Enjoy the colorful world of growth, chaos, puberty, and friendship in Inside Out 2. Pixar's newest film is fun and full of exploration in the mind of Riley Anderson. From secret crushes to being crushed emotionally, this is the perfect film to watch with family... or if you wanna cry about your younger self.
I think Inside Out 2 could’ve been even better if there had been Confused as a new emotion. Picture this: Joy and Sadness are fighting over control and Confused just lays on it like Embarrassment, because who isn’t confused about what they're feeling 70% of time. Most of the time you don’t understand your feelings and emotions until after the fact. Confused would be two-toned like Joy, with a side bang and glasses that make their eyes too times too big, maybe capris? Aside from the potential for a new character in “Inside Out 3” (I want credit by the way), I think Inside Out 2 was an exciting, family-friendly film that explores the reality of desperation in your early teens. Desperation to be accepted, to find your place, and to maintain prior relationships while building new ones. Though I am a bit sick of the narrative that the only way you can survive high school is by becoming popular, I did appreciate how the ending made Riley and Anxiety (Maya Hawk) realize they didn’t need to change themselves to succeed. It’s a common theme throughout the media to display that the only way you can gain popularity or likeness in high school is to conform to society around you. In all of these different films and tv shows however, the ending reveals that people like you more when you’re your authentic self. I think Inside Out 2 did a wonderful job of depicting this through Anxiety. Riley doesn’t want to change herself and ditch her friends, but Anxiety is causing her to act out of character. Times of change in young people’s lives, not only physically but psychologically, can be very tough and this film did a great job coaching the audience through what to do when these emotions take over.
My favorite part of this film, and the part that made me cry, was when Riley’s sense of self was destroyed by Anxiety. Anxiety was so worried about the future she lost sight of the present and how that affected Riley’s self-worth. The new characters, Embarrassment (Paul Walter Hauser), Ennui (Adele Exarchopoulos), Anxiety, and Envy (Ayo Edeberi) were all used to elevate the state of chaos that is puberty and growth. I really appreciated the positive spin on Envy, because oftentimes Envy comes from a place of admiration. I think if they had made Envy similar to disgust it could’ve made Riley worse to everyone around, including her good friends. Anxiety at first was annoying and extremely unlikeable, but as the film progressed it was clear that her heart was in the right place; which is another positive spin on the traditional negative stigma surrounding mental health and anxiety. Embarrassment stole the show for me, when he’d fall over with his buttcrack out I couldn’t help but laugh hysterically, emphasizing that state of 2nd hand embarrassment. I was indifferent towards Ennui, which makes perfect sense. But I think my favorite moment about the reality of these emotions was Joy’s breakdown in the middle of the film. When the original emotions are trying to figure out a way back to headquarters and the sense of self and Anger calls her “delusional,” she breaks down in tears explaining how challenging it is to constantly be positive. I thought this was one of the most honest moments of the film, right after Riley thought she was a bad person for her actions. It is hard to constantly try and be positive or look on the bright side, especially when you’re going through an emotional period. I liked how the film made it clear that it’s okay to experience sadness and anxiety while also emphasizing the struggle to find joy, it is important to teach everyone that it’s nearly impossible to always be full of joy.
I’ve seen this movie twice now and I can’t help but think Riley’s deep dark secret is that she likes Val more than a friend. If Disney isn’t trying to make Riley gay, they’re doing a bad job. Puberty and the changes that occur between middle and high school typically involve questions around romance and sexuality, maybe I’m stereotyping but come on. I think this is a great film to watch with friends or family and I think the animation is insanely creative in terms of explaining the function of emotions. Animation is not just for kids, despite common belief, I wish more films utilized animation because the possibilities for stories similar to these are endless. I wish I had a film like this to watch back when I was in high school. In both Inside Out and Inside Out 2, utilize the resolution to teach us that the best way to succeed is to be honest and true to ourselves. Our emotions are tools to help us express what we’re experiencing inside, not everyone displays sadness or joy or fear in the same way. I didn’t feel that these emotions were one dimensional and I thought that their individual character arcs were very interesting and realistic. I highly recommend this film to any and all people, like I said before animation is not just for kids. From the mixed use of animation, to the emphasis on friendship and self-discovery the plot was a lot deeper than I had expected. In terms of the future of this franchise please hear me out on Confusion, I can also voice act for that part if you need someone. The glimpse into the other character’s minds was such a treat, as were the scenes playing beside the credits (I was always staying until the credits were over and so should you). Overall Inside Out 2 was a real joy to see, I’m sad it ended, and I’m envious of those who have yet to see it… see what I did there. Inside Out 2 is double the emotions and double the fun. Is it the original, absolutely not and it shouldn't be!
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