Riley’s hit that teenager phase, you know? Braces, tossing and turning all night, and suddenly snapping at her parents for no reason. She’s feeling kind of lost because puberty hit hard, and there’s also the news that her besties, Grace and Bree, are going to a different high school after the summer. Right now though? The three of them are off to spend three days at a summer hockey camp. Riley’s trying her best to fit in with a new crew so she’s not left alone next year.

The new kids are an older group of hockey girls who think Riley’s a bit goofy, except for their leader Viv. She decides to take Riley under her wing. But here’s the kicker: Riley’s dealing with all kinds of fresh emotions. Her mental “control room” is already buzzing with Joy, Anger, Sadness, Fear, and Disgust when in waltz Ennui, Envy, Embarrassment—and Anxiety too! Anxiety’s like this wrecking ball that could mess up everything Joy and the gang have been working on.

Making a sequel to Inside Out was no easy feat since depicting how our minds work as kids was pretty genius already. But they had these awesome ideas for Inside Out 2—like following Riley as she grows up since she was initially modeled after Pete Docter’s daughter—the guy behind the first movie!
This time around, Pixar’s got someone new at the helm. Meg LeFauve, who helped write Inside Out, teams up with Dave Holstein for the script. And Kelsey Mann, a long-time animator for Pixar, is taking on director duties for the first time. If you loved the first film as a kid and now find yourself a teenager, this sequel grows up with you—kinda like what happened with Harry Potter.

One of the coolest things about Inside Out 2 is how it flips the original movie’s idea upside down. Remember how it was all about emotions running the show inside our heads? After a while, that whole setup could start to feel a bit tight—like we’re just passengers being controlled from within. I mean, that’s why they called it Inside Out.

The sequel switches things up by showing emotions working together more closely—even those new ones popping up during adolescence. It captures that weird teenage vibe when you’re trying to change who you are to fit in and worrying if you measure up—not just to your parents or childhood buddies.

Inside Out 2 does an awesome job revisiting those themes while also…
Inside Out 2 dives right into the messy world of teenage emotions, where everything feels intense and confusing. It’s all about those growing pains when teens feel a bit lost and cover it up with jokes or sarcasm. While the first film embraced all feelings as valid, this one shines a light on anxiety, showing how it can really get in the way of handling life’s ups and downs.

The movie also takes a jab at the endless positivity that’s often celebrated in American culture. Joy gets a bit of a reality check as the story makes room for less bubbly emotions. But don’t worry, it doesn’t go all doom and gloom—it encourages believing in yourself and understanding your own strengths and limits.

Riley’s got to figure out how to handle her inner battles without letting anyone—or her own emotions—take over. She learns to see them like passengers on this wild ride through life: they’re there, but they’re not calling the shots.

Mann’s directing might not be as flashy as Docter’s was with the original film, but the script builds an emotional rollercoaster that hits hard toward the end. Parents watching might even feel those familiar pangs watching Riley struggle, just like their own teenagers sometimes do.

It’s too bad that some characters like Ennui (voiced by Deva Cassel) and Embarrassment don’t get as much time in the spotlight because they’re a big part of what makes up teenage life. They really could have brought more depth since those feelings play huge roles in shaping teens’ personalities.
Sembra che il film voglia farci ridere, ma qualcosa non funziona del tutto. I personaggi che potrebbero aggiungere un bel tocco comico non vengono proprio sfruttati al massimo. E poi c’è Invidia—diciamo solo che manca un po’ di quella vibra invidiosa che ci aspettavamo da lei.