One of the most clever and thoughtful movies Disney/Pixar have ever made, ‘Inside Out’ was a remarkably fresh and innovative take on how humans dealt with emotions. This long-awaited sequel has a lot of hope riding on it. At a time when Pixar and Disney’s output has been consistently good, but not outstanding, it comes as a great relief to find that ‘Inside Out 2’ is a real return to form, heralding in Pixar’s best film for years and with it a bright and bold map of where they could potentially go with this franchise.
It’s been 9 years since we last spent time with these brilliant characters, but they’ve lost none of their creativity, charm or unmistakable Disney magic. This time around, we find Joy (Amy Poehler), Anger (Lewis Black), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), Disgust (Liza Lapira) and Fear (Tony Hale) dealing with lots of new emotions as Riley becomes a teenager. Among the challenges to deal with are Embarrassment (Paul Walter Hauser), Envy (Ayo Edebiri), Ennui (Adèle Exarchopoulos) and Anxiety (Maya Hawke). How will they all cope! And with Riley (Kensington Tallman) off to a prestigious hockey camp with her friends just before starting High School, the stakes couldn’t be higher for everyone involved.
The vocal ensemble is one of the finest Disney and Pixar have ever assembled, which is no mean feat given its prestigious history. Once again, Amy Poehler proves to be the MVP of these films with her warm, engaging and sweet portrayal of Joy. Lewis Black continues to be excellent as Anger, the unmistakable Tony Hale nails it as Fear (replacing Bill Hader) and ‘The Office' alumni Phyllis Smith is just perfect as Sadness. Mindy Kaling opted not to return to voice Disgust, with ‘Crazy Stupid Love’ and ‘The Equalizer’ TV series star Liza Lapira doing a brilliant job stepping into the fold.
The genius of ‘Inside Out 2’ is with the way the emotions manifest and interact with one another. That’s why the addition of so many new faces are all the more impressive because they all are pitch perfect in their performances. Embarrassment is a loveable new favourite voiced by Paul Walter Hauser. ‘The Bear’s Ayo Edebiri gives Envy a wonderful personae, Adèle Exarchopoulos absolutely steals all of her scenes as the brilliantly uninterested Ennui whilst Maya Hawke seriously impresses as Anxiety, an emotion who gives Joy a run for her money when it comes to Riley’s overall feelings.
Supporting characters include Kyle MacLachlan and Diane Lane returning as Riley’s mother and father, with ‘Community’ legend Yvette Nicole Brown voicing hockey Coach Roberts and James Austin Johnson, who is completely hilarious as a 2D animated hip-pack named Pouchy. He had the cinema in hysterics, especially when he and Anger have an exchange of words!
Honestly, ‘Inside Out 2’ was one of the best cinema experiences I’ve had all year. The film has everything, and its heart and soul lies squarely with its fearless and inventive desire to tell original stories and frame them in unique ways. ‘Inside Out 2’ is breathlessly inventive, full of heart, laugh-out-loud funny and an utter delight from start to finish. It’s the perfect summer blockbuster for families and offers something relatable to everyone. The mind boggles as to where this fresh and innovative idea could go next. Played right, ‘Inside Out’ could become Disney Pixar’s most imaginative and impressive series of stories they’ve ever told, with so much scope and potential on the horizon. And with this amazing ensemble magic is guaranteed, making ‘Inside Out 3’ not just a hope, but a necessity.
Cast: Amy Poehler, Lewis Black, Tony Hale, Phyllis Smith, Liza Lapira, Maya Hawke, Paul Walter Hauser, Ayo Edebiri, Adèle Exarchopoulos, Kyle MacLachlan, Diane Lane, Yvette Nicole Brown, James Austin Johnson Director: Kelsey Mann Writer: Dave Holstein, Kelsey Mann, Meg LeFauve Certificate: U Duration: 96 mins Released by: Disney Release date: 14th June 2024
