Into the Woods (Jacqui)

WARNING: This review contains spoilers. If you have not seen the movie or read any of the changes described in the media, please don’t blame me for ruining this awesome musical for you.

To know me is to know, I have a slight obsession with musicals (slight, read addicted). ALW and Sondheim to be exact. In the past few years, I have been greatly disappointed by the many musical adaptations that Hollywood has attempted. I was greatly worried when I heard “Into The Woods” was going to be made into a movie. I was also really concerned by the casting choices that Disney appeared to push on the movie. However, I am here to say I was far from disappointed by this adaptation; I was greatly impressed and, as a fan, feel this movie could not have been any better.

Into The Woods can be synopsized in many ways. To be brief, it’s a musical retelling of the Grimm’s fairytales with more of a bend toward the adult translation. The show itself is centered around the tales of Cinderella, Rapunzel, Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk; all tied together with and original story of a childless Baker, his wife and the Witch which has cursed their house because of the sin of the father of the aforementioned Baker.

Act I centers on backstory and wishes being granted. Cinderella/Rapunzel get their princes, Jack climbing the beanstalk to get his cow back, Red Riding Hood and grandma get rescued.   All the while, the Baker and his wife retrieve the items needed to break the curse for the Witch.  The act ends with everyone getting their wish and beginning their happily ever after.

Act II presents the cost of their wishes. Jack going up the beanstalk and killing the giant causes the giant’s wife to go on a rampage. The Lady Giant’s rampage brings all the characters back together in the woods. In the woods relationships are tested and people are lost/found.  In the show version, the Baker’s wife has a one-night stand with Cinderella’s prince followed by death by giant. Rapunzel goes crazy and her prince leaves her.  This version sees Rapunzel run off with her prince and the Baker’s wife death is very understated. The movie ends with the “Children will listen” and everyone gathered around the Baker as he tells the story of his friends to his motherless son. There is no happy ever after here, just a fade to black.

In the run up to this movie, there were rumors: Songs that were removed (including my favorite “No More”) and story changes that Disney demanded (No sex, Baker’s wife doesn’t die, Rapunzel doesn’t die, the goriness of the mutilation of the evil step sisters was lessened etc). As a HUGE fan of the musical, I was concerned about these changes would effect the end product. Again, the slight changes really did not affect the movie.

Rob Marshall proves again why no one else should be allowed to direct movie musicals. His combined use of live recording and studio was magnificent.  He knew how to balance the two to provide the audience with the realism that this musical requires. The way he managed to harmonize the entire cast when its obvious they weren’t in the same place was also really impressive. “No One is Alone” was a prime example of this. I also give him credit for keeping some of the original storyline that was rumored “changed” by Disney. I was never happier to see someone die as I was to see they kept the Baker’s wife passing.  

Lastly, the cast. Almost everyone in the cast minus Chris Pine and Emily Blunt come from a strong singing/musical theatre background. I had a moment of the “What the FUCK are these two doing in a Sondheim?” Again, maybe it was the work of the auto-tune but they were fantastic. Pine’s “Agony” with Billy Magussen was the highlight of the movie. The homoerotic imagery employed in that scene was hilarious (they sang it in a waterfall, seriously that was for the theatre-queens out there). 

Meryl and Johnny Depp both were amazing in their parts. Depp plays the child-molester –like Wolf with perfection (see his Willy Wonka).  Meryl’s rendition of “Stay with me” rivals only Bernadette Peters.  As the character is written, she played it with all her/its show stopping ability. Do I see an Oscar or a globe for her? She’s Meryl.

The kids of this movie were also amazing-ball. Lila Crawford, fresh off of Broadway’s Annie was just wow in her songs. Daniel Huddlestone, who may be familiar as Gavroche from the movie adaptation of Les Miserables, also shows his great ability with Giants in the Sky. Youngish adults traditionally played both roles so it was great to see kids bring their freshness and more believable naivety.

 Without going too much into the various variations the show took during development, this movie adaptation was about as good as it could get.  Kudos to Sondheim for not letting anyone besides Rob Marshall take his masterpiece. With the movie death of “Last Five Years” I see this movie taking home most of the globes its nominated for.  4/5 Stars.