Anxiety takes over in ‘Inside Out 2’

The animated comedy Inside Out 2 introduces Riley and her dynamic mind to new personified emotions, namely Envy, Ennui, Embarrassment, and Anxiety. As she enters her teenager years, Riley along with her Joy, Sadness, Fear, Anger, and Disgust face conflicts and humorous situations as they struggle for control over her reactions and decisions.

The coming-of-age movie is a sequel to the 2015’s Inside Out, andreleases in Ster-Kinekor cinemas today (14 June 2024).

As Riley prepares for high school, her emotions aim to help her make a positive impression, but struggle with new challenges, especially after a “Puberty” alarm triggers changes in the emotional console. The new emotions leads to a clash between leaders Joy and Anxiety, each with different views on how Riley should handle her experiences.

Throughout the film, the emotions must navigate a series of mishaps and misunderstandings. Anxiety’s attempt to control Riley’s life by sidelining her core emotions results in chaos as she is tasked with finding balance in her friendships and self-identity.

Inside Out 2 is directed by Kelsey Mann in his feature directorial debut, produced by Mark Nielsen, and features a screenplay by Meg LeFauve and Dave Holstein. The sequel brings back characters voiced by Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith, Lewis Black, Diane Lane, and Kyle MacLachlan reprising their roles.  New additions to the cast include Tony Hale, Liza Lapira, Maya Hawke, Ayo Edebiri, Adèle Exarchopoulos, Paul Walter Hauser, and Kensington Tallman.