Inside Out 2 (2024)
The original Inside Out from
2015 is lovely. However, as of late, the animated films from Pixar haven't been
quite as good as they once were, so there was apprehension going into Inside
Out 2. Yes, it's not as good as the original, and "sequel-itis" does rear
its ugly head as the film occasionally feels like just more of the same.
However, there are enough new elements in Inside Out 2 to make it a
pleasant filmgoing experience.
The sequel starts with now 13-year-old
Riley (voice of Kensington Tallman) starting high school with hopes of making
the school's hockey team, the Fire Hawks. Riley's emotions—Joy, Sadness, Anger,
Disgust, and Fear (Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith, Lewis Black, Liza Lapire, and
Tony Hale, respectively)—watch over her from their headquarters in her mind and
think everything is smooth sailing, that is until Riley's "Puberty Alarm" goes
off. When that happens, a construction crew comes in and demolishes the
headquarters, and a new group of emotions show up to take over. These new
emotions—Envy, Ennui, and Embarrassment (Ayo Edebiri, Adèle Exarchopoulos, and
Paul Walter Hauser, respectively)—are led by Anxiety (Maya Hawke), who banishes
Joy and company to the back of Riley's mind. To stop Anxiety from polluting the
young girl with negative thoughts, Joy must retrieve an orb that is Riley's "Sense
of Self," get back to the headquarters, and retake the control panel.
Inside Out 2 has some fun
throwaway gags, like the Sar-Casm, which is a rock chasm where whatever you
yell to someone comes out like you are being sarcastic. The new character
designs are also amusing—Anxiety looks like an orange Bermudagrass weed with
eyes, and Embarrassment is a big pink guy in a hoodie whose butt crack is
always on display when he cowers.
As funny as all this is, the movie is
at its best when it's in tune with 13-year-old's feelings of self-worth. The
screenplay by Meg LeFauve and Dave Holstein is smarter and deeper than just
being a collection of goofy gags.
Inside Out 2 is imaginative
enough and thoughtful enough to justify its existence.
