'Inside Out' review by Captain Raptor

'Inside Out' review by Jake Boyle

There are very few things that are unquestionable. Conventional wisdom is often wrong; as the great Agent K so wonderfully put it "1,500 years ago everybody knew that the Earth was the centre of the universe. 500 years ago, everybody knew that the Earth was flat. And 15 minutes ago, you knew that humans were alone on this planet". There are, however, a few universal truths. Pixar films are awesome. They just are. Anybody who disagrees has never been a child and is some strange pod person who should not be trusted. 

Making a film about anthropomorphised emotions is a pretty crafty move, because the constant discussions of feelings and inner conflict means that a highly emotional tone automatically runs through the film, and the elements being discussed are pretty much the core of the human experience, so it's difficult not to feel sympathy. Obviously the film isn't some form of psychological drama; as heartfelt and touching as some moments are, it's still primarily goofy and sugary, the two blended together so as not to become irritating. The concept is nicely executed, and the visualisations of the human mind as a machine is genuinely interesting, as well as providing a lot of good jokes. The animation is of as high a quality as we've come to expect, but there's nothing exceptional about it. The character design, however, is fantastic, especially for Anger, and it's nice to see some new inventions coming out of Pixar's stable. Most of the film's best humour comes from the explorations of its concept, bizarre enough when actually experienced that there's no shortage of material, but the jokes that come from simpler dialogue and interactions are still passable enough.

The voice acting for Inside Out is simply superlative. Casting Amy Poehler as the physical embodiment of joy was an incredibly smart decision, her cheer and energy here putting Leslie Knope to shame. Phyllis Smith and Lewis Black both do perfect jobs of bringing their characters to life, each nailing their assigned emotion's tonality. Once you look past the setting, the actual story being told is predictable but it is told with conviction, and the message at the heart of the film is something that quite a few adults could benefit from having reiterated, not just children. None of the scenes have any of the gut-punching sadness of that moment from Toy Story 3, but the frequency of deep emotion in this film and the maturity with which they are handled still puts Inside Out in contention for Pixar's most affecting film. Occasionally some of the sentiment doesn't entirely work (there's a few intendedly cute moments between the family that just seem slightly awkward) but the feelings that are successfully conveyed are potent enough that anybody who remains stoic is another of the aforementioned pod people.

Inside Out is a very sweet film, gently funny and on occasion uproarious, but the primary strength is undeniably the unabashed and occasionally tearful emotional exploration. The concept at the core of the film is a strong one that is carried out competently, assisted in no small part by wonderful visuals and brilliant voice acting. The characters, plot and dialogue aren't so strong that Inside Out can stand side-by-side with other Pixar classics, but the experience is an enjoyable and genuinely uplifting one that should delight anybody with a heart, regardless of age.