A One Mann’s Movies review of “Inside Out 2” (2024).
It’s been 9 long years since we enjoyed Pixar’s “Inside Out“, which is a sizable gap for an animated sequel. But now here comes “Inside Out 2” and judging from the hoards of children and their parents pouring into Cineworld this afternoon, as I came out, they have a hit on their hands.
Bob the Movie Man Rating:
Plot Summary:
Riley, skilled at ice hockey, is now 13 years old and puberty beckons. As parents know only too well, with that comes a whole new set of strange and not always welcome emotions. When she gets the opportunity to try out for the senior Nighthawks ice hockey team, the stress of the occasion affects her in surprising and unpredicatable ways.
Certification:
UK: U; US: PG. (From the BBFC web site: “Very mild threat, language, upsetting scenes, violence, rude humour”.)
Talent:
Starring: Amy Poehler, Maya Hawke, Kensington Tallman, Liza Lapira, Tony Hale, Lewis Black, Phyllis Smith, Ayo Edebiri, Adèle Exarchopoulos, Diane Lane, Kyle MacLachlan, Paul Walter Hauser, Lilimar.
Directed by: Kelsey Mann.
Written by: Meg LeFauve & Dave Holstein. (From a story by Kelsey Mann & Meg LeFauve.)
Twitter Handle: #InsideOut2
Running Time: 1h 36m.
“Inside Out 2” Summary:
Positives:
- Some genuinely clever and laugh-out loud moments (for adults).
- A sweet and engaging story, with sufficient “aahh” moments to bring a tear to the eye.
- Pixar-quality animation.
Negatives:
- Is there enough in her for younger kids? A lot of the jokes will whizz over their heads.
Review of “Inside Out 2”:
A lot of laughs for adults…
It’s funny and in places very funny. I loved the appearances of “Nostalgia” (“Too early, too early!!”) and the “stream of conciousness”. In particular, the ‘Sar-chasm’ was a very funny sequence.
…but
I’d be interested to hear how the film goes down with a younger audience. Because I felt many under 10’s will not get some of the clever humour. In the same way as parents needed to explain the word “Gynaecology” to kids after seeing “Barbie“, so parents may need to pre-arm young viewers with the meaning of “Puberty” before seeing this (I understand that this is part of the syllabus in the UK for Year 5’s, so my eldest grandson should be OK!).
A wholesome story
As you might expect from Disney/Pixar, there is a nice and wholesome story to be told. It covers aspects of teenage mental-health and the importance of embracing both your strengths and weaknesses in forming the adult you will become. Again, I felt a lot of this would go over kids’ heads, but the parents will appreciate it.
Professional animation – it goes without saying
Some of the animation is exquisite, as you would expect from Pixar. It’s not as innovative as the likes of “Spider-Man: Across the Spiderverse“, but you appreciate how good the 3D animation is when you suddenly get pitched into the 2D world of “Pouchy” (very funny!).
Monkey
There are some “monkeys” as the credits roll, but there is also a funny post-credit “monkey” that is worth waiting for.
Summary Thoughts on “Inside Out 2”
There was much trepidation about this sequel given that the original was so beloved. But, from my point of view, they have just about pulled it off. I’d be interested to hear from parents though about whether their young offspring enjoyed it or not…. please comment!
Where to Watch it (Powered by Justwatch)
Trailer for “Inside Out 2”:
The trailer is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEjhY15eCx0 :
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