IT'S ALL IN THE FOOTWORK

How VISUAL MOTIF can deliver an emotionally devastating gut punch

JOJO RABBIT is a remarkable satire that perfectly balances tragedy, drama and comedy in this entertaining and emotionally engaging coming-of-age story set during the dark chapter of Nazism in WW2 Germany.

The film’s emotional climax comes with a devastating tragedy that is so subtly and artfully set up across the film that the audience doesn’t even see it coming until they are emotionally punched in the gut.

Across the film there are numerous focusing on young JoJo’s feet, often featuring his doting mother tying his shoes as an embodiment their their love and need for each other. As the shots progress, the compositional relationship shifts between JoJo and his mother’s feet.

The repetition and subversion of this simple visual motif masterfully sets up the film’s most painful scene in a way that is shocking, logical and meaningful to the film's themes and JoJo's necessary progression as protagonist.

How did the tragic ending impact you? What other recurring visual patterns do you notice in the film?