Film Review – Inside Out 2 (2024)

It’s not been an easy decade for Disney Pixar. Once the home of originality and wonderful animation, its early films like Toy Story, Finding Nemo and Monsters Inc became established favourites. But their more recent struggles to re-capture those glory days have made audiences almost protective over such classics. No wonder, then, that the announcement of Inside Out 2 was greeted with a mix of enthusiasm and apprehension. One false step could have spelt disaster at a time when the studio desperately needs a substantial hit.

The film re-introduces us to Riley (Kensington Tallman), who becomes a teenager literally before our eyes. It causes the inevitable disruption at headquarters with Joy (Amy Poehler) and the gang facing a demolition crew and the arrival of some new emotions, most notably Anxiety (Maya Hawke). With Riley setting off for a first ever hockey weekend, which brings with it the chance to make new friends, emotions new and older all come to the fore as she learns to navigate what is, for her, a whole new world, one where everybody except her seems to know the rules.

It’s a big ask for director Kelsey Mann in his feature debut, but Pete Docter’s name – Pixar head honcho and Inside Out’s director/writer – on the list of executive producers brings the promise of safe hands. That’s not to say that this sequel is just a carbon copy of the original. There’s a noticeably lighter tone and a stronger emphasis on comedy than we saw previously, creating the impression that Mann has more of a family audience in his sights. The downside is that it lacks the same depth as its more adult-orientated predecessor, opting more often for laughs than something more thoughtful. But the sensitivity and acute observations we expect are still there, especially in the panic that goes with Anxiety threatening to take over Riley completely. Her distress is palpable.

While some moments don’t wholly land – the ending feels weak – Mann has held on to the original’s imaginative world creation, both inside and outside Riley’s headquarters. The highlight here is the Sar-Chasm (geddit?) and its effect on people’s voices, while the animation is as vibrant and imaginative as ever. There are times when the new characters almost steal the show from the more familiar ones although, thankfully, Lewis Black’s Anger has lost none of his fire. Hawke gives Anxiety some subtlety, as well as the necessary manic energy, while Adele Exarchopoulos as Ennui (or Oui Oui, as Joy calls her) is wonderfully scornful and languid. It’s just a shame that Paul Walter Hauser’s Embarrassment is under-used, even if he does have his big moment. It does, though go without saying that Poehler’s Joy is still the leader of the pack with her positive attitude and determination, but this time round we’re also given a glimpse of all-too-human frailty.

Inside Out 2 doesn’t surpass its much-loved predecessor, but it certainly comes close to living up to it. Pixar have walked the tightrope of keeping fans happy while trying to appeal to a wider audience. That doesn’t make it a better film, but it does make it a good one.

★★★★

About the Author

Freda Cooper

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Freda is a Senior Writer at The People's Movies. A lifelong movie fan and a film critic for over ten years, Freda’s natural habitat is the darkened rooms frequented by fellow cineastes. She can also be found asking questions of some of the biggest names in the business – from Cate Blanchett to Daniel Craig or Mike Leigh to Pete Docter – or crafting reviews for a number of sites and publications, including The People’s Movies. And listeners to BBC Local Radio can catch her views on the latest releases. She always – and probably always will – cite The Third Man as her favourite film of all time. Her top ten? That’s a moveable feast …..

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