2024 Summer Movie Season - Inside Out 2: Review & Analysis

 Emotional Triumph!!!!! Sequel to 2015 Pixar Standout Regains Studios' Sense of Self!!!!

Review By Brandon Porter

Meet your new roommate

Story Description

Despite a rough start, Riley has settled into her new home and town. Her smooth adjustments are partially due to the continued efforts of her inner emotions Joy (Amy Pohler), Fear (Tony Hale), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), Disgust (Liza Lapira), and Anger (Lewis Black). With Riley coming into her own as a hockey player, her parents decide to sign her up for a special camp for up-and-coming junior high prospects. With these new experiences at the forefront and Riley being on the cusp of something called "Puberty", Joy and the others soon face new challenges and some new house guests. One of those guests is the skittishly chaotic Anxiety (Maya Hawke) who is eager to contribute to the team...by any means. With the arrival of Anxiety as well as others such as Envy (Ayo Edebiri), Ennui (Adèle Exarchopoulos), and Embarrassment (Paul Walter Hauser), a power struggle begins to occur within the command center which ultimately has Joy and her friends cast out by the new residents. Now separated from their home and  Riley slowly succumbing to Axiety's chaotic takeover, Joy and the others must find their way back and ensure that Riley's transition into the next phase in her life doesn't lead her down a path of destructive emotional mayhem.

Joy and her friends wake up to some new "alterations" to
their workspace.

Film Review

The arrival of 2015's Inside Out marked a significant return to form for Pixar Animation Studios after a few years of less-than-receptive entries to the portfolio. Its clever writing, emotional heft, and worldbuilding have made it a fan favorite for nearly a decade. With Inside Out 2, Director Kelsey Mann progresses the story forward by putting Joy and her crew in uncharted territory as they grapple with Riley's teenage years and her literal new emotions. After traveling back into Riley's head for another emotional escapade, Inside Out 2 is a strong reminder of why Pixar is one of the best studios in the industry. When I left the theater after seeing Inside Out back in 2015, I proudly declared that Pixar was back to form after a few years of films not quite living up to the exceptional high bar it set for itself. With Inside Out 2, I feel the same way in terms of the movie really being a fantastic showcase of layered depth, clever writing, and nuanced narrative edifice. The movie builds out its world in a variety of ways while continuing to challenge our characters both in and out of Riley's head. Let's give the film credit for several elements that work in its favor. The cast is fantastic all around both returning and new. Amy Pohler is once again a joy as Joy. What is great about the character this time around is that we see her continued vulnerability be put at the forefront as she starts to come to grips that she doesn't have all the answers to every situation. While she had her moment of vulnerability in the first one, this time her colleagues see it and it truly humanizes Joy in a way that rallies the team together at a time when they need each other the most. The other OG emotions stand out as well with a surprise one being Lewis black's Anger. His character shows a softness that is warm and nurturing despite his tendency to fly off the handle. It adds depth to his character that wasn't there before making him more fleshed out as a result. Sadness benefits from her formed relationship with Joy as they share a more trusting bond while Liza Lapira's Disgust and Tony Hale's Fear offer great comic relief throughout. Now that we've covered our original crew, let's discuss the new players.

Anxiety looks to ensure Riley is ready for any worst-case 
scenario matter the cost.

A full-on fan favorite since getting introduced in the teaser trailer, Anxiety is unsurprisingly one of the standout characters in the film. Performed amazingly by Maya Hawke, Anxiety is, no exaggeration, a flurry of chaotic energy. From how she talks, how she thinks, and even how she looks, she adds great humor but also some dark nuance to the narrative. Always focusing on the future while ignoring the moment, her actions while good-intentioned and effective begin to show signs of a path of destruction that become unhinged and hauntingly relatable to anyone dealing with their own form of her. Hawke is masterful in the role capturing the desperate nature of this character and the fear that overtakes her at several key moments in the story. She is a fantastic addition to the world of Inside Out and one of the best new characters in the series. Aya Edebiri's Envy, Adèle Exarchopoulos' Ennui, and Embarrassment, played by Paul Walter Hauser are great additions in their own right and all get their time to shine as well. Performances aside, Inside Out 2's biggest strength is its continued expansion of its world both within and out of Riley's head. Director Kelsey Mann and her team put a lot of thought into how Riley's emotions and Riley herself, were going to navigate the challenges of such a pivotal and terrifying part of growing up. Both this film and its predecessor do such a wonderful job of meshing both worlds together in a way that they complement each other and tell the complete story with you invested in both sides of the lens. The film's climax, in particular, is an emotional onslaught of layered nuance that is sad, relatable, and all too close to reality. It's that type of powerful visual storytelling that makes Pixar one of the Walt Disney Company's best brands. Pixar is known for being a studio that puts its heart and soul into its projects. This one is no different as it delivers a message that young and old must hear as they navigate a stage in their life where they are facing their own "storm of anxiety" every day. In the end, Inside Out 2 is such an incredible addition to the Pixar portfolio that builds on the world it has created while challenging its characters in ways necessary for growth. If there is a lesson to take from this film, it is to be wary of the emotions that are "at the control" for some of them may be destructive long term. It's also a great advocacy piece for embracing all of the different parts of yourself. Some will be good, some will be bad, others ugly. However, in the end, it is those multifaceted parts of you that truly make you one of a kind. 

Rating and Final Thoughts

A stellar and emotional follow-up to one of Pixar's best portfolio
entries that expand its world and characters in a nuanced way that reminds
us why the studio is an elite force in the industry. 

Feel all the feelings!!!!