I expected two things from Jojo Rabbit when I seated myself in a cosily sized auditorium for the first public screening of a film since the pandemic upended our ritual of cinema-going. I knew there was going to be comedy; based on reviews, I was anticipating something deeper and more meaningful - an emotional "soul". It is typically the "soul" of a movie that fires up the ardour within me, that drives me to loud exultations and recommendations; that imparts enduring images and sentiments in my memory and my mind that continue to influence me for years to come. To my mind, only someone particularly superficial in character would want to "simply have fun" at the movies. Nothing in life is without even a little significance. So far as I can say, referring to my limited experience, for someone to truly enjoy a movie, it generally necessitates that the movie have what I'm calling a "soul". Beyond the lights and actions, the gigantic set pieces and talented visual effects, there must be even a hint of a story, a character-driven narrative, a progression from one thing to another. That is life. Anything that is otherwise is pointless, mundane, desolate. For crying out loud - even The Emoji Movie made some miserable attempt at giving the protagonist development, and insofar as it was successful, it gave meaning to the story. Though it marries the two fairly well, I am going to argue that Jojo Rabbit wasted valuable screen time on gratuitous gags that it ought to have spent building endearing characters.

I understand I differ from the majority of audiences on some things. So, while many may chuckle at the painfully vulgar words and expressions placed just-so in the mouths of pre-adolescent boys, this strikes me as plainly repellent. It is immature. And it reeks of the putrid odour that offended people of good taste when the recent Good Boys debuted a trailer on YouTube, in which one of the producers, Seth Rogen, explained to his juvenile cast that, despite perpetrating the actions themselves, they would not be allowed to legally watch this content, as they were underage. How is it that a child can legally provide MA-rated content he isn't legally permitted to watch? Moral of the story - human beings are nothing short of professional hypocrites.

But back to the point. While many of the emotional beats (especially from a special moment in the movie, when the genre almost switches - so forceful is the mood-change) land on the audience with impact, there are not an awful lot of them. The movie doesn't feel exactly tight, plot-wise - it has fun with its tangential quips and gags (some quite dispensable), and spends much time in the somewhat dishonest arena of cynicism. I take issue with the kind of comedic timing that simply leaves me doubting a sincere feeling behind a dialogue, and rather encourages me to search for the hilarity in the thing - or the subversion of expectation. Some of the best laughs originate from totally inane details or event emerging from pure circumstance - a misunderstanding in language, an accident. But much of modern comedy that I find repulsive comes from places of vice, which, while not always bad, can tend to be something less-than-funny. So when I am expected to laugh at the dysfunctional relationship between mother and son, or the casual meanness of the Nazi officers, my first reaction is something more akin to sadness than amusement.

Interestingly, despite feeling weighed down with so much effort to be funny, when the movie wants you to impact you, it comes down really hard! Without giving it away, the third act really switches gears - perhaps deliberately jarring the audience, so long entertained by far lighter content. This is the stuff that moves me - too bad it is limited to the third act. It would be so much better if the entire piece was better incorporated, so that it could encompass both comedy and drama at once.

The music is again a travesty. I can hardly abide by the modern interpretation of 1940s Germany. Led Zeppelin is out of place, and purposefully so - I just don't like it. For me, when I see the gorgeous set decoration, talent, costumes, and all the rest, I find myself wishing it weren't a farcical parody of our very real history. The potential there for something that means so much more, is difficult to turn a blind eye on. All this is not to say I disliked the film - it was a solid seven for me, and certainly one I would re-watch. Thomasin McKenzie is particularly striking in her contrastingly no-nonsense performance. At this point in time, it seems she has much to look forward to in her career. She isn't the main character - but without her, the film would be worthless. She provides the motivation for the protagonist to change, gives the plot all its momentum, and elevates the entire piece to something rather prettier and subtler.

In closing, the film certainly has merit; and I really enjoyed the emotional beats near the end, which were quite powerful. I think it is sincerity that I'm searching for, and in Jojo Rabbit, I find too much that is opposed to it - something contrived, not natural; something gratuitous, not measured; something ultimately less meaningful, because it is too concerned with generating laughs.

Criticus - Geelong Village Cinemas, Victoria