Today’s quick review: Inside Out. Eleven-year-old Riley Anderson (Kaitlyn Dias) sees the world through her emotions: Joy (Amy Poehler), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), Fear (Bill Hader), Disgust (Mindy Kaling), and Anger (Lewis Black). But when a stressful period of Riley’s life sends her into depression, Joy and Sadness must journey through Riley’s mind to restore her personality to its proper balance and help Riley adjust to her new situation.
Inside Out is an animated family comedy adventure from Pixar. Inside Out takes a look at growing up and dealing with life’s hardships through the eyes of an adolescent girl and her anthropomorphized emotions. From their control room in Riley’s mind, Joy and the other emotions help Riley process and react to the world around her, at least until an accident in the control room leaves her detached and unable to cope with a difficult time in her life.
Inside Out takes this premise and spins it into a story that’s entertaining and insightful. The keystone of the film is Joy, Riley’s dominant emotion and the one who feels responsible for making sure Riley stays happy. Her impromptu journey through the inner workings of Riley’s mind serves as the main storyline for the movie. It also leads to some subtle character growth as Joy comes to appreciate the role of Sadness and the other emotions.
Inside Out balances out its weightier moments with plenty of comedy. The five emotions play off each other remarkably well. Their personalities are not as one-dimensional as their names would suggest, and a combination of vivid voice acting and apt comedic timing makes their scenes together a delight to watch. The inside of Riley’s mind is a creative, cartoonish landscape for an adventure, letting the film indulge in a wider variety of jokes.
Watch Inside Out when you’re in the mood for a family adventure with more depth than usual. Its sharp comedy and unfettered creativity make it a fun, family-friendly watch, while its subtle character work and meaningful story give it unexpected weight. Inside Out hits a sweet spot between levity and substance that gives it broad appeal. Not everyone will enjoy its offbeat world, but its sheer quality makes it worth a shot even for skeptical viewers.
For an animated coming-of-age adventure with similarly nuanced characters, try Spirited Away. For a Pixar film with a similar sense of heart, try Up or WALL-E. For a much less successful attempt at a similar adventure, try The Emoji Movie.
8.2 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.5 to 8.0 for enjoyable comedy and a surprisingly tender story.