In the follow-up to 2015’s Oscar®-winning “Inside Out,” our JP gives us his take on the sequel, “Inside Out 2” featuring the voices of Amy Poehler, Maya Hawke, Kensington Tallman, Liza Lapira, and Tony Hale.
Inside Out 2
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
- Directed by Kelsey Mann
- Screenplay by Meg LeFauve, Dave Holstein
- Story by Kelsey Mann, Meg LeFauve
- Produced by Mark Nielsen
- Starring Amy Poehler, Maya Hawke, Kensington Tallman, Liza Lapira, Tony Hale, Lewis Black, Phyllis Smith
Studio Synopsis:
Disney and Pixar’s “Inside Out 2” returns to the mind of newly minted teenager Riley just as headquarters is undergoing a sudden demolition to make room for something entirely unexpected: new Emotions! Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear and Disgust, who’ve long been running a successful operation by all accounts, aren’t sure how to feel when Anxiety shows up. And it looks like she’s not alone. Maya Hawke lends her voice to Anxiety, alongside Amy Poehler as the voice of Joy. The voice cast also includes Lewis Black, Phyllis Smith, Tony Hale, Liza Lapira, Ayo Edebiri, Adèle Exarchopoulos, Paul Walter Hauser, Kensington Tallman, Lilimar, Diane Lane, Kyle MacLachlan, Sumayyah Nuriddin-Green, Grace Lu and Yvette Nicole Brown. Directed by Kelsey Mann and produced by Mark Nielsen with a screenplay by Meg LeFauve and Dave Holstein, “Inside Out 2” features a score by Andrea Datzman. The all-new feature film releases only in theaters June 14, 2024.
JP’s Take:
Pixar has been revered for its emotionally intelligent, yet heartwarming adventures, and “Inside Out 2” is no exception.
The animated film does justice to the original 2015 film and tackles the challenging subject of young mental health. This sequel eases parents and youth into that realm, without overshadowing the complex nuances of being a teen.
We discover that Riley (voiced by Kensington Tallman, who replaces Kaitlyn Dias from the first film) is no longer the fish out-of-water newcomer in a new city, but faces the challenges of puberty. As her anxiety grows, she wrestles with fitting in, being apart from her best friends, and trying to live up to others’ expectations.
Director Kelsey Mann (in his feature directorial debut) and writers Meg LaFauve (“Inside out,” “Captain Marvel”) and Dave Holstein (“Kidding,” “Weeds”) introduce four new (complementary) emotions, offsetting the basic feelings of Joy, Fear, Sadness, and Disgust, with Anxiety (Maya Hawke), Embarrassment Paul Walter Hauser), Envy (Ayo Edebiri) and Ennui (Adèle Exarchopoulos) as they battle for Riley’s mind.
As colorful, imaginative, and quirky as the characters and environments are, it doesn’t lose focus on the fact that youth in mental crisis is a real thing. Riley’s basic emotions are hijacked by Anxiety, who feels Riley could use a confidence booster after her best friends leave for other schools. The story here may feel like a retread from its predecessor, yet it ups the ante with a relevant subject, while giving us a moral of the story ending. It’s a reminder that stowing away our unpleasant emotions will eventually lead to a mental breakdown and that it’s ok to allow these feelings to come to mind.
Pixar handles this with bright, vivid imagery and scenarios which accents Riley’s emotional state. When Anxiety takes over the console, she inadvertently sets off a whirlwind of mishaps, that sends Joy (Amy Poehler), Disgust (Liza Lapira), Dear (Tony Hale), and Sadness (Phyllis Smith) on a harrowing adventure to stabilize Riley’s mind.
This is the sort of storybook antics Pixar is known for, and they can enlighten you and induce a good chuckle out of its viewers.
Diane Lane and Kyle MacLachlan return to portray Riley’s mother and father, while Sumayyah Nuriddin-Green and Grace Lu lend their voices to Riley’s closest friends, Bree and Grace. Additionally, Yvette Nicole Brown provides the voice for Coach Roberts, the leader of a summer hockey camp.
“Inside Out 2” tugs on the heartstrings and allowing families to come together in theaters and connect. I couldn’t help but to be amused.
Official Site: Inside Out 2
