Rating: 4/5 stars

 After nine years, Riley Anderson (Kensington Tallman, “The Spongebob Movie: Sponge on the Run”) and her emotions are back, ready to conquer wherever life takes them next. That is, until Riley hits puberty overnight, bringing in four new emotions: Ennui (Adèle Exarchopoulos, Wingwomen”), Envy (Ayo Edebiri, “The Bear”), Embarrassment (Paul Walter Hauser, “Cruella”) and Anxiety (Maya Hawke, “Do Revenge).

Though the main gang is initially frightened by the onslaught of new characters, Joy (Amy Poehler, “Parks and Recreation”), tries to welcome them after learning her lesson with Sadness (Phyllis Smith, “The Office”) in the previous movie. However, once Anxiety comes up with a plan to bring in new friends for Riley, the original emotions disagree. This then catapults into the main conflict.

Audiences might find that the inner workings of the movie prove to be similar to its predecessor, as the emotions once again find themselves out of Headquarters—this time purposefully and with the whole original group instead of just Joy and Sadness—as they try to find their way back to save Riley. What also might go unnoticed is the fact that there are not many ties or callbacks to the first movie. This can either be positive or negative, as new viewers won’t be completely lost, but it might leave older viewers wanting more.

Fans of the original movie will also find that Riley’s parents (Diane Lane, “Justice League” and Kyle MacLachlan, “Twin Peaks”) don’t have nearly as much time in this film, only appearing for about ten minutes at the beginning of the film. However, after watching it in its entirety, viewers will quickly realize that the parents’ involvement is not necessary, as the movie really focuses on Riley’s involvement with her friends and transitioning to high school.

“Inside Out 2” also has many memorable moments, ranging from funny to gut- wrenching. Viewers can easily laugh along with Pouchy (James Austin Johnson, “Saturday Night Live”), especially when Anger (Lewis Black, “Man of the Year”), gets involved.On a sadder end, viewers can easily relate when Joy talks about feeling less happy when you get older. The film also has many elements that work for it. This includes the new characters’ designs and the soundtrack. Some fans agree that the visuals for the sequel are infinitely better than the original. It can also be said that the score aspect of the movie perfectly encapsulates the feeling of anxiety and how intense it can be. 

“Inside Out 2” is a great representation of a coming of age story. Though meant to be geared toward a younger audience, it is very easy for all generations to enjoy this complex film. There is alot of humor that fans of all years can appreciate. The movie also seems to have struck a nerve with the older viewers, as many relate to how Anxiety tries to control Riley. 

In all, “Inside Out 2” proves to be a great sequel. What may have started out as a kids movie has grown into something much more; Disney was truly waiting for us to grow up before releasing this sequel.

Image from YouTube via Pixar