by: Chalice Williams (@HeyChalice)
We as moviegoers naturally block out the idea that a sequel could be anywhere near as entertaining or successful as the original. INSIDE OUT 2 has entered the chat. Pixar has done it again with a fun and quirky feature that introduces new emotions to the gang. As Riley (Kensington Tallman) is heading off to high school, she spends part of the summer at a hockey camp with her two best friends. She finds herself struggling to fit in and going through puberty, something teenage girls often find embarrassing and difficult. I mean, who hasn’t tried to be cool or fit in by pretending to like something we don’t, right? We are introduced to 4 new characters: Envy (Ayo Edebiri), Anxiety (Maya Hawke), Embarrassment (Paul Walter Hauser), and Boredom (Adèle Exarchopoulos). Briefly, we get a few laughs from the random appearances from Nostalgia (June Squibb).
The new emotions clash with the existing ones as they fail to meet common ground on how to navigate this new chapter of Riley’s life. Reprising their previous roles are Joy (Amy Poehler), Disgust (Liza Lapira), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), Fear (Tony Hale), and Anger (Lewis Black). Tempers flare as conflict rises during the teen’s race to make a good impression on the hockey coach, voiced by Yvette Nicole Brown.
What works well for INSIDE OUT 2 is the relatable dialogue from each character. Who stood out most was newcomer Anxiety, with an accurate depiction of an anxiety attack that the younger viewers won’t understand. This is the moment the adults were the most locked in, as many were seated with their children and probably were hoping their very own would not have to experience this. We are currently in a time where acknowledging mental health is a big deal. While this is an animated film meant to be lighthearted and fun, the theme is very much as real and relevant as can be. There is a particular moment where Joy tosses some unflattering memories, depicted by marble-type objects, into a pile where it can be forgotten. It garners a laugh from the mature audience, as we all wish life could be as simple as glossing over some moments we’d much rather forget. There are quite a bit of scenes like this, all making this a great film for adults to experience, whether they were taking a kid along with them or not. I, myself, went alone and found it to be very entertaining. Bravo to Disney and Pixar for going there with this as it was very well executed.
On the downside, this is still a film meant to target the younger audience, and even I myself was a bit overwhelmed with the second act. Kids could lose interest right as it approaches the 40 minute mark, as I found it to be a little all over the place and didn’t add to the movie at all. It could have easily been cut out, with the message and entertainment value not being affected at all. The time could have been used to shed a little more light on the other new characters, such as Envy and Boredom, who also goes by Ennui. It also wouldn’t hae been a bad idea to harp more on the relationship between Riley and her best friends, Grace (Grace Lu) and Bree (Sumayyah Nuriddin-Green), whom she had just learned were going to a separate high school than her.
INSIDE OUT 2 is a fun and well-crafted depiction of our emotions that speaks to adults all while being fun for the kiddos. While the first one is still GOAT-ed, the sequel adds some fresh new emotions worth seeing play out in the film. The franchise could easily continue for at least 2 more films as these continue to be a fan favorite with each release. Pixar does not miss as this delivers laughs and tears for the whole family. Take the family or catch a showing all on your own, it’s definitely with the watch as it hits theaters June 14th. Buy your tickets here and check out the short twitter review here!
SCORE: 8/10
Journalist: Chalice Williams (@HeyChalice)
Follow Reel Movie Junkie on X!
