35 Best Movies like Jojo Rabbit (2019)

Life Is Beautiful appears here because it utilizes comedy and drama to explore the harrowing realities of World War II, much like Jojo Rabbit. Its deft blend of humor and emotion makes the story deeply moving and unforgettable on its own terms.

A touching story of an Italian book seller of Jewish ancestry who lives in his own little fairy tale. His creative and happy life would come to an abrupt halt when his entire family is deported to a concentration camp during World War II. While locked up he tries to convince his son that the whole thing is just a game. Life Is Beautiful is a movie from Italy in Italian, with a total 1h 56m runtime, released in 1997 with an average rating of 8.4 by 14,124 people. The movie made an estimated total of $230,098,753 in the box office.

This page includes The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas for its portrayal of a child's evolving understanding of wartime prejudice and innocence. The emotional journey experienced through the young protagonist leaves a lasting impact long after viewing.

When his family moves from their home in Berlin to a strange new house in Poland, young Bruno befriends Shmuel, a boy who lives on the other side of the fence where everyone seems to be wearing striped pajamas. Unaware of Shmuel's fate as a Jewish prisoner or the role his own Nazi father plays in his imprisonment, Bruno embarks on a dangerous journey inside the camp's walls. The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is a movie from United Kingdom in English, with a total 1h 34m runtime, released in 2008 with an average rating of 7.8 by 7,762 people. The movie made an estimated total of $20,416,563 in the box office.

Come and See makes the list due to its immersive depiction of war's devastation through a youthful perspective. Its intense atmosphere and powerful imagery provide a hauntingly memorable cinematic experience.

The invasion of a village in Belarus by German forces sends young Florya into the forest to join the weary Resistance fighters, against his family's wishes. There he meets a girl, Glasha, who accompanies him back to his village. On returning home, Florya finds his family and fellow peasants massacred. His continued survival amidst the brutal debris of war becomes increasingly nightmarish, a battle between despair and hope. Come and See is a movie from Soviet Union in Russian, with a total 2h 22m runtime, released in 1985 with an average rating of 8.2 by 1,894 people. The movie made an estimated total of $20,929,648 in the box office.

The Book Thief belongs here thanks to its exploration of hiding and survival during the Nazi era. The film's unique storytelling and emotional resonance distinguish it as a rewarding watch.

While subjected to the horrors of WWII Germany, young Liesel finds solace by stealing books and sharing them with others. Under the stairs in her home, a Jewish refugee is being sheltered by her adoptive parents. The Book Thief is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 11m runtime, released in 2013 with an average rating of 7.5 by 4,558 people. The movie made an estimated total of $76,586,316 in the box office.

Au Revoir les Enfants is featured for its focus on the delicate bonds between children under the threat of persecution during World War II. The film is moving and atmospheric, offering a deeply personal story.

Au revoir les enfants tells a heartbreaking story of friendship and devastating loss concerning two boys living in Nazi-occupied France. At a provincial Catholic boarding school, the precocious youths enjoy true camaraderie—until a secret is revealed. Based on events from writer-director Malle’s own childhood, the film is a subtle, precisely observed tale of courage, cowardice, and tragic awakening. Au Revoir les Enfants is a movie from France in French, with a total 1h 45m runtime, released in 1987 with an average rating of 7.5 by 736 people. The movie made an estimated total of $4,542,825 in the box office.

Grave of the Fireflies is recommended because it conveys the tragedy of war through the eyes of siblings fighting for survival. Its poignant storytelling and emotional depth have earned it critical acclaim.

In the final months of World War II, 14-year-old Seita and his sister Setsuko are orphaned when their mother is killed during an air raid in Kobe, Japan. After a falling out with their aunt, they move into an abandoned bomb shelter. With no surviving relatives and their emergency rations depleted, Seita and Setsuko struggle to survive. Grave of the Fireflies is a movie from Japan in Japanese, with a total 1h 29m runtime, released in 1988 with an average rating of 8.4 by 6,653 people. The movie made an estimated total of $842,132 in the box office.

Hope and Glory is included for capturing a child’s experience of war’s disruptions and the simultaneous sense of adventure and loss. The film stands out for its unique perspective and nostalgic tone.

A middle-aged man recalls his childhood growing up in and around London during World War II. Hope and Glory is a movie from United Kingdom in English, with a total 1h 53m runtime, released in 1987 with an average rating of 6.9 by 218 people.

Son of Saul appears due to its immersive, ground-level view of the Holocaust’s horrors, offering an intense emotional journey. Its singular focus and cinematography distinguish it as a gripping piece of cinema.

In the horror of 1944 Auschwitz, a prisoner forced to burn the corpses of his own people finds moral survival trying to save from the flames the body of a boy he takes for his son, seeking to give him a proper Jewish burial. Son of Saul is a movie from Hungary in Hungarian, with a total 1h 47m runtime, released in 2015 with an average rating of 7.1 by 1,182 people. The movie made an estimated total of $1,777,043 in the box office.

Europa Europa’s place on this list is justified by the protagonist’s struggle for identity and survival amidst war and shifting allegiances. The film’s narrative ingenuity makes it both thought-provoking and compelling.

A Jewish boy separated from his family in the early days of WWII poses as a German orphan and is taken into the heart of the Nazi world as a 'war hero' and eventually becomes a Hitler Youth. Europa Europa is a movie from France in German, with a total 1h 52m runtime, released in 1990 with an average rating of 7.2 by 281 people. The movie made an estimated total of $5,575,304 in the box office.

Through bold satire, The Great Dictator critiqued authoritarianism in its own era, much like Jojo Rabbit’s anti-hate approach. Chaplin’s performance and comic bravado make this film a historically significant and entertaining viewing experience.

Dictator Adenoid Hynkel tries to expand his empire while a poor Jewish barber tries to avoid persecution from Hynkel's regime. The Great Dictator is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 5m runtime, released in 1940 with an average rating of 8.3 by 3,755 people. The movie made an estimated total of $11,000,000 in the box office.

The Suitcase is included for its unique take on the human consequences of conflict. The film’s attention to personal stories against a backdrop of war brings forward nuanced emotional dimensions.

The ordinary life of a Boston bred baggage handler is turned upside down when he steals a suitcase that contains terrorist plans. Inspired by true events on 9/11. The Suitcase is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 21m runtime, released in 2017 with an average rating of 6.3 by 3 people.

The Tin Drum merits inclusion for presenting a child's confrontational relationship with German history during wartime. It stands out for its surreal storytelling and powerful character arc.

In 1924, Oskar Matzerath is born in the Free City of Danzig. At age three, he falls down a flight of stairs and stops growing. In 1939, World War II breaks out. The Tin Drum is a movie from France in German, with a total 2h 42m runtime, released in 1979 with an average rating of 7.0 by 540 people. The movie made an estimated total of $17,000,000 in the box office.

Good Bye, Lenin! is recommended for its exploration of personal transformation during a time of political upheaval. The film’s inventive blending of humor and historical change adds distinctive charm.

Alex Kerner's mother was in a coma while the Berlin wall fell. When she wakes up he must try to keep her from learning what happened (as she was an avid communist supporter) to avoid shocking her which could lead to another heart attack. Good Bye, Lenin! is a movie from Germany in German, with a total 2h 1m runtime, released in 2003 with an average rating of 7.5 by 2,661 people. The movie made an estimated total of $79,384,880 in the box office.

Empire of the Sun finds its place here for depicting a young protagonist growing up amid war’s chaos and shifting loyalties. The film captivates with its epic scope and emotional storytelling.

Jamie Graham, a privileged English boy, is living in Shanghai when the Japanese invade and force all foreigners into prison camps. Jamie is captured with an American sailor, who looks out for him while they are in the camp together. Even though he is separated from his parents and in a hostile environment, Jamie maintains his dignity and youthful spirit, providing a beacon of hope for the others held captive with him. Empire of the Sun is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 33m runtime, released in 1987 with an average rating of 7.5 by 2,169 people. The movie made an estimated total of $66,700,000 in the box office.

Defiance is featured for dramatizing resistance and survival in Nazi-occupied territory, providing a narrative of hope and solidarity. The story’s real-life inspiration adds to its impact.

Based on a true story, during World War II, four Jewish brothers escape their Nazi-occupied homeland of West Belarus in Poland and join the Soviet partisans to combat the Nazis. The brothers begin the rescue of roughly 1,200 Jews still trapped in the ghettos of Poland. Defiance is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 17m runtime, released in 2008 with an average rating of 6.8 by 1,929 people. The movie made an estimated total of $51,155,219 in the box office.

The Counterfeiters earns its spot due to its examination of moral dilemmas under Nazi oppression. The film’s gripping tension and ethical complexity create a thought-provoking experience.

The story of Jewish counterfeiter Salomon Sorowitsch, who was coerced into assisting the Nazi operation of the Sachsenhausen concentration camp during World War II. The Counterfeiters is a movie from Austria in German, with a total 1h 38m runtime, released in 2007 with an average rating of 7.4 by 702 people. The movie made an estimated total of $20,200,000 in the box office.

The Boy with the Topknot is present for its nuanced exploration of individual identity in challenging circumstances. Its personal approach to family dynamics and self-discovery provides heartfelt drama.

Born to traditional Punjabi parents and growing up in Wolverhampton, Sathnam Sanghera moves to London after graduating from Cambridge University. Now in his late 20s he is planning to reveal to his family that he will defy expectations of an arranged marriage - but instead learns a painful family secret. The Boy with the Topknot is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 27m runtime, released in 2017 with an average rating of 5.8 by 8 people.

Mr. Klein appears here for using suspense and drama to examine the lives of individuals navigating perilous circumstances under occupation. The film crafts an atmosphere thick with tension and uncertainty.

Paris, France, 1942, during the Nazi occupation. Robert Klein, a successful art dealer who benefits from the misfortunes of those who are ruthlessly persecuted, discovers by chance that there is another Robert Klein, apparently a Jewish man; someone with whom he could be mistakenly identified, something dangerous in such harsh times. Mr. Klein is a movie from France in French, with a total 2h 3m runtime, released in 1976 with an average rating of 7.2 by 292 people.

Forbidden Games is included for its portrayal of children coping with the brutality of war through innocent rituals. Its delicate handling of innocence amidst devastation makes for a poignant classic.

Orphaned after a Nazi air raid, Paulette, a young Parisian girl, runs into Michel, an older peasant boy, and the two quickly become close. Together, they try to make sense of the chaotic and crumbling world around them, attempting to cope with death as they create a burial ground for Paulette's deceased pet dog. Eventually, however, Paulette's stay with Michel's family is threatened by the harsh realities of wartime. Forbidden Games is a movie from France in French, with a total 1h 27m runtime, released in 1952 with an average rating of 7.8 by 358 people. The movie made an estimated total of $10,188 in the box office.

Tangerines is on this list for its depiction of unexpected bonds formed during violent conflict. The film’s quiet humanism and character-driven narrative provide deeply resonant storytelling.

War in Abkhazia, 1992. An Estonian man Ivo has stayed behind to harvest his crops of tangerines. In a bloody conflict at his door, a wounded man is left behind, and Ivo is forced to take him in. Tangerines is a movie from Estonia in Estonian, with a total 1h 27m runtime, released in 2013 with an average rating of 7.7 by 609 people.

In Darkness belongs here as it investigates the lengths ordinary people go to when confronted with moral tests in wartime. The movie’s intense depiction of survival offers gripping drama.

A dramatization of one man's rescue of Jewish refugees in the Nazi-occupied city of Lviv. In Darkness tells the true story of Leopold Soha who risks his own life to save a dozen people from certain death. Initially only interested in his own good, the thief and burglar hides Jewish refugees for 14 months in the sewers of the Nazi-occupied town of Lviv (formerly Poland). In Darkness is a movie from Poland in Polish, with a total 2h 25m runtime, released in 2011 with an average rating of 6.9 by 205 people. The movie made an estimated total of $5,576,725 in the box office.

Ivan's Childhood is featured for its psychological depth and depiction of a child's lost innocence amid war. The film’s artistry and evocative imagery contribute to its lasting significance.

In WW2, twelve year old Soviet orphan Ivan Bondarev works for the Soviet army as a scout behind the German lines and strikes a friendship with three sympathetic Soviet officers. Ivan's Childhood is a movie from Soviet Union in Russian, with a total 1h 35m runtime, released in 1962 with an average rating of 7.8 by 842 people.

The Painted Bird makes this cut due to its uncompromising, immersive look at a young outsider’s survival journey during wartime. Its stark visual style and emotional intensity distinguish it.

After losing his parents, a young Jewish boy wanders Eastern Europe, seeking refuge during World War II. The Painted Bird is a movie from Czech Republic in Czech, with a total 2h 49m runtime, released in 2019 with an average rating of 7.1 by 191 people. The movie made an estimated total of $659,535 in the box office.

Max is recommended for delving into the intersection of art, politics, and ideology in the context of pre-World War II Germany. The film stands out with its provocative premise and performances.

In 1918, a young, disillusioned Adolf Hitler strikes up a friendship with a Jewish art dealer while weighing a life of passion for art vs. talent at politics Max is a movie from Canada in English, with a total 1h 46m runtime, released in 2002 with an average rating of 6.1 by 113 people.

The Diary of Anne Frank is present for its intimate exploration of hiding from persecution during Nazi rule, echoing the sense of concealment found in Jojo Rabbit. Its perspective and emotional fortitude have made it an enduring work.

The true, harrowing story of a young Jewish girl who, with her family and their friends, is forced into hiding in an attic in Nazi-occupied Amsterdam. The Diary of Anne Frank is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 59m runtime, released in 1959 with an average rating of 7.2 by 376 people.

Valkyrie is included for showcasing the complex choices faced by those resisting Nazi power from within. The film’s suspenseful progression and historical backdrop create a tense atmosphere.

Wounded in Africa during World War II, Nazi Col. Claus von Stauffenberg returns to his native Germany and joins the Resistance in a daring plan to create a shadow government and assassinate Adolf Hitler. When events unfold so that he becomes a central player, he finds himself tasked with both leading the coup and personally killing the Führer. Valkyrie is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 1m runtime, released in 2008 with an average rating of 7.0 by 4,153 people. The movie made an estimated total of $200,276,000 in the box office.

Black Book appears on this page due to its focus on undercover survival and resistance during World War II. It combines intrigue with strong character development for a captivating experience.

Israel, 1956: Jewish teacher Rachel Stein rather unexpectedly meets an old friend at the kibbutz. It brings back memories of her experiences in the Netherlands during the war, memories of betrayal. In September 1944, Rachel's hiding place is bombed by Allied troops; she makes contact with a resistance member and joins a group of Jews to be smuggled across the Biesbosch to the freed South Netherlands. Only Rachel escapes a massacre by patrol Germans, and is rescued by a resistance group under the leadership of Gerben Kuipers, whose son is captured trying to smuggle weapons. Kuipers asks Rachel to seduce SS-hauptsturmführer Ludwig Müntze, a mission that she will soon learn that the boat attack wasn't a coincidence. Black Book is a movie from Netherlands in Dutch, with a total 2h 25m runtime, released in 2006 with an average rating of 7.4 by 1,258 people. The movie made an estimated total of $26,768,563 in the box office.

The Reader finds a place here as it confronts the personal legacies of war and moral ambiguity, reflected through layered relationships. The film’s intense performances and storytelling offer emotional resonance.

The story of Michael Berg, a German lawyer who, as a teenager in the late 1950s, had an affair with an older woman, Hanna, who then disappeared only to resurface years later as one of the defendants in a war crimes trial stemming from her actions as a concentration camp guard late in the war. He alone realizes that Hanna is illiterate and may be concealing that fact at the expense of her freedom. The Reader is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 4m runtime, released in 2008 with an average rating of 7.5 by 3,436 people. The movie made an estimated total of $108,902,486 in the box office.

The Shop on Main Street is listed for its interpersonal drama set against the impact of occupation and anti-Semitism. Its intimate narrative and character focus provide a powerful emotional core.

In a small town in Nazi-occupied Slovakia during World War II, decent but timid carpenter Tono is named "Aryan comptroller" of a button store owned by an old Jewish widow, Rozalie. Since the post comes with a salary and standing in the town's corrupt hierarchy, Tono wrestles with greed and guilt as he and Rozalie gradually befriend each other. When the authorities order all Jews in town to be rounded up, Tono faces a moral dilemma unlike any he's known before. The Shop on Main Street is a movie from Czechoslovakia in Slovak, with a total 2h 8m runtime, released in 1965 with an average rating of 7.1 by 229 people. The movie made an estimated total of $1,450,000 in the box office.

The Only Son earns inclusion for exploring familial bonds and personal growth in challenging times, offering viewers a heartfelt drama of resilience and self-discovery.

A rural widow sends her only son to Tokyo to receive a better education. Years later, she visits him and finds he has become a night school teacher struggling to support his wife and son. The Only Son is a movie from Japan in Japanese, with a total 1h 27m runtime, released in 1936 with an average rating of 7.4 by 118 people.

Underground makes the list for weaving personal and political upheaval into a rich tapestry of wartime experience. The film’s ambitious style and energy mark it as an inventive and memorable work.

Black marketeers Marko and Blacky manufacture and sell weapons to the Communist resistance in WWII Belgrade, living the good life along the way. Marko's surreal duplicity propels him up the ranks of the Communist Party, and he eventually abandons Blacky and steals his girlfriend. After a lengthy stay in a below-ground shelter, the couple reemerges during the Yugoslav Civil War of the 1990s as Marko sees the opportunity to exploit the situation. Underground is a movie from Yugoslavia in Serbian, with a total 2h 50m runtime, released in 1995 with an average rating of 7.7 by 790 people. The movie made an estimated total of $182,134 in the box office.

Kanal is featured for dramatizing the harrowing survival of resistance fighters during wartime, immersing viewers in relentless tension and uncertainty. The film is gripping for its claustrophobic setting and stark realism.

In the last few days of the Warsaw Uprising during World War II, a modest group of Resistance members remains. The band must take refuge in the sewers under the orders of leader Zadra, but it's only a matter of time before they will have to emerge. However, when they try, they are met only with intense hostility from the Nazis. Despite their attempts stay resolute through immense mental strain, it becomes increasingly apparent that they may be doomed. Kanal is a movie from Poland in Polish, with a total 1h 36m runtime, released in 1957 with an average rating of 7.7 by 161 people.

Remember is included for its journey into personal memory and justice related to wartime crimes. The film’s narrative structure and suspenseful pacing engage viewers throughout.

With the aid of a fellow Auschwitz survivor and a hand-written letter, an elderly man with dementia goes in search of the person responsible for the death of his family. Remember is a movie from Canada in English, with a total 1h 34m runtime, released in 2015 with an average rating of 7.4 by 764 people. The movie made an estimated total of $1,986,615 in the box office.

Jakob the Liar has a place here for its use of hope and imagination as coping mechanisms under oppressive circumstances. It presents a heartfelt story of survival and small acts of courage.

In 1944 Poland, a Jewish shop keeper named Jakob is summoned to ghetto headquarters after being caught out after curfew. While waiting for the German Kommondant, Jakob overhears a German radio broadcast about Russian troop movements. Returned to the ghetto, the shopkeeper shares his information with a friend and then rumors fly that there is a secret radio within the ghetto. Jakob the Liar is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 0m runtime, released in 1999 with an average rating of 6.7 by 410 people. The movie made an estimated total of $4,956,701 in the box office.

Ida rounds out the recommendations by examining personal identity and historical legacy in postwar Europe. Its minimalist storytelling and thoughtful character study make for an evocative viewing experience.

In 1960s Poland, young novitiate Anna is on the verge of taking her vows when she discovers a family secret dating back to the years of the German occupation. Ida is a movie from Poland in Polish, with a total 1h 22m runtime, released in 2013 with an average rating of 7.2 by 1,075 people. The movie made an estimated total of $15,298,355 in the box office.