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Inside Out 2, directed by Kelsey Mann, was released earlier this year in June 2024. Starring Amy Poehler, Maya Hawke, Ayo Edebiri and Kensington Tallman, the Pixar production filled the public with excitement following the news of its production.
This well-anticipated sequel to the beloved Inside Out sees Riley, now a teenager, grappling with an emotional new stage in her life. Joy, Sadness, Anger, Disgust, and Fear – who’d been running a successful operation are suddenly left unsure of their positions when new emotions Anxiety, Envy, Ennui, and Embarrassment join headquarters. In a captivating and relatable story about navigating the complexities of growing up, Inside Out 2 has proven itself to engage both children and adults alike.
Our protagonist, Riley, having been invited to an ice hockey camp, struggles with the idea of who she should be now that she’s facing high school – an experience many of the movie’s viewers are all too familiar with. When confronted with the idea of not going to the same high school as her friends, Riley is thrown into a crisis with Anxiety now running things in headquarters. Riley’s core emotions find themselves suppressed in favour of the newcomers and must make their way back in time to restore her sense of self.
The audience for this film ranged from young children to adults showcasing Pixar’s ability to bring people together regardless of age. A number of teenagers, including myself, saw themselves reflected on screen with the relatability of Riley’s situations and conflicting emotions.
With anxiety becoming more and more prevalent in society’s younger generations, this representation was so important for so many people. As Anxiety said upon arrival, “My job is to protect her from the scary stuff she can’t see.” Through the development of the story the audience can see that when regulated properly, anxiety does not necessarily have to be a bad thing. It’s important for everyone, especially young people who are faced with a multitude of challenging situations, to see that the anxiety caused by them does not have to go unchecked.
In typical Pixar fashion, while dealing with some hard topics, the movie is filled with jokes, banter, and colourful characters. There are countless witty quips, not limited to Fear’s comment, “Anxiety would have a plan for that.” All of these things ensure that while we can see the more serious messages, the movie is still easily enjoyed by its younger audience and it isn’t too heavy for everyone else. This film brought Pixar back to its biggest strength: dealing with hard concepts in fun and ingenious ways.
This all being said, there is one flaw I found in the movie which both added to and took away from the overall nostalgia: The plot. Everything felt far too familiar with emotions being stuck outside of headquarters while chaos reigned on the inside. Some might argue this contributed to the comforting similarities with the original movie and that it was a deliberate choice made by directors and producers. I personally believe there could have been a way to achieve the childhood nostalgia without the perceived ‘reusing’ of the plot but it was a good watch and had enough differences to set itself apart from the original.
The movie has been well-received with a 91% critics score and 96% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, as well as praise coming from all corners of social media. Common feedback has been how well the movie is teaching kids to regulate and communicate their emotions. The main factor of enjoyment for me, as well as many others, was the childhood nostalgia which came with the sequel to a favourite movie from younger years. With Bundle of Joy opening the soundtrack and the familiarity of the characters, I was taken right back to my seven-year-old self watching Inside Out for the first time.
All in all I would consider Inside Out 2 to be one of the best sequels I’ve watched in a long while. It’s a familiar yet refreshing watch with emotionally impactful concepts to capture its audience in the emotional turmoil Riley must face. I recommend this movie to anyone and everyone, it’s just that good!