‘Inside Out 2’ Review: A Feel-Good Revisit into Riley’s Mind
When an elderly lady toddles into the animated world of ‘Inside Out 2,’ she’s quickly shooed away by the familiar characters of Joy and Sadness. With rose-tinted glasses, twinkling eyes, and a helmet of white hair, she introduces herself as Nostalgia. But Joy and Sadness wave her off, saying it’s too soon for her appearance. They’ve forgotten the emotional engagement that Pixar movies, particularly the original ‘Inside Out,’ bring to their audiences.
If you’ve seen ‘Inside Out’ (2015), your emotions will be primed for the sequel. The original movie follows Riley, a spunky yet ordinary 11-year-old girl, whose emotions are personified as characters within her mind. Joy (voiced by Amy Poehler) usually takes the lead, but when Riley’s family moves to a new city, Sadness (Phyllis Smith) becomes more prominent, leading Riley into a spiral of depression. Yet, in true Pixar fashion, the emotions eventually find harmony, restoring Riley’s happiness.
Also Read: ‘IF’ Movie Review: The Most Imaginary Fun You Can Have!
As ‘Inside Out 2’ begins, Joy is still in charge alongside Sadness, Anger (Lewis Black), Fear (Tony Hale), and Disgust (Liza Lapira). They operate from headquarters, a bright and complex tower in Riley’s mind, monitoring her actions through an enormous oval screen. The control console they use becomes more intricate as Riley grows. By the end of the first film, a new button labelled “puberty” appears on the console. When the sequel begins, this button has transformed into a red alarm, signalling the start of Riley’s turbulent teenage years.
Riley, now 13, is dealing with puberty’s challenges, which include braces and pimples. New emotions make their debut, led by Anxiety (Maya Hawke), a jittery, carrot-coloured sprite. Anxiety soon takes control, assisted by Envy (Ayo Edebiri), Embarrassment (Paul Walter Hauser), and the delightfully weary, French-accented Ennui (Adèle Exarchopoulos).
Directed by Kelsey Mann, this streamlined sequel centres on Riley’s experiences at a girls’ hockey camp. This setting, which separates her from her parents, introduces her to new friends, feelings, and choices. Mann, along with story co-creator Meg LeFauve and screenwriter Dave Holstein shifts the narrative between Riley’s internal emotional world and her external experiences.
Riley’s new emotions make her worry, blush, and pretend to be indifferent. While Joy and the other original emotions are often sidelined humorously, the film subtly guides Riley towards emotional wellness. The movie delicately navigates her teenage turmoil, avoiding more mature topics like periods, crushes, or sneaking out, and even confiscates the girls’ phones to keep the focus on Riley’s emotional journey.
Pixar’s mastery in evoking sentimentality is evident, though Nostalgia (voiced by June Squibb) is kept in the background to avoid being overly sentimental. Pixar excels in tapping into our sentimental longing, much like how the character Anton Ego in ‘Ratatouille’ is transported back to childhood with a single bite of food. This ability to blend emotion with storytelling makes ‘Inside Out 2’ resonate deeply, much like its predecessor.
The sequel builds on the original’s ethos and visual style, offering familiar pleasures with a few fresh tweaks. One standout scene features Anxiety spinning out of control, depicted as a rapidly rotating orange whirlpool, capturing intense emotional turmoil. This moment showcases Pixar’s talent for turning abstract emotions into compelling visual narratives, reminding us why their films leave such a lasting impact.
