Walking into a cinema unsurprisingly filled with children, I was unsure how much I would enjoy Inside Out 2. I have always said that the children’s films I enjoy are the ones that I saw in my childhood because of their sentimental value. Therefore, I doubted that Inside Out 2 would have the same effect on me as an adult. However, I was proved wrong and I am so glad my friend was desperate to see it. Although it was my first viewing of the film, it hit me with such a strong sense of nostalgia and I left the cinema with the same heartwarming sensation I have after rewatching childhood classics like Tangled or Shrek. It was definitely what I needed during the usual mid-summer holiday lull.
Inside Out 2 continues following the life of Riley who is now thirteen, two years older than in the first film. As she enters teenage hood, her ‘headquarters’ (where all her emotions reside) is suddenly under construction as dreaded puberty begins. This process also involves the introduction of four new emotions: Anxiety, Embarrassment, Envy and Ennui (or boredom). The additional members wreak havoc on the functioning of headquarters resulting in Anxiety taking charge. Though mildly traumatic to venture back to the age of braces, friendship problems and boy band obsessions (certain moments definitely making me cringe in my seat), it was nice to know those years are over and was a validating reminder that everyone feels the same during that weird and chaotic period.
The most poignant part of the film for me has to be the exploration of mental health. Maya Hawkes’ portrayal of Anxiety was incredible, and the scene where Riley is having a panic attack was particularly moving, even making me tear up! The moment Joy realises that Anxiety is paralysed with fear and steps in was a lovely display of the importance of the support of others during difficult moments. I hope this accurate and meaningful depiction of the ups and downs of people’s mental health shows younger viewers that this is normal and that sometimes you need to reach out and ask for help. Riley’s sudden change of character is noticed by her friends when Anxiety is in control and the immediate forgiveness at her apology shows that it can feel like you’ve lost part of yourself when so many life changes are happening, but true friendships can last through the difficult times.
Another key plot point is the idea of identity. At the beginning of the film, Joy admits that she has been throwing Riley’s bad memories to the back of the mind to avoid them haunting her, only allowing the positive memories to enter the ‘belief system’ and form her ‘sense of self’. This leads to Riley’s ‘sense of self’ being ‘I’m a good person’. Near the end of the film, with Anxiety taking over, her ‘sense of self’ morphs into ‘I’m not good enough’. Joy then realises that even her negative memories are important to who Riley is and, through an avalanche, brings them to the ‘belief system’, creating a new ‘sense of self’ which contains lots of different aspects both positive and negative, such as ‘I’m brave, but I get scared’. This demonstrates that not holding oneself to too high a standard is important as the second you do something which does not seem to fit with who you believe to be, you can feel like you have lost sense of who you are. It shows that people are complex, always changing and contain both good and bad. This, once again, is a lovely portrayal of the developing and intricate sense of identity which evolves the older you get.
Though the film covers a lot of serious topics for a children’s film, it is done in an accessible way. This is particularly through the comedic aspects of the film. Although the film is obviously targeted at children, which was demonstrated by the children wildly cackling in the row behind me at any small joke in the film, I also had a lot of laughs (and not only in response to their laughter!). Some moments made me giggle by taking me back to the silliness of being a teenager, such as Riley’s sudden mood swings within seconds which shock her Mum. Lance Stash Slashblade, the computer game character Riley has a crush on whose only attack move is an ineffective rolly-polly, also made me chuckle. Unsurprisingly, I completely loved Ayo Edebiri’s Envy, who had the funniest lines and was also sure to make me laugh.
Overall, the film was a great introduction to young kids about mental health and puberty, demonstrating the normality of having new feelings and changes, whilst still emphasising the importance of support from friends and family, doing much more than the dreaded ‘What is Puberty?’ books so many of us were given. It accurately shows the ups and downs of being a teenager – from fears of not fitting in, to new and exciting experiences. I also thought the small, subtle details in the film made it so much more accurate and were very thoughtful. For instance, Riley has a spot in the film which helps normalise that skin is not always clear which is significant given this transparency about skin issues is still rarely seen in mainstream media. I thoroughly enjoyed the film and would definitely recommend it to someone who needs a wholesome, light-hearted watch, and possibly an escape from the scariness of what comes after being 13!