Your Emotions Don’t Decide Who You Are

While it has been nine years since watching Inside Out, Riley has only aged one year.  The original movie begins with an 11-year-old Riley and ends when she is 12. Now 13-year-old Riley is entering puberty. We watch her become a teenage girl. Will this coming-of-age event be too much for children? In this Pixar Inside Out 2 Christian Movie Review & Parent Guide, I give you the information you need before viewing the latest Pixar sequel with your children.

Inside Out 2 Christian Movie Review

Studio Synopsis:

Disney and Pixar’s Inside Out 2 returns to the mind of a newly minted teenager Riley just as 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. 

My Synopsis:

In Pixar time, it has been a year since we saw Riley Andersen in Inside Out. She is now a teenager and has adjusted to life in San Francisco. Additionally, she is getting ready for high school. However, when Riley finds out that her two best friends are going to a different high school, not only does she feel sad, but she also develops anxiety over trying out for the high school hockey team. Furthermore, a range of new emotions shows up including Anxiety, Envy, Embarrassment, and Ennui.

When Anxiety banishes Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust, Riley is navigating the world with all new feelings. Anxiety attempts to “help Riley” by running through all possibilities before making decisions. What could possible go wrong with an overanxious teenager?

Inside Out 2 Christian Review – What Parents Want to Know

Language:

No foul language. There is a use of the phrase, “Jiminy mother loving’ toaster strudel” as a swear word.

Additionally, some insults such as “turkey” and “jerk” are uttered. And a mention of peeing in a swimming pool.

Violence:

Anger punches fear. There are a couple of times when dynamite is used to blow up items. Furthermore, in one scene a skeleton is shown briefly.

Riley plays hockey and incurs a couple of penalties for her behavior on the court.

Additionally, a girl dyes a strip of her bangs, and her mom says, “Did she join a gang?”

Finally, when Riley hits puberty, a demolition crew shows up and causes destruction. The headquarters dashboard has been replaced, but the wrecking crew has left a mess behind.

Spiritual Content:

Riley’s core memories and core beliefs are discussed frequently. These beliefs are all centered on how she feels and thinks about herself. Joy has worked to get rid of negative thoughts. However, when Anxiety shows up, she talks a lot about “not who Riley is, but about who she needs to be.” None of Riley’s beliefs are centered around faith or anyone outside of herself.

Additionally, one girl is shown wearing a hijab.

Adult Content:

Riley is now 13, and she is going through puberty. However, not much is discussed besides having underarm odor, extra emotions, and some pimples.

There are a few scenes where there is talk about crushes. One scene shows “Mount Crushmore” with four faces of boys that Riley has a crush on. One of the faces was a video game character.

Deception:

A person breaks into a coach’s office to see her notes about the players. Another scene shows a girl breaking something in a store and putting it back on the shelf. However, the narrative is that “occasionally she can do the wrong thing.”

A few times, Riley lies or is vague about the truth.

Positive Content:

One of the main messages in this film is that your emotions don’t decide who you are. Only you are in control of who you are.

Joy says, “I don’t know how to stop anxiety. Maybe this is what happens when you grow up. You feel less joy.” And this is definitely true for most adults I know. Finding joy becomes harder and harder as we allow things we cannot control to overtake us. But the movie definitely shows the dangers of letting anxiety get the best of us.

TEACHABLE MOMENTS

Many adults find handling complex emotions difficult. I remember my days as a teenager, and this is a period of time I would not want to do over. However, armed with the knowledge I have now, I can confidently say that I worried about things I should not have worried about.

Talk with your children about fear and anxiety. Help them to understand that the Bible talks about these emotions. As a Christian, I know that joy is only found through Jesus. When I feel that anxiety and fear overtake me, I know this is not from God.

Furthermore, when Riley goes to hockey camp she makes some promises to her friends that she breaks. Discuss breaking promises and why Riley broke those promises.

Deuteronomy 31:6 says, “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”

Psalm 34:4 “I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.”

Christian Review of Inside Out 2 – My Viewing Recommendations

While I understand that parents became worried about the content in Disney/Pixar films after Lightyear Turning Red, and Elemental, Inside Out 2 is family-friendly. Pixar’s track record was producing blockbuster films, and then they went a little off the rails. It appears that they are back with Inside Out 2. However, because of the storyline involving more complex emotions, I think small childen will seem less interested in this film. If your child liked Inside Out they should like Inside Out 2.

Additionally, there are a few scenes that adults will laugh at, and it is nice to see Disney/Pixar making fun of some of their own programming.

About the Disney Pixar Inside Out 2 Movie:

Rating: PG for thematic elements

Release Date: June 14, 2024

Runtime: 1 hour, 36 minutes

Genre: Family/Comedy

Studio: Pixar Animation Studios

Directed by: Kelsey Mann

Screenplay by: Meg LeFauve, Dave Holstein

Story by: Kelsey Mann, Meg LeFauve

Executive Producer: Pete Docter

Produced by: Mark Nielsen

Edited by: Marisa Horwitz 

Music by: Andrea Datzmann

Distributed by: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

The Cast of Inside Out 2:

Joy voiced by Amy Poehler (yellow)

Sadness voiced by Phyllis Smith (blue)

Anger voiced by Lewis Black (red) 

Fear voiced by Tony Hale (purple) (replaced Bill Hader from the first film)

Disgust voiced by Liza Lapira (green) (replaced Mindy Kaling from the first film)

Anxiety voiced by Maya Hawke (orange)

Envy voiced by Ayo Edebiri (cyan)

Ennui voiced by Adèle Exarchopoulos (indigo)

Embarrassment voiced by Paul Walter Hauser (pink)

Riley Andersen voiced by Kensington Tallman (replaces Kaitlyn Dias from the first film)

Mrs. Andersen voiced by Diane Lane

Mom’s Anger voiced by Paula Pell

Mr. Andersen voiced by Kyle MacLachlan

Dad’s Anger voiced by Pete Doctor

Valentina Ortiz “Val” voiced by Lilimar

Bree voiced by Sumayyah Nuriddin-Green

Grace voiced by Grace Lu

Coach Roberts voiced by Yvette Nicole Brown

Fritz voiced by John Ratzenberger

Nostalgia voiced by June Squibb (beige)

Bloofy voiced by Ron Funches 

Lance Slashblade voiced by Yong Yea

Pouchy voiced by James Austin Johnson

Frequently Asked Questions:

Where can I watch Disney Pixar Inside Out 2?

Pixar’s latest film, Inside Out 2, was released into theaters on July 14, 2024. At that time, you can view it in the theaters.

Is there an end-credit scene for Inside Out 2?

Yes, there is an end-credit scene after the final credits.

Will Inside Out 2 stream on Disney+? 

Since Disney Pixar Inside Out 2 is a Pixar movie, you can expect it to be streaming on Disney Plus in the future.

What is Ennui?

Ennui is a feeling of listlessness and dissatisfaction arising from a lack of occupation or excitement.

How much did it cost to produce Inside Out 2?

The budget for Disney Pixar Inside Out 2 was $200 million. While the budget for the original film was $175 million, but it brought in $858.8 million at the box office.

Is there any LBGTq+ content?

While many people speculated that Riley or one of her friends would be non-binary based on the movie trailers, there was no indication that any of the characters are non-binary or on the LGBTQ+ spectrum. Additionally, it appears that Riley has a crush on boys.

SPOILER ALERT: What is Riley’s Deep Dark Secret?

While Joy thought the secret was that Riley peed in the swimming pool, her actual deep dark secret was that she burned a hole in the carpet.