Inside Out 2 Review: Growing Up Means New Feelings
A review of Disney/Pixar's Inside Out 2, directed by Kelsey Mann, explores the arrival of four new emotions—Anxiety, Envy, Embarrassment, and Ennui—as 13-year-old Riley heads to hockey camp. The film delves into Riley's evolving sense of self, moving from a simple belief of being a good person to embracing complexity after Anxiety attempts to rewrite her self-worth. Key themes include fitting in, as Riley ditches old friends to impress older girls, and the honest portrayal of a panic attack when Anxiety takes over. The review emphasizes that no emotion is a villain and that embracing mixed-up parts of oneself silences anxiety. The article also provides mental health resources for children and teens, including What's Up (0800 942 8787) in New Zealand, Child Helpline International (covering 140+ countries), Crisis Text Line (US, Canada, UK, Ireland), and LifeLine South Africa. The review is written by Helen Barnard for VolunteerGirl Museum.
Key facts
- Inside Out 2 introduces four new emotions: Anxiety, Envy, Embarrassment, and Ennui.
- Riley is 13 years old and heading to hockey camp.
- The film explores Riley's sense of self, initially 'I'm a good person'.
- Anxiety tries to rewrite Riley's self-belief to 'I'm not good enough unless everyone likes me'.
- Riley experiences a panic attack depicted with heart racing and breath catching.
- The film's message is that embracing mixed-up parts of yourself silences anxiety.
- Mental health resources listed include What's Up (0800 942 8787) for NZ kids.
- Child Helpline International connects kids to local help in over 140 countries.
Entities
Artists
- Kelsey Mann
- Helen Barnard
Institutions
- Disney
- Pixar
- VolunteerGirl Museum
- What's Up
- Child Helpline International
- Crisis Text Line
- LifeLine South Africa
Locations
- New Zealand
- United States
- Canada
- United Kingdom
- Ireland
- South Africa