Inside Out 2 Movie Review ★★★★☆
I was so overjoyed to finally see Joy again. Always cheerful and with all her enthusiasm, she is the shining sun in the midst of Anger, Fear, Disgust and Sorrow. And Anxiety. And Embarrassment. And Envy. And Ennui (French for boredom).
Riley turns 13 and the warning light for puberty goes crazy in the operations center. And just a few moments later, the bean-like guys arrive and start making a mess of the place. That's just the way it is with puberty, says one of them, before the builders disappear into the evening, literally leaving chaos in the head.
Quite fast, and at this point still with the appropriate humor, it becomes clear that puberty is nothing for beginners. While in the “real world” Riley's mom immediately realizes what's going on, her dad simply ignores his daughter's bad moods and characteristics and continues to crack one joke after another. Just like in real life, in other words. And that's exactly what makes “Inside Out”, in this case part 2, so special. The makers have an extraordinarily skillful ability to play with the emotions of the audience. Using a minimum of words, emphatic glances or swift actions, they convey the very feelings that have now found their way into Riley's head. Right at the front: Anxiety.
And Anxiety pretty soon became my personal nemesis in the movie. Whereas part 1 left me with a predominantly good feeling, part 2 brought me down quite a bit. At first I didn't want to accept this fact. Because where was my personal joy now? Was it somewhere in the back of my mind like the searching Joy in the movie? Come back to the front! But it was missing, for a long time. And even the few interspersed amusing scenes didn't really help.
I just wanted to enjoy and love this movie, what was going on? And then it hit me, like one of the many flashes of inspiration in the movie. Brilliant! That's the only thing I can say about it. There could not have been a better movie than “Inside Out 2” to convey what puberty does to you and those around you – in this case me as a viewer and father of two daughters. It is pure chaos, over which the ego – also beautifully portrayed in the movie – does not always have any influence.
I can reveal that there is a kind of happy ending. The story is far from over and will almost certainly turn a lot of things upside down again in a third part. Until then, I will continue to process what I experienced in the cinema, as this movie really got to me. And that is exactly what is as ingenious as it is disturbing. Meaning for you: get ready for something!
Rating: ★★★★☆
Side notes
- Once again, I loved Anger with his impulsive nature.
- The fact that Joy also shows her vulnerability was hugely important.
- I don't like Anxiety, but I am all too often plagued by it myself.
- The ego is the sum of all our experiences, positive and negative – wonderfully conveyed.
- I had tears in my eyes several times, I was so moved by events and developments.
- Did I actually watch an ice hockey movie?
- And why is boredom French?