DIRECTORS: Pete Docter, Ronaldo Del Carmen
MPAA RATING: PG (for mild thematic elements and some action)
SCREENWRITERS: Pete Docter, Meg LeFauve, Josh Cooley
STARRING: Amy Poehler, Bill Hader, Lewis Black, Mindy Kaling, Phyllis Smith, Diane Lane, Kyle MacLachlan
GENRE: Animation
SUMMARY: From the tepuis of South America to a monster-filled metropolis, Academy Award®-winning director Pete Docter has taken audiences to unique and imaginative places. In 2015, he will take us to the most extraordinary location of all – inside the mind of an 11-year-old named Riley.
Growing up can be a bumpy road, and it’s no exception for Riley, who is uprooted from her Midwest life when her father starts a new job in San Francisco. Like all of us, Riley is guided by her emotions – Joy (Amy Poehler), Fear (Bill Hader), Anger (Lewis Black), Disgust (Mindy Kaling) and Sadness (Phyllis Smith). The emotions live in Headquarters, the control center inside Riley’s mind, where they help advise her through everyday life. As Riley and her emotions struggle to adjust to a new life in San Francisco, turmoil ensues in Headquarters. Although Joy, Riley’s main and most important emotion, tries to keep things positive, the emotions conflict on how best to navigate a new city, house and school.
REVIEWS: Inside Out is the 15th feature film released by Pixar Animation Studios and continues the tradition of creating animated features that cater to multiple age groups by combining a vibrant, colorful and entertaining narrative that captivates kids while having a complex central theme that engages the adults. The film features young Riley from Minnesota who has five manifestations of her emotions in her mind - Joy, Sadness, Fear, Disgust and Anger. The emotions influence her and control her day to day decisions and memories . When Riley turns 11, the family moves to San Francisco which puts her in emotional turmoil as she is a shy kid and finds it difficult to cope with a new environment. The resulting scenario leads her and her emotions to learn the importance of Sadness in life.
The film received rave reviews on the back of stellar performances by the voice cast led by Amy Poehler as Joy and Phyllis Smith as Sadness. Phyllis shines with her convincing rendition of the meek Sadness. Lewis Black, Mindy Kaling and Bill Hader as the remaining emotions also give strong performances. Director Pete Docter excels at paying attention to detail. For example Riley's controlling emotion is shown to be Joy whereas her father is controlled by Anger and her mother by Sadness. Docter also succeeds in his attempt to create a model of the mind which is flexible enough to serve the purpose of the story yet is well thought out and consistent enough to stand on its own. This was achieved through consultation with Paul Ekman, a well-known psychologist who studies emotions, and Dacher Keltner, a professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley.
While the basic concept is strong, the story suffers from periods of inactivity and monotony. The film seems stretched and could have done without a few of the scenes that were left in by the director. The movie also has a disconnect with the younger section of the audience because unlike other Pixar movies, the light-hearted and downright funny moments are few and far between. The core element of the story is complex for kids watching and hence might not enjoy the movie as much as the adults that accompanying them.
The movie is a visual treat that leaves the audience with a smile on their face and a sense of fulfillment although with a little heavy handed editing the movie would have been even better.
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