Review: Inside Out 2

While I didn't see the first Inside Out movie in theatres, I am a long-time fan of it. Insight Out does a great job of making our emotions, our instincts, understandable, rationalising without making excuses. I haven't enjoyed a Psychological deep-dive so much since my Beloved got me hooked into Sanders Sides. (She's still smug about that)

The basic premise is that each human is governed by 5 main emotions (Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear and Disgust), and the first movie shows how our emotions evolve as we grow, by following the 'main character', Riley, as she moves to a new state and a new school, and all the Big Feelings that entails.

Key takeaways from Inside Out:

• Memories, while originally having a predominant emotion, can have multiple emotions attached.
• No emotion is bad, just... not always the right one for the moment.
• It's just when we focus on one emotion to excess, or suppress our emotions, that things go badly.

The first movie ended with an 'Emotions Upgrade' and a more nuanced understanding of the necessary role each emotion played in the greater Psyche, which was both a great ending, and left room for more.

So, when I heard there was a sequel in the works, I was thrilled.

Yeah, I was a little apprehensive when I found out that the sequel involved the new emotions Anxiety and Embarrassment, but I'm a grown woman who sees a therapist to work on handling her emotions. It'll be fine... Right?

The Plot

Nearing the end of Middle School, Riley has progressed from the New Kid, and the Emotion Upgrades have started to form a Belief System. She has new friends, and her Ice Hockey Team just won the Championship, and got an offer to attend a 3-day Skills Camp.

So, of course, this is when Puberty hits, bringing a new Upgrade, and new Emotions: Anxiety, Envy, Embarassment and Ennui (and Nostalgia, who joined the team too early)

At first, everything seems to be going ok. The new emotions know how the new Console works, Anxiety is slotting in well and being helpful in small doses. Sure, there have been some minor hiccups, but it's all under control... they think.

Then Anxiety takes over, tossing out Riley's personality and beliefs to make a 'new' Riley... and with it, the Core Emotions.

The rest of the movie is some funny brain metaphors, a dip into past interests, and a lot of introspection, along with some very good depictions of mental health struggles like a Panic Attack and Anxiety Spirals.

The Good

• This was an empathic, entertaining exploration of the human psyche, and how it develops and changes over time.
• New emotions for a new period of physical and emotional development in life
• The desire to fit in, the dark secrets, the things you loved as a kid that feel cringe now... well done.
• Someone on the writing team either studied Child Psychology, or hired one as a consultant, because the way this movie addressed mental health is solid gold.
• Nostalgia and The Deep Dark Secret were fun additions that left the door open for future sequels, without overwhelming the plot or feeling out of place.
• The portrayal of Anxiety as a guard against possible futures, but how Anxiety and Envy, uninhibited by beliefs or a moral code, led to Self-Sabotage and Bad Decisions and Unfortunate Mental Places was very well done. Maybe it's a case of Mental Health Issues being demonised or dismissed in Media too often, but this was a refreshing change.
• Acknowledging that Anxiety literally re-wires your brain, and not in a healthy way.
• Portryaying a realistic decision-making process influenced by emotional regulation, then contrasting it with decisions made in an impaired state.
• The ending message of Riley's new Belief was really beautiful to watch.
• Good Coping Mechanisms and depictions of a centering technique
• Solid friendships and mentoring tactics

The Bad

Nothing stands out plot- animation- or even writing-wise. This was a great movie with very little to criticise.

However, I have to get Meta here.

As a life-long Neuro-Spicy Person... parts of this movie were very hard to watch, because they were a bit too real.

I've had times when Anxiety turns my imagination against me, and when feeling too much, all at once, sent me into an emotional burnout. Anxiety is something that can be managed, but never really goes away, and it does impact every part of your life, even the things that bring you the most joy.

Anxiety slowly losing control, finally in a state where not even Anxiety can affect the malestrom going on in Riley's brain... I had to close my eyes for a bit.

That doesn't mean I wouldn't watch it again... just that I'd make sure I was in the appropriate frame of mind, not alone, and maybe have the remote close to hand in case I need a Time Out.