Into the Woods Parent Guide

The old adage, “Be careful what you wish for,” must have been on the mind of Stephen Sondheim when he penned the musical Into the Woods. Using familiar fairytale characters, he crafted a fanciful story that examines the complexities of their personal aspirations and dreams. It asks what price would someone be willing to pay to fulfill his or her longings? And it wonders if getting what they want would really leave these people content.

Take the mistreated Cinderella (Anna Kendrick) for instance. She wishes, more than anything, to go to the King’s festival where she hopes to dance before the prince (Chris Pine), who happens to be one of the most eligible bachelors in the land. Or look at the local Baker and his wife (James Corden and Emily Blunt), who can cook up anything… except a baby. Then there’s a poor boy named Jack (Daniel Huttlestone). All he desires is to keep his best friend, a milky white cow, from being sold by his money-conscious mother (Tracey Ullman). And what about the cookie-swiping Red Riding Hood (Lilla Crawford) who only craves a few treats to take to her grandmother (Annette Crosbie)? All of these yearnings seem reasonable enough. They might even be obtainable—with a little bit of magic and a trip into the woods.

For the Baker and his wife, the hope of a child comes with an unexpected visit from the Witch living next door (Meryl Streep). After explaining to the couple the reason for their barrenness, she offers them a chance to break the curse. All they need to do is find four specific objects before midnight three days hence. So the spouses head into the woods on an odd sort of scavenger hunt that will have them crossing paths with other forest visitors, such as a woman fleeing from a ball, a child swallowed by a wolf, a farm boy with a sickly animal and a long-haired woman locked in a tower (MacKenzie Mauzy). All the while the pair is desperately begging, coercing and/or cheating to prove they will do whatever it takes to obtain the desire of their hearts—so are the wishful people they stumble upon. Unbeknownst to any of them, the Witch also has a secret longing. And she’s not above stooping below manipulation (or even force) to get her hands on what she is after.

Despite straying from the path a little, lying a little and stealing a little, most of the characters emerge from the woods with what they asked for—plus a bit more knowledge than they had before their experiences in the forest. But their happily-ever-afters don’t last forever. Soon giant consequences loom over them. Second thoughts find some characters trading long-term happiness for moments of pleasure. Others discover the agony of pursuit is more enjoyable than the finality of acquisition. And one learns the tighter the grasp, the more likely love is to slip away.

These murky themes, mirrored in the dark images of the film, may come as a surprise to those unfamiliar with the stage play. Family viewers may be the most likely to be caught unawares if they assume a Disney production full of musical numbers should be suitable for youngsters. Other worrisome content includes the implied mutilation of feet (chopping off the heel or toe) to fit into a shoe, birds plucking out eyes, infidelity, perilous situations and the death of some characters.

Although Sondheim himself appears to have gotten lost in the woods trying to find a happy ending to his overly tangled tale, the script still has a lot to say for teens and adults. Wishing seems harmless, but proves rather selfish and even unsatisfying. Waiting for a magical solution to problems creates victims instead of motivating people to look for the tools necessary to make wanted change. Vices come in all sorts of guises: indecisiveness, a lack (or over abundance) of self-confidence, entitlement, over-protectiveness, greed and flattery. And the temptation to explore strange paths always comes with repercussions.

The human nature exposed in this story applies to more than just fairytale characters. Perhaps the most valuable insight and cautionary advice it offers, especially to parents, are expressed in the lilting lyrics: “Careful the wish you make—Wishes are children. Careful the path they take, wishes come true… not free. Careful the spell you cast, not just on children. Sometimes a spell may last past what you can see, and turn against you. Careful the tale you tell—That is the spell. Children will listen…” (Into The Woods - Children Will Listen Lyrics | MetroLyrics)

About author

Donna Gustafson

Donna Gustafson has been involved with her husband Rod's work since the beginning. Handling many of the behind-the-scenes tasks, she also creates preview pages for up-coming movies, acts as managing editor and occasionally writes reviews.