On the surface, Inside Out 2 may seem like just another fun family movie. However, the film contains a deeper message: that change is difficult, but it allows us to strengthen our character and connect more fully with our emotions. Inside Out 2 illustrates the necessity of experiencing and coping with a variety of emotions in order to develop and maintain a sense of self.

In the years since the first movie, 2015’s Inside Out, was released, not only have the characters grown up, many of the viewers have as well. The first film detailed the ways in which emotions such as joy, sadness, anger, disgust and fear function within our minds, representing these emotions through personified characters. Almost 10 years later, Pixar released the sequel Inside Out 2 in the summer of 2024. Set in San Francisco, Inside Out 2 follows the first film’s main character, Riley, as she becomes a teenager and experiences the major life change of entering high school. Along with her two best friends, Riley decides to attend a ice hockey camp and prove her worth to her prospective high school team. However, the night before she leaves for camp, Riley begins going through puberty. She starts to face the challenges of growing up, with new emotions, social connections, and hormonal changes. The film’s theme that adolescence is an emotional rollercoaster is instantly recognizable to anyone who has experienced the struggles and triumphs of life as a teenager. 

Riley’s fear of change and loss causes her to worry about her future instead of living in the present. After she finds out that her two best friends will not be attending her high school, she becomes intensely devoted to earning a spot on her new high school’s hockey team, believing that team membership will protect her from being lonely and friendless in high school. Her efforts to make the team cause her to ignore and dismiss her best friends in favor of earning respect from the older players. The animated character Anxiety, which takes the form of a person, dominates Riley’s emotional control center and dictates many of her decisions throughout the film, causing her to damage her sense of self, as well as her old friendships.

Understanding her emotions and rediscovering her identity allows Riley to realize that transitioning through changes is a part of growing up. While Anxiety attempts to control Riley’s actions by making her worried about the future, Joy finds a way to bring positivity to Riley’s thoughts, allowing Anxiety to realize that she can’t control who Riley is. Simultaneously, Joy realizes that although she is needed, she can’t control Riley’s sense of self. After experiencing a panic attack that rewires her mentality by displaying the negative impacts of her behavior while at the camp, Riley apologizes to her old friends, reviving their friendship. She comes to the realization that she does not have to pretend to fit in with the older players, and that it is more important to stay true to herself and her values. The filmmakers illustrate how a person’s sense of self is formed through personality and life experiences, and cannot be dominated by singular emotions like joy and anger.

The movie illustrates dealing with change in a deeply relatable way, allowing audiences to see themselves in Riley and connect to her struggles growing up and coping with her emotions. Riley proves that people can hold onto valuable memories and experiences from the past, while moving forward and evolving in the present. Inside Out 2 is more than just an entertaining movie. The film shows that change is inevitable and valuable, and it is essential to stay true to your identity and emotions throughout the process of growing up.