It’s time for Riley Andersen to face her biggest challenge yet in Inside Out 2: puberty. Nine years after we last caught up with all the Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust in Riley’s mind, we are back with a sequel that follows Riley as she tries to stand out on her new hockey team. But with growing up comes a lot more emotions, and pretty soon, new emotions like Anxiety enter the picture. Pete Docter‘s 2015 movie charmed audiences everywhere, and following that up was not going to be an easy task. But Kelsey Mann charms in his directorial debut, crafting a loving sequel for the whole family.
Pixar has always used whimsical ideas and colorful characters to illustrate beautiful ideas about human nature. This film is about the overwhelming nature of growing up. It updates the world of Riley’s mind, showing how her emotions have become much more balanced since the end of the last film. We also have a few new ideas thrown into the mix that serve as metaphors for how the human mind works. Soon enough, we are introduced to Anxiety (Maya Hawke), who differs from Fear because Fear protects Riley from everything she can see, but Anxiety protects her from what she can’t.
We also have Envy (Ayo Edebiri), who wants Riley to be as good as everyone else, Embarrassment (Paul Walter Hauser), who hides behind his hoodie and is often too embarrassed to speak, and Ennui (Adèle Exarchopoulos), bored and obsessed with her phone. We also have Nostalgia (June Squibb), but she doesn’t have a place in Riley’s developing mind yet. Soon enough, Anxiety bottles up our lead emotions, under the impression that they would get in the way of helping Riley. And with that, our emotions must find their way back to Headquarters.
A fascinating Inside Out 2 tidbit is that the visual language was supposedly based on Uncut Gems. In retrospect, it’s understandable. Uncut Gems is a film with endless anxiety, and Anxiety takes on a prominent role here. The pacing is very fast and sometimes chaotic, but it always feels calculated to put us into the right mindset. Anxiety starts out as a funny character, and Hawke portrays her wonderfully. But as the movie goes on, her actions become more antagonistic. But the best part of the character is the fact that all her intentions are good. She has the same goal as the other emotions, but her approach is what drives them apart.
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Another shining element is how it combines multiple animation styles to fill out the supporting cast. For example, there’s a 2D-animated character that is sure to get some of the loudest laughs. Inside Out 2 is a hilarious movie when it wants to be, using certain animation techniques for some wonderful visual gags. Like every Pixar movie, it’s gorgeous to look at, but it’s not aiming for photorealism. It’s got unique textures, many characters, and it looks wonderful.
Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith, and Lewis Black show that they are all perfectly cast as Joy, Sadness, and Anger. Their voices match these emotions very well. Bill Hader and Mindy Kaling did not reprise their roles from the first movie as Fear and Disgust, and taking their place are Tony Hale and Liza Lapira. They both do a good job making the voice their own while also not having it sound entirely different from how it did the first time around. Hawke is the standout addition, giving humor and genuine emotion to this character. Edebiri, Hauser, and Exarchopoulos are also turning in wonderful work.
The aspect that’s slightly weaker here is the main story. The first film is about Riley moving to a new home and all the pain that came from missing her old life. Inside Out 2 is about her pushing herself to become a great hockey player, sometimes at the expense of her friends. There is drama here, and Riley’s anxiety leads to her making bad decisions, which is something nearly everyone can relate to. However, despite all the promise this story has, it does not tug on the heartstrings the way the first movie did. Much like Puss in Boots: The Last Wish and The Spider Within: A Spider-Verse Story, this movie realistically depicts an anxiety attack and how overwhelming it can feel.
That’s what makes Inside Out 2 so strong. It may not be as phenomenal as the first movie, but there is a lot of heart in this film that deals with all the trials of growing up. It’s about wanting to push yourself further, the relationships you build with friends, and many of the real troubles that come with growing up. It could have pushed the emotions a little further, but there is a very fun adventure at the center of this movie that always works for the better.
SCORE: 8/10
As ComingSoon’s review policy explains, a score of 8 equates to “Great.” While there are a few minor issues, this score means that the art succeeds at its goal and leaves a memorable impact.
Disclosure: ComingSoon attended a press screening for our Inside Out 2 review.
