Welcome to Knockout Horror and to another Horror Movie Ending Explained. Today we are explaining the ending for recent Shudder original Spoonful of Sugar. I have to be honest, I really didn’t enjoy this movie. I found it boring at best and annoyingly stupid at worst. Still, I understand that other people have different opinions. Many of you likely really enjoyed it. Many of you were likely left with a few questions, as well.
Spoonful of Sugar
The ending of Spoonful of Sugar is a bit messy. It brings together a number of significant plot points. Simply to discard some of them as if they were inconsequential. It’s all a little bit confusing and could do with some breaking down.
As much as I disliked the movie, as a whole. I really enjoyed the ending. It is surprising and fun. We are going to break it down for you in this article. First of all, however, we will recap the events of the movie. We will also answer a few questions that may crop up along the way.
Spoonful of Sugar – Grab a Coffee and Strap In
As always, this article is not spoiler free. It would be impossible to explain the events of the ending without going into the plot, obviously. So if you haven’t watched the movie yet. Why not go check out our review of Spoonful of Sugar. Once you have done that, watch the movie on Shudder and come back here.
This article is one of the biggest I have ever done. At nearly 5,000 words, you are going to want to grab a coffee. I always get a bit wordy but man, I couldn’t shut up here. I love to go into little bits of the story and analyse them. On top of that, I also enjoy complaining about parts I thought were stupid. I do mark different points of interest with headers though. Feel free to find the ones that are relevant for you. Let’s take a look.
Spoonful of Sugar – A Few Character Introductions
So the movie starts off introducing us to a few key characters. We see main character Millicent chatting with a potential employer, Rebecca. Millicent is interviewing for a job as a babysitter to Rebecca’s child. She says she is studying child care at university. Particularly the care of children with allergies. Rebecca’s child, Johnny, is non-verbal and requires a particular type of care. Rebecca claims it is due to allergies. He wears an astronaut outfit at all times. Apparently because that is the only way they can make him wear protective gear outside of the house.
Millicent, when asked, tells Rebecca she is 21. Rebecca, bafflingly, claims that Millicent looks younger. In my opinion she looks significantly older. Actor Morgan Saylor, actually, is significantly older in real life. Rebecca walks Millicent through a quick job interview. One that she would probably fail in real life. Due to her combative attitude and lack of communication skills.
Millicent casts doubt on Johnny’s issues actually being physiological. Claiming that research suggests allergies may be a mental issue. She begins to promote the use of LSD (Lysergic Acid Diethylamide) in treating these issues. This will play into the story in a fairly significant way. Rebecca hires Millicent for the job. We learn, later on in the movie. That Millicent didn’t exactly need to be the perfect candidate. The outcome for her was always going to be the same.
Spoonful of Sugar – Millicent is Hallucinating Frequently
Millicent meets Johnny’s dad, Jacob, for the first time in the kitchen. She seems smitten and begins thinking about him frequently. It would appear that Millicent is experiencing something of a sexual awakening. Her thoughts are consumed by sex and she fantasises frequently. Even hallucinating on the bus causing her immense embarrassment. Perhaps it could be due to the LSD she is taking for her mental health issues?
This is somewhat implied during an appointment with her Psychiatrist Dr Welsh. While there, she begins to hallucinate. Seeing Dr. Welsh’s finger crawling across the floor. Dr. Welsh wants to drop her dose to avoid hallucinations. Millicent denies that she is having them and dismisses the risk. It’s clear, however, that she is already suffering from them and dependent on the drug.
Spoonful of Sugar – Why Does Millicent Take LSD?
LSD is being used, tentatively, as a treatment for certain mental health disorders. Despite being a powerful psychedelic that is often used as a recreational drug. Some studies show that it can be effective in improving mood. It would seem that Millicent is prescribed the drug as treatment for her depression.
Due to her history of abuse in the care system. It is likely that she also suffers from personality disorders. This is especially likely given the events alluded to later in the movie. Something the drug is unable to help with. It could be, perhaps, inferred from her behaviour. That Millicent suffers from Borderline Personality Disorder (Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder). Leading to her becoming extremely attached to people. Even when they, perhaps, don’t reflect said attachment. People with BPD often abuse drugs as a way of coping with the massive trauma caused by their condition.
In low doses, side effects and hallucinations from LSD should be minimal. Millicent, however, appears to be exceeding these doses. She is hallucinating frequently and is dependent on the drug. Something that we see later on when she feels the need to steal it. Psychiatrists aim to get a patient to a point where they are stable. When the patient is stable, they will start reducing doses of psychiatric drugs. The ultimate goal is to have the patient living a comfortable life. With minimal symptoms and on the lowest dose of medication possible.
Spoonful of Sugar – Millicent Wants a Family
We learn that Millicent desires a family. Having been raised by foster parents. She is a bitter and resentful of people who have kids. She sees them at the park paying little attention to their children. Feeling that they are neglectful and ungrateful. She thinks they don’t deserve to have kids. This has lead to incidents of Millicent attempting to remove kids from their parents. Something that is, for me, a pretty strong plot hole. One of many.
Its hard to imagine a parent witnessing a woman attempting to kidnap their child. Only to slap them in the face but not actually report them to the police for it. Millicent should never have been able to be around children. Let alone work with them but, whatever. Somehow the doctor completely dismisses this story. As well as, subsequently, dismissing her concerns when she reports thoughts of violence.
Maybe too much information but I have mentioned this on here before. I have bipolar disorder and have spent far too much time with psychiatrists. If I told any of my previous psychiatrists that I was experiencing violent thoughts. I doubt they would dismiss it as nothing. This film really suffers from terrible story writing. I also really disliked Morgan Saylor’s performance here. Through much of this whole segment. She overacts tremendously.
Spoonful of Sugar – Rebecca and Jacob Have a Strained Sex Life
Moving on, we see Jacob and Rebecca chatting on the sofa. They talk about Millicent and Rebecca remarks on her being awkward. Speaking of awkward. The pair have the first of many needless sexual encounters, here. I suppose partly for titillation. And partly to highlight the transactional nature of sex between the pair. Rebecca seems to use sex as a way to pacify Jacob. Often leaving his ravenous sexual appetite frequently unsatiated.
Apparently the couple used to engage in a bit of light choking. Something that Jacob now doesn’t feel comfortable doing because.. err Rebecca is a mother now? Was this movie written by a 13 year old? Was he actually trying to kill her before she became a mum? Why are they acting like this is a new issue, as well? Johnny looks like he is pushing 12 years old. Has this not come up and been dealt with before?
My favourite part about this scene is Jacob grinding away at thin air. Their crotches are about a foot away from each other. That dude is either over eager or extremely hung. Man this movie is embarrassing in parts. The couple’s “passionate” air humping is broken up by the screams of Johnny.
Spoonful of Sugar – Is Johnny Autistic?
The pair run into the room and attempt to calm Johnny. It’s here that the movie opens up a little bit. Johnny reacts aggressively to Rebecca’s efforts to restrain him. Jacob makes it clear to Rebecca, and to the audience. That Johnny isn’t suffering from allergies. He is sick and it is putting them at risk. He alludes to a doctor using them as a sick experiment. If we think back a little, Rebecca mentioned that Johnny does not have autism.
In my opinion, it is very obvious that Johnny’s issues may actually be autism. Johnny is non-verbal. He is averse to touch and easily overstimulated. He appears to lack the typical social abilities present in many neuro-typical people. This is a pretty clean cut case. I am saying this from a place of having a lot of personal experience with autistic children.
His condition is fairly recognisable. Though it would be remiss of me not to say that this is a very Hollywood representation of the disorder. Complete with the propensity to violence that Hollywood loves to hint at with autism. This is one of those all too common. Unfortunate and irresponsible presentations of a neuro-divergent character. I feel sorry for people who live with the condition. Only to have people’s opinions of it formulated by what they see in horror movies.
The most likely explanation for the misdiagnosis here. Is Rebecca’s unwillingness to admit that she has a neuro-divergent child. A sad, common, occurrence with some parents. Who find themselves raising an autistic child. Rebecca would prefer to pretend that Johnny’s issues are physical. Rather than admit the truth. Despite how rewarding life with an autistic child can be. Something that Jacob is concerned about this as it means not addressing Johnny’s violence. This will play majorly into the story later on.
Spoonful of Sugar – Why Does Johnny Dig Up a Dead Rabbit?
We learn, through an interaction between Millicent and Johnny. That Johnny is a violent child. Not just any old type of violence, however. Johnny has been killing bunnies. Digging one up to show Millicent. It becomes clear that this isn’t the only bunny in the yard. There are many buried in different places. Johnny digs this up to show Millicent because he knows she won’t judge him. He maybe even, sensing her deranged nature, thinks she will be impressed.
The killing and torture of small animals. Is often associated with budding psychopaths and serial killers. Lacking basic human empathy. People torture animals to derive a sick pleasure. As well as, sometimes, a feeling of superiority. Many people who are victims of abuse or bullying will begin to harm animals as well. Again, to make themselves feel superior to something. It is a very worrying sign and projects to potential violence against humans in the future. Johnny is, simply, a very violent child displaying psychopathic tendencies. We later learn that the bunnies are not all he has killed.
Instead of being repulsed by this. Millicent gurns away (more poor acting) excitedly. She skins the bunny to make a good luck charm for Johnny. This plays into the similarities between Johnny and Millicent. They are both anti-social people with psychopathic tendencies. We will learn, later on, that both of them are also serial killers. It is very likely that Millicent also tortured animals when she was young. Hence why she was so efficient at skinning and butchering the rabbit.
Spoonful of Sugar – Millicent Wants to Steal Johnny and Jacob
The bulk of the movie now focuses on Millicent’s plan. Remember how she said she was angry at parents who didn’t pay attention to their kids? Well this plays into Millicent’s motivations here. Millicent believes Rebecca doesn’t care about Johnny. She thinks she is a neglectful mother who cares more about her work. Believing she is more deserving of having children than Rebecca. And believing she would be a better parent. She hatches a plan.
Millicent plans to steal Johnny from Rebecca. Being sexually attracted to Jacob, she wants to steal him too. Essentially replacing Rebecca in the family unit. Becoming Jacob’s wife and Johnny’s new mum. She plans to do this by becoming close to Johnny and seducing Jacob.
While at Jacob and Rebecca’s home, Millicent listens in on a phone call. Jacob and Rebecca are having more marital issues. For a brief moment, we again see the transactional nature of sex between Rebecca and Jacob. Rebecca is focused on work leading to a phone sex session which she uses to pacify Jacob. The session is cut short, however, leading to Jacob becoming frustrated. Millicent realises there is an opportunity to capitalise on this.
When Rebecca returns home. We see that she actually deeply cares about Johnny. She wants to be close to him but he is lashing out. In the bathroom, Rebecca self harms. A series of scars show that this has been going on for a long time. Likely as a coping mechanism for the problems she faces with Johnny.
Spoonful of Sugar – Why Does Millicent Give Johnny LSD?
We now see Millicent putting her plan into action. She begins drugging Johnny with LSD. Hoping to unlock his mind in the same way the LSD unlocks hers. Troubling scenes for sure given the context. But why does Millicent do this? Millicent wants Johnny to share the way she feels. She hopes this means they will experience special moments together. And maybe even share a similar world view. Strengthening their bond and, eventually, leading to Johnny loving her more. This is part of her plan and part of her stealing Johnny away.
It also has to be noted that Millicent may be drugging Johnny to make him more suggestible. Allowing her to control him more easily. Perhaps not intended in this way by the writer. This touches on some horrifying real world stuff. I find things involving kids a little bit too much for casual horror. It’s a bit too close to home for a lot of people. Sexual predators often give drugs to young people to facilitate abuse.
This subject matter is a little too complex and troubling to present in such a blasé manner. I imagine it will certainly trigger memories in survivors of abuse. If this situation was presented with a gender reversal. I think this movie would be looked on differently. Whatever, perhaps I am being oversensitive. This movie just rubbed me the wrong way. Its presentation of serious subjects and neuro-divergent people is pretty careless. Be it sufferers of autism or sufferers of depression.
Spoonful of Sugar – Millicent and Johnny Trip Balls While Rebecca Gets Balls Deep
Millicent and Johnny do grow closer. Running around like idiots, off their faces on LSD. The pair, for some reason, decide to go and play “let’s get run over” in the road. It just so happens to coincide with Rebecca and Jacob rolling down the street. Rebecca is balls deep on Jacob’s cock which apparently makes him swerve erratically. Was she biting it or something?
Naturally, Jacob nearly runs Johnny over. Somehow Rebecca manages to avoid biting off Jacob’s knob. Runs into the road and chastises Millicent. Millicent is wildly apologetic as Johnny suddenly vomits up candy. Something that had been strictly forbidden by Rebecca. While continuing to shout at Millicent, Rebecca upsets Johnny. Johnny finally speaks, calling for mommy. Only, the mommy he wants is Millicent, not Rebecca.
Spoonful of Sugar – Rebecca Fires Millicent
This sends Rebecca into a rage. She sends Millicent away and marches Johnny into the house. Demanding that he calls her mommy which he refuses to do. Rebecca is distraught that his first time speaking wasn’t directed at her. Jacob drives Millicent home. While consoling her in the car and telling her it wasn’t her fault. Millicent sees her opportunity and kisses him. The ever horny bastard joins in and has sex with her in the car. Millicent realises that her plan is starting to come together. Only, there is a slight spanner about to be thrown in the works.
Millicent enters the house and her foster father accosts her at the door. He reminds her of their agreement. Insinuating that Millicent has agreed to a sexual relationship with him. Millicent makes out like she is going to pleasure him. Only to murder him. I don’t know if I am a missing something here. Do you really need a foster parent when you are in your twenties? I mean, I moved away from home at 18. I certainly wouldn’t have been trying to find a foster parent, had my parents been dead. Strangely enough, I considered myself an adult at that point but whatever. More plot holes I guess.
Spoonful of Sugar – Millicent is a Serial Killer
Now we get the grand reveal. Millicent is actually a serial killer. She takes some of her foster dad’s hair and puts it in a book. As she flicks through the book we see a series of names. In a moment of gross exposition. It becomes clear that she has already murdered all of her previous foster dads.
The insinuation being that they sexually assaulted her, I suppose. She killed them in revenge. Because its not good enough to have a plain old killer motivated by blood. They have to have a tried and tested, tropey, backstory to make you… err.. sympathise with them, I guess?
Spoonful of Sugar – The Doctor Caring for Johnny is Dr. Welsh
Millicent sneaks up to the house of Rebecca and Jacob. There she spots her own Psychiatrist, Dr Welsh, talking to Rebecca. It turns out that he has been the one looking after Johnny this whole time. He was the doctor that Jacob claimed was using the family in some kind of sick experiment. Rebecca is telling the doctor that Johnny spoke.
He claims it must be because the medication is working. But it may also have been the relationship with the babysitter that helped Johnny. He encourages Rebecca to maintain Johnny’s relationship with the babysitter. Rebecca says she doesn’t want the babysitter around Johnny anymore.
Doctor Welsh tells her that doesn’t matter. It’s not up to her, it’s up to Johnny. Another highly unlikely thing for a doctor to say. They always try to work with the parents wherever they can. Especially when it comes to a parent’s concerns about specific people. Particularly concerning said person’s relationship with their child. This prompts Rebecca to allow Millicent to continue working with Johnny.
Spoonful of Sugar – Millicent Tells Johnny to Kill His Mum
So Millicent is back at the house and attempting to seduce Jacob in the kitchen. Johnny realises that this is painfully awkward so stabs Jacob in the leg. It is clear, at this point, that Johnny is becoming possessive over Millicent. A dangerous thing given his tendency towards violence.
Millicent takes Johnny to bed and tells him he can’t hurt his father. She tells Johnny that she loves Jacob and if he wants them to be a family. There is something that Johnny needs to do. She gives Johnny a flick knife and tells him to stab Rebecca when he is next alone with her. She tells him that when she is his true mommy, he won’t have to hide his rabbits anymore. Implying he can kill as many as he wants.
Spoonful of Sugar – Millicent Continues Seducing Jacob
While in the garden. Millicent is burying more bunnies that the family, apparently, fed to Johnny. Jacob comes outside and Jacob and Millicent fuck on the grass. Apparently Millicent is also a fan of some light choking. Because she isn’t a mum, I guess, Jacob is quite enthusiastic about doing it to her. Remember when loads of people got seriously into light BDSM because of 50 Shades? Believing themselves to be depraved sexual deviants. Despite only engaging in some light spanking and the occasional throat gripping. Yeah, movies like this are the result of that.
Light choking is the most basic of sexual practices and not at all indicative of a depraved mind. Plenty of people enjoy it. I am not sure what the relevance of it is here in this movie. Maybe just to indicate that Millicent can offer Jacob something that Rebecca can’t? The same way that she can offer Johnny the love that Rebecca can’t offer him. You don’t need choking to illustrate that, though. Men that are going to cheat will simply cheat. It doesn’t matter what sexual proclivities they have.
Johnny watches on from the window. Screaming at the top of his voice about the inclusion of yet another awkward sex scene in this pants movie. Or, maybe he was screaming because he is possessive of Millicent. One of the two. Either way, he isn’t happy. When Rebecca is in Johnny’s room later on. She spots pictures that Johnny has drawn of Millicent and Johnny standing with Jacob as a family. As well as pictures of Jacob and Millicent having sex. Rebecca angrily asks him whether he likes her. Jealous that Johnny views Millicent as his mother.
Spoonful of Sugar – Why Does Millicent Murder Dr Welsh?
We have another moment of gross exposition here. Millicent uses a mirror to basically explain the entire history of her life. She claims she doesn’t need the drugs anymore. Basically pushing to one side something that has been a weak plot point throughout. She is ready to claim what’s hers. She elaborates on killing her foster dads. Explaining how they were all considered to be suicides. Apparently the police wouldn’t start to get a bit suspicious when this kept happening. Millicent mentions the names Emily and Marybeth. Hinting that she has been changing her identity over time.
She explains that she is now doing this for Johnny. So they can be a family. The camera pans out to Dr. Welsh lying on the floor frothing at the mouth. The implication being that Millicent has murdered him. But the police will likely believe it to be a suicide. Despite the lipstick on the mirror that would probably look a little suspicious. Along with the history of strange suicides going back years. All associated with the last patient that visited him.
Millicent likely murdered Dr. Welsh due to his connection to Rebecca, Johnny and Jacob. As he was aware of Millicent, with her being his patient. And also aware of the family due to him treating Johnny. When Johnny murders Rebecca, as instructed to by Millicent. And Millicent becomes his new mum. It would probably look a bit on the suspicious side. Millicent probably realised that Dr. Welsh would be able to connect her to the crime. And realised she needed to get him out of the picture. Hence why she murdered him.
Spoonful of Sugar – But Jacob Doesn’t Love Millicent
We are moving onto the final scenes of Spoonful of Sugar, here. I actually really like this ending and think it played out perfectly. I only wish the rest of the film was better. The ending is so much fun. Millicent heads over to the house. Rebecca refuses to let her in, cutting Millicent’s hand as she tries to get in. Rebecca heads upstairs to be with Johnny while Millicent heads around the back of the house. Entering the workshop where Jacob is working. Millicent asks him whether he loves her. This is where Millicent’s plan begins to unravel.
Jacob doesn’t love Millicent. She says she wants more from him. He tells her he can’t give her more. He cares about her but doesn’t feel love for her. We then cut to Rebecca talking. It is clear that she has been completely aware of Millicent’s plans all along. She has been letting much of it happen. Knowing that love isn’t true love until it is tested. She sees this as an opportunity for her family to grow stronger.
Perhaps misjudging things just a tad. Millicent’s manipulation of Johnny pays off as he stabs Rebecca in the hand. She screams and begins to choke him. It’s clear that Johnny is still tripping balls off of the LSD laced tablets. Rebecca locks him in a room and heads down to the workshop with a knife.
Spoonful of Sugar – A Shocking Twist
Millicent is still trying to seduce Jacob in the workshop. Being the horny bastard that he is, she knows she can potentially control him with sex. It has worked for Rebecca for a long time so why not her? While attempting to grab him, Rebecca comes in and stabs Millicent in the back. Millicent manages to escape into the garden. Closely pursued by Rebecca brandishing the knife.
As Millicent heads towards the steps. She notices Johnny standing there with the flick knife. She falls in front of him and pleads to him. Thinking he will protect her, she tries to appeal to him. In a shock twist, Johnny stabs Millicent repeatedly. Killing her before looking at his mum and dad as they watch on. Hinting that this is not the first time that this has happened.
The movie ends with Jacob chopping up Millicent’s body. Rebecca says she will need to find another babysitter. And that they will need to buy the plot of land behind the house. Indicating that they plan to keep allowing Johnny to kill babysitters and bunnies. A final scene shows Millicent buried under the ground. As the camera pans along, we see a number of other bodies. All of which belong to young women. Likely babysitters of Johnny’s in the past.
Spoonful of Sugar – Johnny is a Serial Killer
So all along Johnny has been a serial killer. Rebecca and Jacob are aware of his psychopathic tendencies. As Millicent alluded to earlier in the movie. Family is more important than anything. With this in mind. Rebecca and Jacob have been providing victims to Johnny. Hoping it will satiate his blood lust and keep him from harming them. He has already had many victims and he will likely have many more. The family are already planning on purchasing another lot to bury the bodies in.
Rebecca does love her child. It’s just a weird kind of love. She will do anything for him. Rebecca and Jacob’s relationship is strong. Their sexual issues are the same as many parents. Sex has to take something of a back seat if you have children and jobs. Finding the time can be difficult for parents, even if they love and desire each other. Things change out of necessity. Rebecca believes the family are stronger now for having gone through the tough times. She knew Jacob wouldn’t fall in love with Millicent and knew Johnny would kill her. That’s why she hired Millicent and why she didn’t care that she wasn’t an ideal candidate.
Spoonful of Sugar – Did Johnny Love Millicent?
That might be the ultimate question here. He referred to her as mommy. Did he love her and believe she was his mommy? Well, that’s unlikely. I think the overriding message here is that Johnny isn’t capable of love. Even if he saw her as his mum, that wouldn’t stop him killing her. He wants to kill animals and people. He doesn’t love anyone at all. It doesn’t appear to be something he is capable of. At the end of the day. The most important thing to him is the people that feed his blood lust. In this case, Rebecca and Jacob. If they didn’t provide him with victims. Johnny would kill them too. Hence why they are scared of him.
His situation sort of parallels Millicent’s. Millicent has proved to be incapable of loving anything. The only thing she could potentially love. Is something that validates her and loves her unconditionally. A child. She never loved Jacob. He was a means to an end. When she had a psychiatrist that truly cared about her well being. She didn’t care and murdered him in cold blood. Much like Johnny did to her. She was a ruthless killer incapable of anything other than that which satisfies her. In the end, she just happened to love someone even worse than herself. Resulting in her becoming another victim.
Spoonful of Sugar – And That is That
I really enjoyed the end of this movie. It was a nice surprise. After thinking Millicent would probably end up with a ready made killer family. It was fairly obvious that Johnny was probably a psychopath. It was apparent from early on that Millicent had likely killed her foster parents too. I didn’t expected it to flip in the way it did, though. I was actually shocked when Johnny stabbed Millicent. It was great fun and executed really nicely.
What a shame the rest of the movie wasn’t great. Thanks for reading. I know this was a mammoth read but I like to deep dive on ending explained articles. It’s fun to explore every facet of the movie. Not just the ending. If you read all of this, you are a hero. You are either a sucker for punishment or you love wordy articles. Hell, if it is either of those things. Why not stick around? Check out some more Ending Explained articles. I also review horror movies and I also recently started writing horror lists. I update nearly every day of the week so there is always something new. On top of that, I never put out fluff. Just substantial horror content for horror fans to get their teeth into.
