The Life of Riley
The hero of the story is the same Riley featured in the original “Inside Out,” only now she’s a 13-year-old high school student burdened with all the fears and anxiety that accompany growing into the teen years.
More than anything, Riley wants to be accepted by the cooler girls on the school’s hockey team.
And her struggle to fit in is the framework of this sequel.
Of course, as in the original, we spend most of the movie inside her head populated by the human-like emotions of Joy, Sadness, Fear, Disgust and Anger. They’re voiced by Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith, Tony Hale, Liza Lapira and a volcanic Lewis Black.
These emotions (emoticons?) navigate Riley’s inner self by way of a glowing console that, by now, is flashing a “Puberty Alarm.”
And this being a growing-up tale, a new cast of emotions has joined the fray: Anxiety, Envy, Ennui and Embarrassment.
The addition of the Ennui character, for me, is a head-scratcher. Since ennui is a rather sophisticated state of mind, it’s far removed from the lives of the tykes this film is aimed at and I am curious if it’s not a little joke inserted by the Pixar animators to appeal to parents.
In any event, the story builds as Riley’s hockey prowess is put to the test. At first, she simply tries to keep up, but with growing ambition, she wrestles with the anxiety that goes along with it.
And that has her clutch of emotions on a do-or-die mission to keep her grounded and focused.
The animation is a neon marvel, like a box of Skittles given wings. And even though some story details might be a bit too mature for the kiddoes, there’s still enough mayhem on screen to keep them captivated.
“Inside Out 2” is Pixar at its best and most inventive. And, yup, the finale might just have you shedding a few tears.
But it has me wondering. Will there be a third movie in the series? I can suggest a villain: Acne!