Taika Waititi’s Jojo Rabbit is the kind of movie that should not work but somehow does. It tells the story of Jojo, a young Hitler Youth living in Germany during the final days of World War II. His blind loyalty to the Nazi cause is thrown upside down after discovering a young Jewish girl being hidden in his house by his mother.
The movie takes one of the darker periods in history and brings a lot of humor and heart to its story. While there are heartbreaking moments as well, the movie is filled with great lines that have helped make it a favorite for the Best Adapted ScreenplayOscar. Here are the most hilarious quotes from Jojo Rabbit.
Updated by Colin McCormick on April 2, 2020: This Oscar-winning comedy from Taika Waititi is now available to enjoy on home video. It is actually an ideal movie to revisit or enjoy for the first time during these difficult times. The movie looks at a dark period in time with thoughtful and hilarious humor while also delivering a heartwarming message about love conquering hate. We could all use a laugh now, so we’ve added a few more side-splitting quotes from Jojo Rabbit.
It’s Definitely Not A Good Time To Be A Nazi
Perhaps the most important thing this movie achieves is showing how little is accomplished when living a life of hate. Unlike many war movies, the Nazis in Jojo Rabbit are seen only in defeat. They have reached the end of their hateful movement and achieved nothing.
Leave it to Taika Waititi to sum up the end of the Nazis in such a hilarious and simple way. Young Yorki sums it up wonderfully and makes you realize that after all their horrific acts against other people, the Nazis only succeeded in becoming the most despised people in the world.
Oh, This Guy’s A Lunatic. Oh, Look At That Psycho, He’s Going To Get Us All Killed.
Adolf Hitler’s place in history is a man of evil and hatred, but Jojo Rabbit takes the controversial approach of depicting him in a different way. As the imaginary friend of a ten-year-old boy, Hitler is seen in this movie in a more ridiculous way that makes him less scary, perhaps even a bit pathetic.
When Jojo is feeling sad about the rest of the Hitler Youth calling him names, Hitler tries to make him feel better. He insists even he is ridiculed sometimes as an unhinged madman. It’s not the best motivational speech.
Stop Offering Me Damn Cigarettes! I’m Ten!
Jojo and Hitler make a surprisingly ridiculous pair which works mostly because we see that Hitler is regularly outwitted by a ten-year-old boy. As Hitler gives supposedly inspiring motivational speeches, he continuously offers Jojo a cigarette.
The gag continues throughout the movie until Jojo finally gets fed-up and yells at Hitler, “Stop offering me damn cigarettes! I’m ten.” Even for Jojo, the most loyal Hitler Youth, Hitler can be a really annoying idiot.
Now She’s Got Two Knives
Despite claiming to be a member of the so-called “Master Race”, Jojo certainly seems like a scared and weak little boy. And his imaginary Hitler isn’t any tougher. Once they discover the young Jewish girl Elsa hiding in the house, she takes his Hitler Youth knife.
Jojo regains his courage and another knife to face Elsa again. Once again, she easily disarms him. Embarrassed and frustrated, Jojo and Hitler regroup but Hitler seems mostly concerned with how she keeps taking all the knives. “How are you going to chop up stuff,” he wonders.
We’re Like You, But Human
Elsa is the real hero of this story, showing strength and wisdom in the face of her terrible situation. She also cleverly tears down Jojo’s belief system in the hateful Nazi movement by simply pointing out its stupidity.
Jojo attempts to use her to learn more about the Jewish people and write a book on the subject. She begins by giving him a simple explanation as to who the Jewish people are, saying “We’re like you, but human.” It’s a funny and thoughtful insult to anyone who would share Jojo’s ignorant view of people who are different from him.
It Took Him Three Weeks To Get Over The Fact That His Grandfather Was Not Blond
It’s very strange to see an adorable ten-year-old boy depicted as being so obsessed with Nazis and buying into their foolish beliefs. However, the film does a great job of showing that these ridiculous philosophies are the kind of thing only a naïve child would believe.
When Jojo’s mother Rosie talks about how her son has become this fanatic, we see that his loyalty to the Nazi Party is beyond ludicrous. If the color of his grandfather’s hair is enough to send him over the edge, it’s a hint that these beliefs might be pretty foolish.
I’m Unemployed And Quite Fat Now
The relationship between Jojo and Elsa, the Jewish girl hiding in his house, is the real heart of the film. Jojo tries his best to get her out of the house, but there’s only so much a ten-year-old kid can do. After learning of Elsa’s fiancé, Nathan, he decides to write her a letter from the boy.
His attempt to fool Elsa isn’t very convincing, but he nonetheless puts a lot of work into the letter in which “Nathan” explains he wants to break off their engagement. It ends with “Nathan” saying he lied about fighting in the resistance and is actually “unemployed and quite fat now”.
I Gotta Go, We’re Having Unicorn For Dinner At My Place Tonight
One of the most entertaining aspects of the film is Jojo’s imaginary friend who happens to be Adolf Hitler, played by Waititi himself. While it might be hard for some to see a humorous take on one of the vilest people in history, the movie shows him through Jojo’s eyes, making him a foolish character.
It’s interesting seeing Hitler as the real-life leader of the Nazi party whom Jojo idolizes, mixed with the imaginary world of a ten-year-old’s mind. For him to go from discussing how to deal with Elsa to talking about feasting on unicorn is a great example of the outrageous tone of the film.
Oh, It’s So Sad For You. You’ve Lost Your Mind
Scarlett Johansson continues her amazing year in films with another nominated performance in this film as Jojo’s mother Rosie. Unlike the other people in town, Rosie is a genuinely good person who longs for an end to the war and risks her life to keep Jojo and Elsa safe.
It is also a role that allows Johansson to show off her comedic chops. Rosie jokes around and teases Jojo, bringing laughter into the harsh world. When Jojo says he heard his dead sister’s ghost upstairs, Rosie simply responds by mocking Jojo as a crazy person.
I Think You’ll Find That Metal Is The Strongest Thing On The Earth Followed By Dynamite And Then Muscles
Part of what makes Jojo such an interesting character is that he takes the Nazi cause so seriously while still being a small child who doesn’t really know what he’s talking about. He refutes any argument against the Nazis with such conviction, even when what he’s saying sounds ridiculous.
His mother tries to tell him that there’s more to life than these warped ideologies, explaining that love is more powerful and is the strongest thing in the world. Jojo immediately thinks this is ridiculous as he can name many things stronger than love.
We’ll Burn Down The House And Blame Winston Churchill
As uncomfortable as the image of Hitler is, the movie thankfully makes him out to be a buffoon at every possible opportunity. Jojo is the one who does all the thinking while Hitler whines like a child. Whenever he does come up with plans, they are always terrible.
After finding Elsa in the house, Jojo and Hitler try to come up with a solution to get rid of her. While Jojo suggests they negotiate, Hitler’s idea is a more drastic step. Again, it can be uncomfortable to laugh with Hitler on screen, but at least we’re laughing at the fact that he’s an idiot.
Finkel, I Meant We Need Dogs For When A City Is Attacked, Not Actual German Shepherds
Sam Rockwell gives another of the film’s memorable performances as Captain K, the disillusioned and incompetent commander of the Hitler Youth. He is a man who misses being on the front lines and takes great satisfaction in planning the town’s defenses against the Allied forces. However, he has to make do with what he has.
After his right-hand man Finkle brings him actual German shepherds instead of the dogs he requested, Captain K loses his cool. However, he is quick to apologize to Finkle and admits it’s a stupid name for a dog.
You Were Chosen By A Pathetic Little Man Who Can’t Even Grow A Full Mustache
Elsa is another key aspect of the film and Thomasin MacKenzie gives a fantastic performance in the role. She infuses her with heartbreak over what she has gone through while still allowing her to be a strong person.
One of her best scenes comes early in Elsa and Jojo’s relationship. After Jojo claims the Jewish people are weak, Elsa overpowers him and proves how wrong he is. She says her people were chosen by God while he was chosen by a “pathetic little man who can’t even grow a full mustache”. It’s another great example of pointing out the obvious flaws in Jojo’s beliefs.
F**k off Hitler
As the film goes on, Jojo gradually realizes he is not the kind of person who truly believes in the ideologies he has been spewing. His friendship with Elsa shows him this and he moves away from his Nazi ways.
This causes a rift in his friendship with imaginary Hitler resulting in a hilarious confrontation at the end. As Hitler pathetically pleas with Jojo to come back to the losing side, Jojo does something we all wish we could do, he tells him to “f**k off” and kicks him out the window.
Our Only Friends Are The Japanese And Just Between You And Me, They Don’t Look Very Aryan
Though Jojo considers imaginary Hitler to be his best friend, he does have a real friend who is much better. Yorkie, played by the adorable Archie Yates, is a fellow member of the Hitler Youth but spends most of his time being friendly and pointing out how none of their beliefs make sense.
When the war is coming to an end, Yorki laments that the entire world is against Germany except for the Japanese. But as he wisely points out, their only remaining allies don’t seem to match Hitler’s description of the Aryan race. It’s a hilariously spot-on example of the cowardly hypocrisy of the Nazis.
