Inside Out (Review)

Inside Out (2015)

Animation, Comedy, Drama

Directed By: Pete Docter

For the past nearly twenty years Pixar studios have absolutely dominated the animation game. Ever since the release of Toy Story in 1995 and the introduction of computer graphics they have been considered the pinnacle of animation. However, since the release of the third Toy Story film back in 2010 they haven't been on their top game. Cars 2, Brave, and Monsters University failed to achieve the greatness that most all of their other films before had done (I enjoy Brave and Monsters U but they aren't the same caliber as what came before) and with Disney Animation and Dreamworks trying to push back into the forefront, Pixar needed something big. With movies like Frozen, Big Hero 6, and How to Train Your Dragon making huge waves they needed something that would remind everyone why they fell in love with their work in the first place. Inside Out is just that movie, it is a return to form for the powerhouse animation studio and it takes everything we love about Pixar and slams it into one 90 minute film.

Riley is a young girl living in Minnesota who loves hockey, being goofy, and most importantly, her friends and family. When she is uprooted from her life of comfort and moved to San Francisco it is up to her emotions to make sure she's able to handle the changes. Joy (Amy Poehler), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), Fear (Bill Hader), Anger (Lewis Black), and Disgust (Mindy Kaling) are the five emotions that control everyday life and keep us functioning. When Riley's emotions misplace her core memories, the ones that make up her entire personality, they have to scramble to get them back into the control center before Riley does something drastic. The major task falls on Joy and Sadness, two polar opposite who now have to find a way to work together before Riley's personality is lost forever.

Based on the simple premise alone you know this movie is going be dealing with some serious themes. Moving across country at eleven years old is something that can be really traumatic for a child and they don't ignore that fact. Riley is having a hard time leaving her friends and former life behind and the ways she handles these issues are an incredible learning experience for kids. Probably the key piece in what makes Pixar films so well received is that they are willing to go much deeper than the average animated film and make you think. This is also a big reason adults seem to enjoy the films almost as much as the kids, there is actually a take away at the end. Rather than just being goofy fun for children to consume they are making well rounded films to be enjoyed by all.

Inside Out teaches kids about the inner workings of their brain in a way that none of us were ever shown at that age. The film is teaching children what is actually going on in their head, even if it is with a group of goofy characters, and I find that to be incredible. Any young child watching this will be taught just how their emotions work and that contrary to popular belief they are not one dimensional. Something is not simply happy, sad, scary, or maddening. It's an amalgamation of those feelings that combine to make you, well, you. It does all of this while maintaining a positive tone throughout and for the most part, keeping a smile on your face. There is definitely a few moments that may bring on the waterworks but then again, what’s a Pixar film without them?

As with any animated film however, how good it can or can't be all comes down to the voice cast. I have gone on record multiple times stating that I am typically against casting celebrities in animated films as it is usually just to draw in a crowd (see The Croods). Fortunately for us all, this is never the case with Pixar. Big names or not they always find the perfect people to voice their characters and Inside Out is no exception. Amy Poehler leads the film as the charismatic Joy, she is responsible for making sure Riley stays happy and takes pride in her ability to do so. She spends most of the film alongside Sadness, voiced by Phyliss Smith and together the two make this film. Acting as polar opposites they are constantly teaching each other what their job really means. Lewis Black voices Anger and is good for the best laughs of the film with Bill Hader, Mindy Kaling and Richard Kind adding powerful support throughout.

The film finds creative ways to engage the older crowd as well, showing the emotions of other characters, both young and old, to show how they mature and differ from person to person. This is actually something I wish they did just a bit more of as they were always good for great laughs and made the film easier to connect with for the average movie goer. That's hardly enough to bring this movie down though as there didn't seem to be a single moment that stalled or fell flat for me. Inside Out brings us back to what made Pixar so big to begin with and is sure to bring back the hype for their next slate of pictures. With The Good Dinosaur out this fall, it's looking to be a big year for the blockbuster studio.

*Quick side note, the animated short that plays before the film, Lava, is also a wonderful treat you get to consume when seeing this movie. Another thing I've always loved about Pixar, they make sure you get your moneys worth. 

As always, thanks for reading and I am Zach Who watches Movies. You can find me anytime on twitter @ZachWWMovies, smell ya later!