauty and terror
Just keep going
No feeling is final."
Rilke
Both the script and the movie made me feel a lot of different emotions, they made me sad and brought tears to my eyes, especially the ending, they made me happy, they made me laugh my ass off at all the jokes. Its style is quite similar to other Taika's movies, especially Boy and Hunt for the Wilderpeople (What We Do in the Shadows is completely different, and I do recommend it wholeheartedly, but that is beside the point :D ). Taika Waititi is an absolute genius.
I also really liked the quote Taika used at the end of the movie, and I think it is quite fitting for our current situation with the worldwide lockdown and the whole coronavirus thing. Definitely a perfect movie to enjoy while in quarantine.
"Let everything happen to you
Beauty and terror
Just keep going
No feeling is final."
Rilke
April 20, 2020
Absolutely gorgeous! 'Jojo Rabbit' is so extremely wonderful, I have been obsessed with it since I watched it. Taika just knows how to balance the humour with heartfelt and emotional moments that hit you very hard. Marvellous storytelling and just so much fun.
February 26, 2020
Had to read the winner of best adapted screenplay 2020. Wonderful.!
December 2, 2021
fucking genius is all i have to say
February 16, 2020
الي اصدقائي علي جودريدذ اللامنطقيين احييكم واوجه اليكم خبر عاجل اني لما احاول قراءه هذا الكتاب الا عندما تحول الا فيلم
نعود الي زمن هتلر وجوجو الحماسي
الفيلم يجعلنا نضحك على موضوع اعتبرناه طوال الوقت مأساة، وهو ضحك مبكٍ حزين، لكنه ساخر ولاذع وحاد.
تملأ الحماسة نفس «جوجو» وهو يرتدى الزى العسكرى، يردد القسم «أقسم أن أكرس كل طاقتى وقوتى لخدمة منقذ بلدنا، أنا مستعد للتخلى عن حياتى من أجله».
ولأن ترديد الشعارات الحماسية قد يحرك القوة فى النفس، وقد يزيف الوعى كاملًا إلا أنه لا يستطيع أن ينقل «جوجو» من عالم الطفولة إلى عالم الكبار، فأثناء التدريب يأمره رفاقه الأكبر بكسر رقبة أرنب، لا يستطيع «جوجو» أن يقتل الأرنب بل يضعه على الأرض ويدعوه للهروب، فيتعرض للسخرية والتنمر من رفاقه، مما يجعله يجرى بعيدًا فى الغابة وينزوى وحيدًا، لكن صديقه الخيالى، والذى هو شخصية الفوهرر هتلر، ينصحه بالتماسك وعدم الاستسلام «الناس يقولون الكثير من الأشياء السيئة عنى، هذا الرجل مجنون، انظروا لهذا المعتوه، سيتسبب فى مقتلنا كلنا، الأرنب المتواضع يواجه مخاطر كل يوم وهو يبحث عن الجزر من أجل عائلته، من أجل بلده».
وفى عبارة تكشف عن زيف وعى هتلر نفسه، وتناقض ما يقوله مع ما يفعله، يحكى للصبى «ستكون إمبراطوريتى مليئة بكل الحيوانات، أسود، زرافات، حمر وحشية، وحيدى قرن، أخطوبوطات…».
هذا التعدد فى إمبراطورية هتلر الحيوانية المتخيلة لم يحدث فى إمبراطوريته الحقيقية التى اجتاح أوروبا لبنائها، فقد عمل على تسيد الجنس الآرى والقضاء على الأجناس الأخرى عبر الإبادة الجماعية.
واستجابة لتشجيع هتلر يندفع «جوجو» للمغامرة تمامًا مثل مرشده دون فهم أو حساب للعواقب.
وتكون النتيجة أن يمسك جوجو بقنبلة يدوية يقذفها دون أن يتعلم كيف يلقيها، فتنفجر فيه وتصيب جسده وتترك ندوبًا واضحة تشوه وجهه، ما يجعله يفقد الثقة فى نفسه،
جوجو أنت لست نازيًا، أنت طفل عمره عشر سنوات، يرتدى زيًا مضحكًا، ويريد أن ينضم لنادٍ ما.
لذا بعد هزيمة الألمان ودخول الحلفاء ألمانيا، يخبرها بأن ألمانيا انتصرت كى تبقى معه، بعد أن فقد كل عائلته، لكنه يعود ويخبرها بالحقيقة بعد أن يطلب منها أن تثق به كأخ أصغر.
كما اهتم بتقديم المدينة الألمانية كمكان سعيد وعصرى وأشخاصه يتبعون الموضة فى ملابسهم ويرتدون ملابس زاهية وعلى الموضة.. صورة جميلة بعيدًا عن الصورة الكئيبة والمظلمة، كما تظهرها عادة أفلام الحرب، لكن تحت السطح كان الرايخ قد سقط وتمت الهزيمة فعلًا وتبخر الحلم.
ويبقى فى الأذن صوت طفل من الشبيبة يختبئ من هول الحرب، وهو يقول: لا شىء منطقيًا الآن.
January 27, 2020
Compared to the book in which it's based on, Christine Leunens' awful "Caging Skies," and the film, which didn't quite work for me in execution, Taika Waititi's screenplay is probably my favorite iteration of this story. Waititi somehow makes this Holocaust story into a solid comedy and makes smart changes from the book that seem like no-brainers. Making Jojo and Elsa younger is simple but an important shift, and disregarding half the book is the best choice anyone could make with that book. The screenplay also has the benefit of not being tainted by Waititi's directorial flourishes yet. Characters that are comedically larger in the film in a way that didn't work for me are more toned down in the screenplay. On the page, Jojo Rabbit is funny, but never in a way that undermines the evilness of the Nazi regime, and the emotions here just popped for me in a much stronger way than either the film or the book were able to present.
February 13, 2020
This is one of my favorite scripts of all time! I absolutely love the way Taika Waititi uses his humor to craft both a light yet deep and poignant storyline. The satire is perfect and daring, exploring the Nazi prejudice through main characters that so extremely and irrationally adhere to it. And the story! The metaphors! It’s such a touching film. I would highly recommend it.
February 10, 2020
I was literally watching the Oscars, reading this, and thought to myself "I really hope this wins best adapted screenplay." Ten minutes later...it did. Waititi is a genius filmmaker, and he definitely earned this win. I loved his speech and encouraging indigenous kids to go out and make art. Such a good screenplay.
August 2, 2025
Jojo Rabbit, written and directed by Taika Waititi, based on the novel by Christine Leunens
Nine out of 10
This is a note on the film based on the book.
Having seen the enchanting, original Hunt for the Wilderpeople - http://realini.blogspot.com/2018/02/h... - this viewer has had the occasion to appreciate the considerable talent of Taika Waititi, writer–director Oscar nominated for another, short film, the one who has been appreciated for this motion picture, nominated for two Golden Globes, Screen Actors Guild and other awards, but also criticized by outlets such as Variety:
“It’s like a Wes Anderson movie set during the Third Reich. ... And yet it’s not as if it’s a terrible movie; it’s actually a studiously conventional movie dressed up in the self-congratulatory “daring” of its look!-let’s-prank-the-Nazis cachet.”
If you consider that this may be The Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, in which you have the Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy at the Golden Globes, in just a couple of weeks, then you will be in a quandary and have to decide for yourself if the critics that have dismissed Jojo Rabbit as too conventional, ‘safe, sanitized, without daring or at the extreme
“Waititi is incapable of dealing with the twin horrors of oppression and indoctrination beyond cheap-seats sentimentality and joke-making…Slant Magazine”
This cinephile is in a mind to consider Aristotle and his Golden Mean – “The Golden Mean is a sliding scale for determining what is virtuous. Aristotle believed that being morally good meant striking a balance between two vices. You could have a vice of excess or one of deficiency. This is known as Virtue Ethics”
In other words, this is not fascinating, actually far from the outstanding, glorious film of the year, winner of the Palme d’Or at the most important cinematic gathering, The Cannes Film Festival, Parasite - http://realini.blogspot.com/2019/08/p...
At the same time, it looks equal, if not superior to Marriage Story - http://realini.blogspot.com/2019/12/m... - and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, two of the most talked about,
acclaimed movies of this rather feeble year in cinema, with the granted phenomenal exception of the South Korean superb film.
Jojo Rabbit aka the very promising, Golden Globe nominated, very young, about eleven years old Roman Griffin Davis lives in Nazi Germany, and we look at the days that mark the end of that horror, wherein the boy lives with his mother, Rosie aka excellent Scarlett Johansson, nominated for a Golden Globe herself, but for Marriage Story, and talks frequently with an imaginary, buffoonish, Trump-like Hitler aka Taika Waititi.
Sam Rockwell is as always fabulous in the role of Captain Klezendorf, a mostly vicious, cruel, idiotic fascist, who would be the paradigm of the monster, if not for a crucial, brief, but essential exception when he would have a pivotal role for the escape or condemnation of the hero.
Jojo has been brainwashed by the Nazi propaganda machine – on a side note, psychology studies have looked at the powerful effect that authority has, indeed, if figured prominently in Influence a quintessential work by the marvelous Robert Cialdini, from which we learn that the Principle of Authority is obeyed, even in tests which seem to put the life of participants in danger.
Therefore, the main character is shocked to find a Jewish girl, Elsa aka Thomasin McKenzie, remarkable, if so young in Leave No Trace - http://realini.blogspot.com/2018/10/l... - hiding in his house, brought there as we would learn by the mother, who would soon suffer the tragic consequences of her rebellion, subversive activities, which include distributing printing material calling for the end of the fascist repression and liberation…
The initial confrontation between Jojo and Elsa would be transformed into a love story; the girl would soon see the self-proclaimed Nazi, enemy of the Jews as a younger brother, while the boy is a bit more confused by the butterflies that he may, literally see in his stomach.
Thus, the motion picture is rather spectacular in its performances, the subject matter, treated with both humor and the needed seriousness attached to such a calamitous period.
As for its place in the history of cinema, it is far from sure that it has one, except as a footnote, but then you may have a very different opinion.
Nine out of 10
This is a note on the film based on the book.
Having seen the enchanting, original Hunt for the Wilderpeople - http://realini.blogspot.com/2018/02/h... - this viewer has had the occasion to appreciate the considerable talent of Taika Waititi, writer–director Oscar nominated for another, short film, the one who has been appreciated for this motion picture, nominated for two Golden Globes, Screen Actors Guild and other awards, but also criticized by outlets such as Variety:
“It’s like a Wes Anderson movie set during the Third Reich. ... And yet it’s not as if it’s a terrible movie; it’s actually a studiously conventional movie dressed up in the self-congratulatory “daring” of its look!-let’s-prank-the-Nazis cachet.”
If you consider that this may be The Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, in which you have the Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy at the Golden Globes, in just a couple of weeks, then you will be in a quandary and have to decide for yourself if the critics that have dismissed Jojo Rabbit as too conventional, ‘safe, sanitized, without daring or at the extreme
“Waititi is incapable of dealing with the twin horrors of oppression and indoctrination beyond cheap-seats sentimentality and joke-making…Slant Magazine”
This cinephile is in a mind to consider Aristotle and his Golden Mean – “The Golden Mean is a sliding scale for determining what is virtuous. Aristotle believed that being morally good meant striking a balance between two vices. You could have a vice of excess or one of deficiency. This is known as Virtue Ethics”
In other words, this is not fascinating, actually far from the outstanding, glorious film of the year, winner of the Palme d’Or at the most important cinematic gathering, The Cannes Film Festival, Parasite - http://realini.blogspot.com/2019/08/p...
At the same time, it looks equal, if not superior to Marriage Story - http://realini.blogspot.com/2019/12/m... - and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, two of the most talked about,
acclaimed movies of this rather feeble year in cinema, with the granted phenomenal exception of the South Korean superb film.
Jojo Rabbit aka the very promising, Golden Globe nominated, very young, about eleven years old Roman Griffin Davis lives in Nazi Germany, and we look at the days that mark the end of that horror, wherein the boy lives with his mother, Rosie aka excellent Scarlett Johansson, nominated for a Golden Globe herself, but for Marriage Story, and talks frequently with an imaginary, buffoonish, Trump-like Hitler aka Taika Waititi.
Sam Rockwell is as always fabulous in the role of Captain Klezendorf, a mostly vicious, cruel, idiotic fascist, who would be the paradigm of the monster, if not for a crucial, brief, but essential exception when he would have a pivotal role for the escape or condemnation of the hero.
Jojo has been brainwashed by the Nazi propaganda machine – on a side note, psychology studies have looked at the powerful effect that authority has, indeed, if figured prominently in Influence a quintessential work by the marvelous Robert Cialdini, from which we learn that the Principle of Authority is obeyed, even in tests which seem to put the life of participants in danger.
Therefore, the main character is shocked to find a Jewish girl, Elsa aka Thomasin McKenzie, remarkable, if so young in Leave No Trace - http://realini.blogspot.com/2018/10/l... - hiding in his house, brought there as we would learn by the mother, who would soon suffer the tragic consequences of her rebellion, subversive activities, which include distributing printing material calling for the end of the fascist repression and liberation…
The initial confrontation between Jojo and Elsa would be transformed into a love story; the girl would soon see the self-proclaimed Nazi, enemy of the Jews as a younger brother, while the boy is a bit more confused by the butterflies that he may, literally see in his stomach.
Thus, the motion picture is rather spectacular in its performances, the subject matter, treated with both humor and the needed seriousness attached to such a calamitous period.
As for its place in the history of cinema, it is far from sure that it has one, except as a footnote, but then you may have a very different opinion.
February 13, 2020
یکی از جذابترین بخش های سینما وادبیات برای من رابطه دو آدم اغلب کودک - نازی و یهودی -در جنگ جهانی دوم .
تلخی های دنیا داستان های عجیب و جذابی رو رقم می زنن .
ساداکو ، گل صحرا ، فرار از اردوگاه ۱۴ ، نان سال های جوانی ، دوست بازیافته، نامه به ناشناخته ، زندگی جنگ و دیگر هیچ...
و هزاران داستان دیگه ....
این داستان ها بماند شاید نسل های اینده ، خواندند و دیدن و تصمیم گرفتن هر دو در یک سمت دیوار بایستند و چهار پنج نفر کله گنده ی دنیا رو کله پا کنن !
تلخی های دنیا داستان های عجیب و جذابی رو رقم می زنن .
ساداکو ، گل صحرا ، فرار از اردوگاه ۱۴ ، نان سال های جوانی ، دوست بازیافته، نامه به ناشناخته ، زندگی جنگ و دیگر هیچ...
و هزاران داستان دیگه ....
این داستان ها بماند شاید نسل های اینده ، خواندند و دیدن و تصمیم گرفتن هر دو در یک سمت دیوار بایستند و چهار پنج نفر کله گنده ی دنیا رو کله پا کنن !
January 9, 2020
Hilarious and heartbreaking screenplay. I guffawed dozens of times reading this and was in tears at the end. Read like a dream. Interesting how full sentence-y and long the action segments were. Old school. Can't wait to see it.
ADOLF: “Camels”, ha!
(aside) What’s in those bumps I wonder? Gold? More humps? Baby Camels? I guess we’ll never know their secrets!
ADOLF: “Camels”, ha!
(aside) What’s in those bumps I wonder? Gold? More humps? Baby Camels? I guess we’ll never know their secrets!
Want to read
December 24, 202020th November 2020. This is not Today's date.
This movie was amazing, nothing short of a small miracle; nonsensical but real. Valid. I am fortunate enough to watch this with my Mum. This utterly breathtaking motion picture, so good, just gorgeous. The pleasure, all mine. And I am grateful.
Then I watched
Song of the Sea
and then
Wolfwalkers
21. 11. 20
15. 12. 2020
March 16, 2020
Oscar winner for 2019.
January 20, 2021
Wunderbar
March 23, 2021
I did not enjoyed this story. Neither character draws you in.
August 17, 2021
10/10 book 10/10 movie. I loved the movie so i wanted to read the book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 3, 2022
i love this and the film as a whole. beautifully crafted.
August 16, 2024
The movie is a must watch. Honestly it was so heartbreaking. It’s supposed to be a comedy but it gets dark very quick. Definitely recommend 🤍
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 5, 2020
Wanted to read this and see where it differs from the final screen version. Both are great! Love the story of Jojo and how it’s told!
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews