‘Inside Out 2’ review: Riley grows up in this sweet, stressful sequel

It is understandably straightforward to get cynical about Pixar sequels. Why do we’d like extra Automobiles or Toy Story motion pictures (or spin-offs) from an animation studio that prides itself on distinctive storytelling? Why, after a run of strong authentic movies like Soul, Luca, Turning Pink, and Elemental, do we have to revisit 2015’s Inside Out?

But out of all of Pixar’s motion pictures, Inside Out most invitations an natural sequel. Its exploration of the tangle of feelings inside our heads is completely suited to continuation, as a result of we as persons are evolving and altering on a regular basis! And when is that change extra dramatic than the beast that’s puberty?

Like 2022’s Turning Pink, which in itself proved a groundbreaking illustration of puberty, Inside Out 2 embraces the complexities of this daunting life stage, particularly in relation to emotions of self-worth and anxiousness. The result’s a frank tackle psychological well being that proves extra mature than its predecessor, whereas additionally sustaining a well-needed contact of irreverence and Pixar consolation.

Inside Out 2 tackles the emotional challenges of puberty head-on.

Directed by Kelsey Mann, Inside Out 2 reintroduces us to Riley (voiced by Kensington Tallman), now 13 years previous and nonetheless as obsessive about hockey as ever. Serving to her navigate the world are her 5 feelings: Pleasure (voiced by Amy Poehler), Unhappiness (voiced by Phyllis Smith), Disgust (voiced by Liza Lapira), Worry (voiced by Tony Hale), and Anger (voiced by Lewis Black). After the occasions of Inside Out, the group is now a well-oiled machine, every serving to Riley in their very own method.

However wait, what’s this large, blaring alarm on the feelings’ management console? Why is a wrecking ball smashing headquarters to bits for a shock renovation? The chaos can solely imply one factor: Puberty has arrived, bringing with it new feelings.

Main the cost is Anxiousness (voiced by Stranger Issues‘ Maya Hawke), a toothy orange puffball who hopes to guard Riley from every part scary she “cannot see.” This largely means drawing up horrifying eventualities of every part that may go mistaken for Riley — a tactic that instantly rubs Pleasure the mistaken method.

Credit score: Pixar

Becoming a member of Anxiousness are Envy (voiced by The Bear‘s Ayo Edebiri), Ennui (voiced by Adèle Exarchopoulos), and Embarrassment (voiced by Paul Walter Hauser). New, extra exaggerated character designs differentiate this group of feelings from the unique crew. Envy is teeny tiny, with enormous eyes that covet every part they see. Ennui, a portrait of disaffected French cool, lounges like a limp noodle on a sofa. And whereas Embarrassment is by far the biggest of the feelings, he prefers to cover himself away within the depths of his sweatshirt.

Tensions between new feelings and previous flare as Riley learns that her finest buddies Bree (voiced by Sumayyah Nuriddin-Inexperienced) and Grace (voiced by Grace Lu) have been assigned to a distinct highschool. A summer time hockey abilities camp they’re attending might be the final probability they must play collectively on the identical staff — nevertheless it may be Riley’s probability to impress the coach at her new highschool, in addition to the the staff’s formidable captain Valentina (voiced by Lilimar). Will Pleasure’s insistence that Riley stick to Bree and Grace win out? Or will Anxiousness bulldoze years of friendship in her efforts to safe a “cool” future for Riley?

Inside Out 2 presents each as having deserves. After all you need Riley to stay near her buddies, and naturally you need to see her succeed at doing what she loves. Absolutely there is a method to deliver the 2 collectively. As a substitute, Anxiousness locations the choices on a binary, kicks the previous feelings out of HQ, and units in movement a plan to construct Riley a brand new sense of self.

Inside Out 2 will get actual about psychological well being.

Credit score: Pixar

Watching Anxiousness’s plan play out will make you anxious your self. Significantly, Inside Out 2 was some of the hectic viewing experiences I’ve ever had. But it is also one of many movies the place I’ve felt most seen by way of its portrayal of psychological well being.

At each flip, Riley’s efforts to impress the highschool staff go awry. She lets one mistake about the place she’s from snowball right into a nickname, she hides her actual pursuits as a way to slot in, and he or she pushes herself to extremes to attempt to show she’s nice at hockey. Each painful social interplay will make you shrink to a tiny ball in your seat — not simply out of embarrassment for Riley, however out of consciousness that we have all been by means of related phases of awkwardness. Like Turning Pink or 2023’s Are You There God? It is Me, Margaret, Inside Out 2 is aware of that empathy is any nice coming-of-age film’s secret weapon. So even when you’ve by no means picked up a hockey stick, you will really feel for Riley, Bree, and Grace as these buddies navigate an emotionally fraught scenario.

Riley’s experiences play out like a grounded coming-of-age drama, making for a pleasant distinction from the fantasy journey film taking part in out inside her thoughts. Inside Out already explored the plot of “core feelings must get again to HQ,” so its successor mixes up the groupings of the feelings, even separating Pleasure and Unhappiness for a change. Generally, the scenes by which the feelings lament being misplaced can really feel too much like the primary film, so it helps when Inside Out 2 throws new brainy obstacles in our feelings’ method, like a “sar-chasm” or a literal brainstorm. One significantly hilarious sequence entails an encounter with Riley’s secrets and techniques, like the very fact she nonetheless enjoys a Dora the Explorer-esque cartoon character named Bloofy (voiced by Ron Funches), or that she harbors a crush on oh-so-dramatic online game dreamboat Lance Slashblade (voiced by Yong Yea). The promise of those colourful excursions deeper into Riley’s thoughts is perhaps the hook for youthful viewers, but it is the way in which by which they inform Riley’s real-world story that resonates essentially the most.

Inside Out 2 builds Riley’s troubles as much as a visceral climax that pulls no punches, proving simply how debilitating anxiousness might be. However identical to within the authentic Inside Out, the movie teaches a useful lesson in regards to the significance of letting your self expertise feelings, as a substitute of compartmentalizing them or locking them away fully. (You will have tissues.) Even Anxiousness would not come throughout as an outright villain, simply somebody who overthinks issues to the purpose of disaster. Who amongst us hasn’t?

So whereas Pleasure and co.’s quest can typically really feel redundant, there is not any denying that Inside Out 2 has one thing new — and necessary — to say. It is the uncommon Pixar sequel that actually earns its existence and deepens the message of its first movie. And although it could make you deeply, deeply, deeply anxious, it is also, fairly merely, a pleasure to look at.

Inside Out 2 opens in theaters June 14.