Ok, before I get to actually reviewing the film of Inside Out, let me first say this: Inside Out has probably the best trailer I’ve seen in a very long time. Practically the moment I saw it I knew deep down I had to go see this film. It’s so simple, in fact it’s one of the very scenes in the film, a little altered but just in those two minutes you get everything you need to know about the film: You learn what it’s possibly about, the conflicts that can arise, possible main characters and so on. I don’t know who directed the trailer, but they did a very good job.
Oh, and before the film starts there is a short piece about a lonely volcano looking for a companion. Nothing much to say about it except it’s going to be a prelude to the feels that you will experience in Inside Out. So, the film is about a 14 year old girl named Riley, or more specifically the emotions inside her mind: Joy, Anger, Fear, Disgust and Sadness. When Riley moves from Minnesota to San Francisco, it not only turns her life upside down, but that of her emotions as well. A disastrous event within and without leads to Riley’s core emotions being lost in the depths of her mind, along with Joy and Sadness, leading her to become more withdrawn and sullen. Now Joy and Sadness must find their way back to their headquarters, before Riley’s remaining emotions lead her towards making even bigger mistakes.
I remember a friend saying that this film is actually a depressing sit, and although I wouldn’t go that far, I can see why she would say that. Inside Out can be funny at times, particularly at the end, but when it goes dark, it can REALLY go dark. Honestly, throughout the film we are going through the slow destruction of a child’s mind. Her imagination, memories and relationships, sent crumbling and condemned into the memory dump to be forgotten forever. Don’t be surprised if you are already tearing up by the first half of the film.
Fun fact: The crew behind Inside Out is actually very small: it had only 45 animators, which would make up half of a crew for previous Pixar films. In fact, production designer Ralph Eggleston worked for five and a half years on Inside Out; the longest and hardest he has ever worked on just one film. Director Pete Docter said the film was “one of the most challenging I’ve ever had to put together,” due to having to tell two stories: what is going on with Riley and what is going on in her mind at the same time.
I do like this film though, not only because of the emotional impact, but also because I think it’s a lot smarter than it lets on. One of the first things I didn’t like was that weirdly enough, Joy is actually a *****. The way she treats Sadness is selfish, even cruel at times, even to the point where she literally abandons her because she “needs Riley to be happy”. It is true, that at the beginning Sadness doesn’t really have a purpose. In fact just by touching memories she can taint them, turning them into sad memories, which is why she is sidelined all the time.
But thinking about it, there is a hidden message behind it. Sometimes, we ourselves can be selfish in pursuing our joys, not caring who we hurt or push aside to make ourselves happy. In our worst moments, sadness is an unwelcome, but necessary emotion. Because by expressing it means others can notice the pain within us, and they can help lead us on the healing road back to joy. Keeping it in can lead to bitterness, and foolish, maybe even fatal decisions.
Fun fact: The writers behind the film were considering putting in up to 27 different emotions, but cut it down to five to make everything less complicated. Major emotions cut out include Surprise, Pride and Trust.
Inside Out is also a tale of growth and a new transition in life, albeit an extreme one. It is actually heartbreaking at how much of Riley’s mind disintegrates, and old ideas and memories which held so much value before can disappear so easily, swamped by time and new experiences. But as challenges come and go, the mind grows and expands, becoming bigger, stronger and capable of more. At first I was going to say that it’s perhaps the process of puberty, but the film already covers that question.
Character wise, I do like the growing relationship between Joy and Sadness. The only problem is that the focus on them kind of diminishes the other characters. Fear holds himself up because he mostly fills the role of comic relief, but Disgust and Anger don’t really have much of a presence in the film for the sake of just being there for their own gimmicks. The parents are alright, but I do wish I could see more of their emotions, especially since its curious how their minds not only have their own design and personality, but also how controlled and in tune they are with each other. Again, a tale of growth and development.
Fun fact: Mindy Kaling, who plays Disgust, was moved to tears when director Pete Docter and producer Jonas Rivera pitched the film to her. She said, “I think it’s great that you guys are making a film that shows it’s difficult to grow up and it’s okay to be sad about it.”
Design wise, the film looks so beautiful, and I ‘am astonished by the thought that went into constructing Riley’s mind, such as the Train of Thought, different states of Dream and Awake, Memory dump and the different islands of Riley’s personality. It breathes real life into the setting, sucking you into the world easily.
I give Inside Out an optimistic 9 out of 10. Not just highly engaging emotionally, but also on an intellectual level. Although the film can be dark and even depressing at times, it’s worth it for children and even adults to learn its endearing moral: That all of our emotions have a purpose in our lives, no matter how hard or painful they can work.
Words Create Worlds 