The animated movie “Inside Out” is back with a more thrilling chapter, so if you enjoyed it, get ready. Riley has returned as a teenager, and she is experiencing emotional turmoil. The young girl, who was previously dominated by basic emotions like “joy,” “sadness,” “fear,” and “anger,” is now on the verge of puberty.
In the sequel, directed by Kelsey Mann, Riley is on the verge of puberty and struggles to accept a flurry of new feelings that she has encountered. All of a sudden, the complicated emotion of “anxiety” replaces “joy.” It doesn’t arrive by itself. Anxiety is accompanied by “envy,” “embarrassment,” and “boredom.”
It’s intriguing to see how Meg Fauve and Dave Holstein developed the screenplay as Riley faces more recent difficulties associated with adolescence. Several exchanges between Riley’s emotions are almost metaphorical.
There is a scene where “Joy” has a breakdown, saying she is “delusional” and that it is difficult to maintain her optimism all the time. This is quite understandable as everybody has been there and done that. You truly feel in tune with Riley during these times as each of us has undergone similar emotions and experiences over time.
Even though Riley’s emotions are novel, the writing is incredibly relatable to all age groups. It’s true that “anxiety” can replace “joy,” and Mann’s direction is notable for not attempting to minimise any ‘feelings’. The journey is more about accepting everything and realizing that no single feeling can define who you are. ‘Nostalgia’ makes a cute appearance that will win some genuine laughs.
Even though the majority of the new characters are a little thin, they serve as the backdrop for some excellent visual humour, particularly Embarrassment, who is constantly trying to hide his enormous size. However, Anxiety, a misguided not-quite villain who worries herself into ruin, is beautifully shaped. She, like Joy, is at the centre of this well-deserved sequel, which is about the aspects of ourselves that we can improve and the aspects that we simply need to come to terms with.
It should come as no surprise that ‘Inside Out’ was praised by both philosophers and psychologists, and the sequel is a worthy, fantastic extension of that universe. In some ways, it is reassuring to know that our Headquarters’ emotions are striving to bring out the best in us whenever we feel overburdened or on the verge of a meltdown.
‘Inside Out’ was about learning to accept our emotions whereas ‘Inside Out 2’ is about learning how and when to control them. As humorous, ridiculous, and clever a scene as any in the original, it’s another pun-filled journey through Riley’s mind as Joy and her friends travel through sar-chasms and are imprisoned with dark secrets in an attempt to access the back of her mind and uncover the true self she›s repressing.
Instead of trying to outsmart its predecessor, ‘Inside Out 2’ aims to continue and develop its emotional journey.
That is immediately apparent in its decision to start along the narrative path that has already been established rather than taking a different route for the sake of originality. In the follow-up, Amy Poehler reprises her role as the voice of «joy,» and this is evident in her cheery nature as she delivers her dialogues with a punch.
Maya Hawke is flawless and gives voice to ‘anxiety.’ Tony Hale provides the voice of ‘fear,’ while Phyllis Smith is ‘sadness’ and Lewis Black is ‘anger’. However, Mindy Kaling is replaced as ‘disgust’ by Liza Lapira, and the newcomers are Paul Walter Hauser, Maya Hawke, Ayo Edebiri, and Adèle Exarchopoulos. Together, they make ‘Inside Out 2’ a truly memorable film. It truly makes you feel happy and vulnerable. You identify with Riley›s path to accepting new feelings and this strikes a deep emotional chord within your heart.
