If it isn’t obvious, I have a massive soft spot for animated films; I firmly believe harsher topics can be touched on with nuance and in a more kid-friendly way with animation than any sort of live action production. Pixar’s Inside Out vowed to do just that back in 2015 when we stepped into the mind of 11-year-old Riley, a preteen girl who was whisked away to San Francisco and had to tackle mixed emotions. This year’s Inside Out 2 follows a similar trend, following her as she enters teenhood and the introduction of brand-new emotions.
Back of mind
In Inside Out 2, we see Riley, now 13, heading to a three-day camp with her friends in hopes of getting a leg up as they enter high school. A wrench is thrown into their plans, though, as the dreaded puberty starts setting in, leading to a handful of new emotions taking refuge in the HQ.
Joy, played by Amy Poehler, remains the same happy-go-lucky leader she always has been, just the same as all her other cohorts — Sadness, Disgust, Anger, and Fear — she still wants what’s best for Riley, especially as her Core Belief has surfaced, the feeling of knowing yourself, a mantra of “I am a good person” lingers throughout the film as before puberty kicked in, that was who Riley knew herself as.
Enter Anxiety, one of the four new emotions played by Stranger Things’ Maya Hawke, she is a hyperactive caffeine-addled ball of worry. From the onset, it’s clear that she’s the foil to Joy, she wants what’s best for RIley while also fearing what could happen if too much of her more eccentric personality bleeds through into high school. How she may find herself in social isolation if she doesn’t conform to the crowd.
Instead of finding a middle-ground with the old, reliable emotions, Anxiety (literally) bottles up the old emotions, sending them to the “Vault,” claiming Riley needs more complex emotions than what they can handle. What follows is a complete destruction of Riley’s character; neglecting her friends in favor of seeking the approval of a well-off high school hockey player and the coach.
Where can I put my stuff?
Everything about Inside Out 2 is what I hoped for in other films by Pixar. It’s stylized, making it pretty to look at and grow tired of the same style. It’s blunt enough that you know what topics it’s covering while also subtle enough that it’s more nudging you in the right direction. It’s pulling on your heartstrings without feeling like that was the whole point of the movie. Overall, it’s just a coming-of-age story, just like the original, but this time it’s more centered around the fears and changes you feel while growing up.
Comedy in a Disney or Pixar movie can be very hit or miss; it can be great or it can come off as cringey or just plain unfunny, almost like no one read the jokes outloud until recording day, but there are a good few jokes sprinkled into Inside Out 2 that caught me at least chuckling. That’s not to say it can’t be serious or sad, even. Inside Out 2 made me cry a little, it’s been a while since I’ve actually cried at all during a Pixar movie.
Now comes the biggest flaw — it’s generic. Of course, this is Disney and Pixar I’m talking about, so I don’t expect really cutting-edge things, but it’s just a coming-of-age story and while that’s all well and good, it doesn’t really do anything other than introduce a new plot and new emotions to make it stand out from its predecessor. I think it’s a competent movie, but I can’t shake the feeling that it could’ve been better.
I am a good person
Lately, Pixar has been in a rut; Lightyear was a disaster, Disney Plus’ Turning Red was lackluster, and Elemental was a commercial failure. Inside Out 2 is the antithesis of the last few movie releases, and while it’s not perfect, it’s a massive success probably due to its existing audience, which does unfortunately reinforce why the animation studio can’t seem to stop making sequels or spin-offs to its successful IPs.
I really want to believe Inside Out 2 will be the turning point for Pixar. It’s a fun movie that both kids and adults will enjoy with a heartwarming story and a narrative about finding out who you are while trudging through the horrible avenue of growing up.
The Review
Great
