Inside Out 2
Building on the basic human emotions of Joy (Amy Poehler), Anger (Lewis Black), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), Fear (Tony Hale), and Disgust (Liza Lapira), young Riley (Kensington Tallman) is about to launch into puberty adding a whole host of new characters to her head including Anxiety (Maya Hawke), Envy (Ayo Edebiri), and Ennui (Adèle Exarchopoulos). Learning to navigate new schools, new friends, and new challenges while trying to be the best youth hockey player she can be might be too much. How will Riley ever right the ship?
Written by Meg LeFauve, Dave Holstein, and Kelsey Mann and Directed by Mann, this reprisal of Pixar’s wildly creative psychology 101 romp Inside Out (2015) continues to build on the colorful visualization of the human psyche; although, since the majority of the Inside Out “world building” was already established in the previous work, the overall feel is less breakthrough and instead more additive, and thus a little less impressive despite the clearly well researched concepts and ideas. Also of note, a recasting of several of the key characters, Fear and Disgust, previously voiced by Bill Hader and Mindy Kaling, apparently for financial reasons, changes things up a bit and sits as strange considering the level of success that Inside Out was originally met with. Sure, the new voices are fine, but the rationale seems misguided. Meanwhile, true to Pixar standards, the almost paint by number plotline and story follows their recipe for success to a tee. Characters are faced with a challenge and must choose option A or B, but in reality must choose option C to transcend their situation all together. Checking all the boxes for family fun, this encore performance will still have audiences smiling and laughing along the way, cringe and all. Running 96 minutes in length, Inside Out 2 is rated PG.