Inside Out 2
Year: 2024
Rating: PG
Length: 96 minutes / 1.60 hours
Inside Out 2 (2024) is one of those rare sequels that build upon the first movie in new ways that expand the narrative of the world. There were already hints of a puberty subplot at the end of the first Inside Out (2015), but adding new emotions to the mix really helped round out that teenager experience. As a parent, I loved how the first film made it easy to talk to my kids about emotions, but now there’s a whole extra level of parenting I can unlock by using this movie as well.
Most of my gripes about Inside Out 2 are minor—partly because the first movie had these issues as well. For a head full of emotions, there really is only room for a story about one or two of them. That there were four new characters added in this movie felt a bit much, especially when most of the plot revolved around Anxiety (Maya Hawke). At least this time around, Riley (Kensington Tallman) had more of a role in her own story instead of just being a vehicle for the emotions’ adventures.
I could go on about all the amusing little puns and jokes that are sprinkled throughout this film, but its true strength is showing how our identities change over time when confronted with real-life circumstances. The original film highlighted the nuance of multiple emotions creating key memories. This one not only did a fantastic job of identifying how Anxiety can be harmful (and sometimes helpful) but how the negative aspects of our personality don’t have to be the core of our identity. This depth might go over little kids’ heads, but it’s super important to remind our older children as they develop into independent young adults.
A deeper look at even more complex emotions, I give Inside Out 2 4.5 stars out of 5.
1/2
I liked this better than the first, maybe because I was a teenage girl once. I thought the best message that came out of this for a pre-teen or early teen girl (or boy) was don’t compromise your self and your long time friendships just to try to be with the cool kids. Be true to yourself and your values and don’t worry about acceptance and what others think of you.