INSIDE OUT 2: Movie Review

Pixar Animation Studios, once the go-to home for some of the best animated films ever created, had begun to lose its luster as of late; even if critically acclaimed films like Soul and Turning Red were leaving a mark, the box office and audience response simply wasn’t the same. After a slew of attempts at creating original films, Pixar has decided to return its attention to franchises and sequels, part of a broader strategy shift from Disney, which is also set to bring franchise films Mufasa and Moana 2 to theaters very soon.

Part of this new direction brought about the creation of Inside Out 2, a sequel that seemed like it would be a lazy and unnecessary cashgrab from a studio that had become desperate for box office returns. In a surprising turn of events, however, director Kelsey Mann’s Inside Out 2 arrives as a fresh, sharp, playful, and poignant sequel that improves upon its predecessor. Rather than fall into the reductive traps of so many other animated film sequels, Inside Out 2 expands on the ideas from the previous film and develops a screenplay that draws upon its themes in a more incisive way. By continuing to explore Riley’s story as a young adolescent and bringing new emotions into the fray, Inside Out 2 uses its narrative to develop a coming-of-age story that feels resonant yet refreshingly simple.

Despite taking on many complicated subjects, including the turmoil of developing anxiety (portrayed here as a character, of course), Inside Out 2 feels pacey and light-hearted. It’s a credit to writers Meg LeFauve and Dave Holstein, who do a fantastic job of making the narrative feel grounded; the story is centered around a small and straightforward slice of Riley’s life as she heads to hockey camp, which helps bring a sense of focus to the film. By continuing to use ingenuous ways of depicting the human mind, Inside Out 2 excels because of the smart visual language it uses to tackle themes that are relevant for all of humanity, not just young adults.

The voice cast is also fantastic here, with a special mention for Maya Hawke, who is particularly excellent as Anxiety. Meanwhile, both Amy Poehler and Phyllis Smith continue to lend dynamic voices to Joy and Sadness, respectively, while new voice cast members like Liza Lapira, Tony Hale, Ayo Edebiri, and Adèle Exarchopoulos also lend their characters a sense of real personality.

What works so well about Inside Out 2 is that despite its ambitions, it doesn’t bite off more than it can chew, instead smartly choosing to focus on a small scope and the specific topic of anxiety. It’s a relevant theme that is brought to life in an emotionally intelligent way that is equal parts respectful and creative – there is thought put in to make sure that the light-hearted nature of the narrative doesn’t drown out the more sensitive elements, and vice versa. It’s one of Pixar’s most well-constructed films in recent memory, with a script that never feels like it stretches or gets overly sentimental, instead taking a restrained approach that lends to a beautiful treatment for this important story.