Inside Out 2

Inside Out 2
Starring Amy Poehler, Maya Hawke, Liza Lapira, Tony Hale
Directed by Kelsey Mann

The first "Inside Out" was a deep dive into the mind of a child and her conflicting emotions and how they learned to work together to make the girl the best she could be. It was a huge hit and allowed parents to talk to and relate to their children about the importance of all their emotions, how we need both joy and sadness, how to embrace all our feelings and find happiness in the coherence. A decade later, "Inside Out 2" serves as another talking point for families, but this time parents to their now-teenage children about the new emotions and feelings that they develop once puberty hits, and the highs and lows that come with it.

Now 13 years old, Riley Andersen (Kensington Tallman) is living her best life - she's got two best friends, a loving family, and is the standout in her ice hockey team. She draws the attention of the high school coach who invites her and her friends on a weekend ice hockey camp where Riley could qualify for the high school team. Inside her mind, Joy (Amy Poehler), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), Disgust (Liza Lapira), Anger (Lewis Black), and Fear (Tony Hale) are overjoyed with the prospect of Riley's future and how they work in tandem to make Riley's dreams come true, and Joy controls this by throwing Riley's negative thoughts into the back of her mind and keeping the positive which shapes her Sense of Self.

Then one night the puberty alarm goes off, and their console is elongated to welcome new emotions: Anxiety (Maya Hawke), Envy (Ayo Edebiri), Ennui (Adele Exarchopoulos) and Embarrassment (Paul Walter Hauser). Anxiety takes over, believing Riley needs to change completely to be accepted in high school, and banishes the old emotions into the memory bank. As the new emotions wreak havoc on Riley's Sense of Self, Joy and the others must travel to the back of the mind to retrieve Riley's original Sense of Self before her new emotions change Riley completely.

"Inside Out 2" is a visual wonder, which is no surprise considering it comes from Pixar, so there's not a lot to be said about that. It's lavish, filled with glorious color, and both inside Riley's mind and in her real world it all feels totally lived in. It's beautiful and awe-inspiring, which again comes as no surprise. The music score is rousing and emotional, as we delve into Riley's Sense of Self with a transcendent melody that eventually transcends into melancholy. Every technical aspect of this film hits perfectly, and serves to be the backdrop of an even more powerful story to be told that'll resonate with parents and children alike.

Puberty is not an easy time in a child's life, nor is it for the parents. They have to see their child face new emotions like anxiety, envy and embarrassment, turning their whole sense of self into something almost completely different. Gone are the carefree days of youth, and now they deal with popularity, self-worth, and self-discovery. "Inside Out 2" incorporated some of the country's most respected psychologists to serve as advisors for the film, and it serves as a strong launchpad for parents to have a delicate conversation with their children about the joys and anxieties of puberty, and how each emotion is important to work together and to try and not let one rule over the others.

This idea happens in personification with the new emotions who banish Riley's old emotions, feeling they're not a part of the future as Anxiety takes over, constantly trying to stay two steps ahead so she doesn't destroy Riley's life, while inadvertently doing just that. Without Joy, Sadness and the others, Riley is now controlled by how the new ice hockey team girls see her, alienating her from her former friends, and making her do things that she wouldn't normally do. Joy and the others are in a race against time to get Riley's Sense of Self back to normal, and their adventure is harrowing, hilarious, and heartfelt. The emotions go from the film to your heart, impacting you in ways you wouldn't expect for a children's movie, and you learn that this is something deeper than that: it's a deep dive into your own memories, how your emotions have shaped you, and the importance of each one to keep you balanced.

The voice talent is as strong as ever, with Amy Poehler, Liza Lapira, Tony Hale, Lewis Black and Phyllis Smith giving Riley's OG emotions the heft they deserve, while Maya Hawke's anxious energy infuses with Anxiety herself. If the film had a weak point, it's that the other new emotions - Envy, Ennui, and Embarrassment - don't really have much to do, as Anxiety controls everything. Still, it's a small criticism set against a pitch perfect film that highlights the emotions we all face and who's story will have you crying in laughter before crying in emotional turmoil before bringing it all together and leaving you feeling happy, and ready to share your emotions with the world around you.

The Score: A+