"Inside Out" Review

Title: Inside Out

Directed by: Pete Docter and Ronnie del Carmen

Screenplay by: Pete Docter, Michael Arndt, Meg LeFauve, and Josh Cooley

Year: 2015


Many would describe the past few years a sort of slump for Pixar, with such movies as Cars 2, Brave, and Monsters University not impressing most critics. Though I still strongly defend the latter, claiming that it is a better film than the original Monsters Inc., I can agree that none of the films I have mentioned are among Pixar's best. The teaser for Inside Out had everyone going nuts, saying "Pixar is making a comeback!" And then the reviews came out saying the same thing, "Pixar is back." And after watching it, I can say that it is true.

Riley, a young girl, is forced to move from Minnesota to San Francisco. She is guided by her emotions, here represented as people inside her mind. Those emotions are Joy, Sadness, Anger, Disgust, and Fear. When all of Riley's core memories are taken from the control panel, along with Joy and Sadness, she enters a state of emotional distress. Now Joy and Sadness must find a way to get back to headquarters and put the core memories back.

Now, it's no secret that premise is anything but original. The idea of having small people operating the human mind has been fiddled and toyed with countless times before. So what is it that sets Inside Out apart from the rest? Well, simply put, it is the imagination. The way memories work, how the control panel is operated, the imaginary friend, the abstract thought, the originality goes on and on. All of these ideas are executed magnificently well and it's something we haven't seen before. This film takes a tired and old concept and gives it new life.

The cast of characters is a fun one. We have Amy Poehler as Joy and I'd be lying if I said she wasn't perfect for the role. Poehler has the natural energy and charisma that her character calls for and she delivers it incredibly. Phyllis Smith is another example of perfect casting. She lends her voice to Sadness, who always seems depressed or disheartened. Smith proves to be a great voice talent, which is fortunate as the emotional core of the film really hinges on Sadness. Lewis Black plays Anger and he gets completely lost in the character. He provides some of the best laughs and is an absolute joy to watch. Disgust is portrayed by Mindy Kaling, and I didn't expect to like Disgust as much as I did. She gets some very good lines and is an enjoyable character, and Mindy Kaling does a terrific job. Lastly, we have Bill Hader voicing Fear, and he nails it. It's just a shame that Disgust and Fear are pushed just a little bit to the side in favor of the other three.

In terms of the story, there are essentially two intertwined narratives; the emotions in Riley's head and how they affect Riley's life on the outside. The story inside Riley's head boils down to moving from pit stop to pit stop, and there is nothing wrong with that so long as the movie does it well. And Inside Out executes it beautifully. The long term memory, the dream studios, the subconscious, the train of thought, all of these places are incredibly well thought out and original. It comes to the point where you look forward to the next stop, and no two places look alike, which always helps. Meanwhile, on the outside, Riley is suffering an emotional breakdown. She doesn't know how she feels; she's depressed, sad, lonely. She won't talk to her parents. It's a very dark moment in her life and the movie illustrates that tremendously well. It takes very delicate and heavy topics such as depression and handles them unbelievably well.

Inside Out also features eye-popping visuals and gorgeous animation. The way these characters move and interact is a technical marvel. I particularly like a certain detail on all the emotions. From a distance, they appear to be solid skin. But when we get close-ups on them, we see that they are actually fuzzy, with plenty of minuscule hairs protruding from their bodies. It's a very nice touch that gives them a stuffed animal quality. And this movie is the definition of colorful. The art style is fitting and the bright and various colors are a wonderful sight. And the way everything is animated is superb. The way everything moves is expertly done and makes the film feel alive.

And do not be fooled by this film's cute graphics and premise. Inside Out has many deeper meanings and some of the content is meant for adults, like exploring depression and anxiety. The movie also illustrates a very important moral; it's okay to be sad. That is incredibly ballsy for a family picture. But the film handles these themes so effortlessly that it becomes relatable for people of all ages. It also pulls no punches when it comes to the emotion. For now, let's just say that Pixar could have gone the safe and happy route, but instead took the riskier and sadder one, and it paid off immensely.

*SPOILERS AHEAD* Of course, what I was referring to in the previous paragraph was the character of Bing Bong, voiced by Richard Kind. He is a very enjoyable and likable character, as well as an original one. Bing Bong is Riley's childhood imaginary friend (which is a brilliant addition to the story) and he becomes one of the key players in the emotional punch of the story. When Joy and Bing Bong are trapped at the bottom of the pit, they are in danger of being forgotten. However, Bing Bong's "spaceship" which runs on the power of song is down there as well. They keep trying to reach the top with it by flying off the ramp. But after a few failed attempts, Bing Bong realizes what he must do. He asks Joy to try one more time. They fly off the ramp and then it happens; Bing Bong jumps off so Joy can make it to the top. This was a very mature and effective move by Pixar since the audience learned to love this character. Oh, and he is not saved. I kept waiting for the film to bring him back somehow. But no, Bing Bong is forgotten, he is gone. And for that, I applaud the filmmakers.

*SPOILER FREE* Another positive about this film is its humor. The jokes are witty and well thought out. And the comedic timing is excellent. Most of the humor comes from Anger or Sadness, but each of the emotions has their comedic moment to shine. I'll just say that Fear watching the dream had me cracking up with laughter. Speaking of the dream, that fact that dreams are seen as movies isn't exactly a new idea, but where older films and television shows made it like a movie theatre, Inside Out focuses more on the production of the "film." This is an example of how the movie takes an old idea and gives it a new and refreshing spin. And that's what Inside Out is; refreshing.

There's really nothing I can say about this movie that hasn't been said already. Inside Out is a crowning achievement for Pixar, showing them back at their peak form. This film just might rank among some of the studio's best, alongside the Toy Story trilogy and Up. This is a movie for all ages and I would even go so far as to deem it essential viewing. Pete Docter does it again by directing another winner of an animated picture, and an instant classic.

Grade: A