Almost a decade ago, a single Pixar film asked the world what would happen if every emotion inside their head was an individual character controlling their behaviour through a machine. Inside Out became one of the most emotional entries in the studio’s history. Years later, Inside Out 2 has proven that the studio still has a lot to give, even when it’s forced to produce sequels to its classics occasionally. The sequel, directed by Kelsey Mann, knows how to punch the audience in the gut, even when it was hard to believe that they could pull it off again.
Inside Out 2 takes us back to San Francisco, two years after the first movie, where we find Riley (Kensington Tallman) on the brink of puberty. This new phase of her life introduces a host of unfamiliar emotions, each with its unique role to play. However, Anxiety (Maya Hawke), Envy (Ayo Edebiri), Ennui (Adèle Exarchopoulos), and Embarrassment (Paul Walter Hauser) are not the ideal guides for Riley. The heart of the sequel lies in the exploration of how these new emotions will shape Riley’s future, a journey that many of us can relate to.
Ever since Inside Out 2 was announced, it was understandable to feel skeptical about where the story could go next. The first installment, directed by Pete Docter, wrapped Riley’s narrative neatly, and any attempt to expand on that world could make fans of the previous chapter anxious. Thankfully, Inside Out 2 did a fantastic job of remembering what made the first movie so special: Riley and her connection to the world around her. Sure, the colourful emotions are all over the posters for the film, and they’re the main characters of the animated adventures, but Riley has always been the one the audience has cared for all along.
Inside Out 2 wastes no time establishing Riley’s stakes in the sequel. She wants to fit in with the high school kids by being accepted onto the hockey team, even if it means leaving her best friends behind. This process, combined with the arrival of puberty, causes the new emotions to make their grand appearances. The screenplay by Meg LeFauve and Dave Holstein is exceptionally in-tune with being relatable for the audience. Riley doesn’t know how to deal with Anxiety, and anyone who might’ve encountered the emotion at the slightest level knows why this will be highly complicated for the friendly Pixar protagonist.
More secondary characters are introduced in Inside Out 2 besides the new emotions, and they’re related to other aspects of Riley’s life. However, none compare to the charm of Anger (Lewis Black) and Fear (Tony Hale) in this sequel. The characters introduced in the first movie return to deliver the funniest lines, and Hale made the emotion his own after Bill Hader couldn’t reprise the role in this adventure. The entire voice cast of Inside Out 2 brought the best of their talents to the second movie, but none compared to what Fear and Anger did this time around.
One of the most beautiful aspects of Inside Out 2 was the organic connection between the sequences in Riley’s head and what was happening in the real world. While watching the movie, it’s easy to overlook what Riley is up to during her stay at the hockey camp. However, upon thinking about how the sequel is structured, it’s easy to realize the care that was put in place for the pacing of Inside Out 2. The emotions never speak directly to the humans of the story, but it’s straightforward to understand the relationship between Riley’s feelings and the people around her.
With a wonderful script that remembers what made the first movie so successful, heartwarming voice performances, and an emotional narrative that brings back memories of Pixar’s good old days, Inside Out 2 is the animated smash hit of the summer. The studio’s movies released over the past decade have been charming, but Inside Out 2 speaks directly to the hearts of the audience. If Pixar continues to deliver such beautiful stories, they will regret ever sending movies to streaming in the first place.
Muses of Media 
Leave a comment