This movie became an instant favorite of mine as soon as we were done watching. I love Taika Waititi and just about everyone in this cast, and boy did it ever exceed expectations. This is how you do a funny movie about WWII, this is how you approach sensitive topics with humor and still make it heartfelt, this is how you prove all those two-bit comedians wrong who say political correctness has ruined their act.
The thing is, you just need some empathy, and this movie has a fuckton of it. Like I probably cried more than I laughed, but it’s still a comedy in my book, it’s just a comedy that cares. Is Hitler funny? Fuck no. Should you ever find yourself sympathizing with Nazis? Fuck no! But this movie figures out how to do those things while still reminding you war is fucking hell, blind hatred is disgusting, and humanity is always teetering on the edge of being a total loss.
Also basically every performance was absolute gold, and, like, Scarlet Johansen pisses me the fuck off, but goddamn was she good in this. EVERYONE was good in this. I can’t believe I slept so long on Sam Rockwell, that man is an amazing actor. Also the costumes were fucking nuts, not at all what I expected for 1940s Germany, and yet they felt so right.
Anyway, the only way I’m watching movies about WWII anymore is if they feel like this.
A.K. Caggiano 