A smart, funny, and emotionally accessible sequel that keeps the first film’s inventive visual language while widening the emotional palette in a way that feels timely for adolescence. It’s lighter and more crowd-pleasing than profound, but it still lands real feelings about growing up, self-image, and the chaos of… Read more
Teenager Riley's mind headquarters is undergoing a sudden demolition to make room for something entirely unexpected: new Emotions! Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear and Disgust, who’ve long been running a successful operation by all accounts, aren’t sure how to feel when Anxiety shows up. And it looks like she’s not alone.
Director
Kelsey Mann
Cast
Amy Poehler, Maya Hawke, Kensington Tallman
Curator Review
Verdict
A smart, funny, and emotionally accessible sequel that keeps the first film’s inventive visual language while widening the emotional palette in a way that feels timely for adolescence. It’s lighter and more crowd-pleasing than profound, but it still lands real feelings about growing up, self-image, and the chaos of a changing mind.
Best for
families and kids who liked the first film
viewers who enjoy emotional coming-of-age stories
fans of clever Pixar-style worldbuilding
people looking for a warm, funny, high-concept animated movie
Skip if
you want a darker or more psychologically complex sequel
you dislike broad comedy or very explicit emotional metaphors
you’re looking for something that feels radically different from the original
Overview
Inside Out 2 understands the basic trick of the first film and doesn’t try to overcomplicate it: make feelings visible, then let the comedy reveal something honest. The new emotional arrivals give the movie fresh energy, especially in the way it captures the panic, self-consciousness, and social overthinking of early adolescence.
Worth noting
It’s not as surprising as the original, and some of the character beats are familiar, but the movie is consistently inventive and easy to enjoy. The visual design remains a highlight, turning abstract mental states into a lively, readable action-comedy.
Bottom line
What makes it work is that it treats growing up as both funny and destabilizing. The result is a sequel that may not deepen the concept dramatically, but it does expand it with enough charm, wit, and emotional clarity to feel worthwhile.
Top Letterboxd reviews
KaoPun (4★) · 72356 likes
Where's Horny??????
isobel (4.5★) · 55884 likes
riley’s deep dark secret is that she’s gay
z0s1a44 (4★) · 48043 likes
can someone pls take that orange bitch out of my head
Root Beer Lord The One & Only (4★) · 26888 likes
Can’t wait for inside out 3 to give us addiction, depression, wrath, and horny
Will Dunlop (3.5★) · 25714 likes
A strawberry watermelon vape would’ve calmed Riley down
Themes
adolescence, identity, anxiety, self-image, friendship, family, emotional regulation, coming of age
Topics
animated family film, coming-of-age, anxiety, adolescence, emotional comedy, psychological fantasy, Pixar-style, family-friendly, identity, bright heartfelt tone