The wizards at Pixar have crafted a new gem with “Inside Out 2” which is a rare achievement in that it is a sequel that outdoes the original film.
The movie opens with Riley (Kensington Tallman), just after her 13th Birthday as Joy (Amy Poehler) recaps her accomplishments and sets the stage for her big Hockey Game with her friends Grace (Grace Lu) and Bree (Sumayyah Nuriddin-Green).
Their success on the ice attracts the attention of the coach of the local Firebirds who invites the trio to a three-day camp which will set the stage for them to be included on the team as freshmen.
Things take a turn when a Puberty alarm goes off followed by a construction crew to upgrade the console. Fear (Tony Hale), Anger (Lewis Black), Disgust (Liza Lapira), and Sadness (Phyllis Smith), do not react well to this and the arrival of the new emotions Anxiety (Maya Hawke), Envy (Ayo Edebiri), Ennui (Adèle Exarchopoulos), and Embarrassment (Paul Walter-Hauser), sets the stage for new conflicts.
Riley arrives at camp and becomes enchanted with the popular girls who are fronted by Valentina (Lilimar), and Riley excludes her friends as a chance to be part of the in-crowd.
The new emotions set a course to keep Riley safe from her potential future issues and banish the old emotions that they view as hindering Riley and setting a path for future failure.
Forced to travel to the furthest reaches of Riley’s mind to recover something of necessity; the old emotions hope to undo the damage being done and restore Riley who is in the turmoil of being a teen and hampered by the flood of new and often conflicting emotions and circumstances that she encounters.
The movie is filled with charm and humor as well as presenting an honest look at the changes and pressures that children face during their teen years and does so without being heavy-handed. The emotions new and old are great and there are many moments throughout the film that will bring laughter as well as nostalgia for adults; especially those with children who are about to enter their Teen years.
The film is moving and there were more than a few eyes welling up near the end of the film during our screening as Pixar has once again crafted an enjoyable and relatable tale that can be enjoyed by the entire family.
4.5 stars out of 5.
