Inside 'Inside Out': A Review

From director Pete Docter, the man behind the monsters, comes Disney/Pixar's Inside Out, arguably their most daring and intricate film to date. Prior to viewing it, I have to admit I had reservations. Pixar's winning streak was irrefutably tarnished four years ago by the plot-hole-laden (or is that pothole-laden?) Cars 2 (2011). Moreover, their subsequent features seemed to lack the originality than once delineated the company as world-class innovators in animation. But this film had potential. As a film whose plot predominantly takes place in the human mind, its concept sounded unique, and its characters looked bright and cheerful in all promos and teasers. That said, the concept, though unique, sounded like a somewhat laboured attempt to return Pixar to its pedestal where it belongs. The question is, with a concept this audacious, have they redeemed themselves, or are they out of their minds?

Inside Out focuses on Riley (Kaitlyn Dias), an 11-year-old girl whose recent move to San Francisco from Minnesota has cost her her friends, her hockey team and her family, which is seemingly drifting apart. Inside her mind (referred to as 'HeadQuarters'), her five primary emotions, Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear and Disgust, act as her guides, responsible for her decisions and emotional expression. Joy (Amy Poehler) represents a pixie-like ringleader, keeping Riley upbeat for the majority of her childhood. However, Riley's increasing mental anguish means Sadness (Phyllis Smith) looks set to take the helm, and Joy's uneasiness and subsequent attempts to restrict her activity ultimately result in the pair's unintentional desertion of HeadQuarters, leaving Anger, Fear and Disgust in charge. Joy and Sadness' journey takes them both deep into Riley's subconscious mind, as they attempt to find their way back to HeadQuarters with the help of Riley's imaginary friend Bing Bong (Richard Kind). It's smart, it's funny and, it being Pixar, it's expectedly touching.

Thematically, Inside Out diverges from its pretence as family-friendly fare within its first half hour, presenting what is essentially a narrative of the devolvement of protagonist Riley into a tortuous spiral of depression following the family’s move. Indeed the story of the inside of Riley’s mind is a greatly deceiving one. On the outside, Inside Out appears colourful, airy and child-friendly, when conceptually, the narrative represents a profoundly mature one, covering themes such as emotional maturity, apathy and isolation, as well as one which emphasises the importance of embracing a variety of emotions. Such themes are generally alien to the average animated flick. In fact, their presence, while arguably innovative, feels somewhat out of place with regards to the marketing of the film, whose bright, colourful characters have no doubt graced many a child’s toy chest in the form of a stuffed plaything or inane talking doll. The question on my mind throughout was ‘who exactly is the target audience for this?’

Despite the fun, bright character designs, the story is a complex one – one so complex I doubt very much that young audiences would appreciate it. Of course, there’s no disclaimer prior to the feature indicating that the film intends to pertain solely to kids (it doesn’t, by any means), but marketing-wise, it was a peculiar choice to exploit the film’s characters in the form of a variety of plush dolls when the film itself maintains a rather dark and lugubrious tone throughout. Heck, on more than one occasion, I choked up a bit! But this review isn’t about the merchandising; it’s about the film itself, which, in reality, contrary to what all the trailers and merchandise would have you believe, is not, repeat, NOT a kids’ film.

Needless to say, praise must be given for the film’s visuals, which are expectedly top-notch. The character designs, the malleable animation style, and the locations are all awe-inspiring. Visually, Pixar’s films have never faltered, and this feature is no exception. The film’s setting within Riley’s mind is both creative and beautifully crafted, while the transitions between there and the outside world are smooth and seamless. It’s a clever concept, and although the film’s main story arc – that of Riley’s losing herself and sinking into a depression – is not a cheerful one, ultimately the visuals succeed in giving the film some much-needed levity.

Narratively, the story does enough to evince emotion from the casual viewer - particularly if you're an adult. The trailers, the movie posters, and even the film's opening scene are all deceptively light, warm and fuzzy when the film itself is altogether rather dark. This isn't a bad thing by any means - in fact, praise should be given for Pixar's daringly mature storytelling. That said, while it is intelligent, there are aspects of the film that feel as though it's too clever for its own good, and on more than one occasion the script feels like a recitation from a self-help guide. Regardless, all loose ends are eventually tied up, and it feels satisfying, and even cathartic, by its conclusion, in spite of its occasional pretentiousness.

In terms of the film's design, conceptually, it cannot be stated that it's flawless - but its flaws are wholly subjective depending on the leniency of the viewer. A problem with the film that audiences may have to overcome is its reductive attitude towards the complexity of the human mind, condensing it into only five states of consciousness – Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear and Disgust. Naturally, however, given the complexity and ambitiousness of the film as it is, it seems a sensible idea to limit its scope. Likewise, Bing Bong's character design feels like a basic rehash of every other imaginary character to ever grace the silver screen. Yet this renders the film no less effective, story-wise; it simply works, and that's all that matters.

Ultimately, it's difficult to summarise one's thoughts on the film in its entirety. Visually, for the most part, it's incredible, and exceedingly creative. But conceptually, this may be too confusing a concept for younger audiences to grasp. Of course, this doesn't mean the film itself is bad, but it's advisable to proceed with caution. Pixar's latest effort might look like mindless entertainment, but inside, its story is a profoundly mature, metaphorical one that only an adult mind can appreciate. Scratch beneath that colourful surface and you'll find the inside of Inside Out is altogether rather grey. This is an adult film masquerading as toddler fodder - look beyond its pretences and your mind will be blown.