Wish Upon (2017) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

Wish Upon primarily takes place in two main locations: Clare's family home and her high school. The home serves as the central setting where the music box is discovered and where many tragic events unfold, while the school represents Clare's social struggles and peer dynamics.

• setting
• locations
• clares home
• school

Wish Upon is set in contemporary times, reflecting modern teenage life with its social media influences, peer pressures, and familial challenges. The story takes place in the present day, anchored in relatable modern issues like grief, mental health struggles, and social dynamics.

• time period
• contemporary
• modern era
• present day

Wish Upon explores three major themes: consequences, grief, and fate. The film centers on how Clare's wishes lead to tragic outcomes, demonstrating that selfish actions have serious repercussions. Her grief over losing her mother drives her desire for control, while the music box represents the dangerous interplay between free will and destiny.

• themes
• consequences
• grief
• fate
• meaning

Grief is a central theme in Wish Upon, primarily through Clare's loss of her mother and beloved dog. This emotional trauma drives her desperate search for control and happiness through the music box. The film explores how loss can push people toward desperate choices and the struggle between healthily coping with grief versus trying to reclaim what has been lost.

• grief
• mourning
• loss
• mother death
• emotional themes

Wish Upon heavily emphasizes that actions have consequences, especially when made from selfish motivations. Each wish Clare makes leads to tragic and violent fates for those around her. The film illustrates that even seemingly harmless desires can result in irreversible outcomes, underscoring the moral message that one must accept responsibility for the impact of their choices.

• consequences
• moral
• choices
• repercussions

Fate is a crucial element in Wish Upon as Clare battles against the music box's power to alter her destiny. Her desperate wishes to change her circumstances lead to catastrophic consequences, creating a tension between free will and what seems like an inescapable predetermined path. The film warns against tampering with fate, as Clare's attempts to escape her destiny only trap her further.

• fate
• destiny
• curse
• prophecy
• free will

Clare is the protagonist, a seventeen-year-old girl struggling with high school social dynamics and the recent loss of her mother. Desperate for acceptance and happiness, she discovers a cursed music box that grants wishes. Her journey transforms from hopeful wishing to a harrowing battle against the dark consequences of her desires and the box's sinister power.

• clare
• protagonist
• main character
• joey king

Ryan Hui serves as Clare's supportive friend throughout Wish Upon. He represents loyalty and the importance of genuine friendship during times of crisis. Ryan becomes instrumental in helping Clare uncover the dark secrets behind the music box and guides her through the moral dilemmas she faces as the curse escalates.

• ryan hui
• friend
• supportive character
• ki hong lee

Johanna Shannon is Clare's mother, whose tragic death sets the entire story in motion. Her loss profoundly impacts Clare, driving the protagonist toward the music box in hopes of gaining control over her life. Johanna represents the maternal bond and serves as the catalyst for Clare's choices, regrets, and eventual realization about the true cost of her wishes.

• johanna shannon
• mother
• parent
• elisabeth röhm

The music box serves as both a magical object and a symbol of temptation and unchecked desire in Wish Upon. It represents the dangerous allure of getting what one wants without working for it. The box embodies the film's themes of fate and consequences, acting as a literal manifestation of how tampering with destiny leads to tragedy.

• music box
• cursed object
• wishing
• desire
• temptation