Spoiler Warning: The following article contains spoilers for Inside Out 2. If you’ve yet to watch the movie, please check it out with a Disney+ subscription before proceeding or exercise extreme caution.
As soon as I found out that Anxiety would be a major part of Inside Out, I had a feeling that this was going not only be one of the best Pixar movies to date, but also a cathartic experience for someone like me who struggles with their mental health every single day. And I’ll admit, while I was looking forward to seeing the 2024 movie on the big screen, I was a bit worried about seeing it and how it would affect me.
Little did I know when I went with my wife and kids to see Inside Out 2 on the final day of our family vacation that I was about to sit through one of the most profound movie-going experiences of the year, as well as in recent memory. And now that it has been added to the collection of best Disney+ movies, I thought I’d share my experience with those who haven’t gotten around to watching it yet.
How Inside Out 2 Handles Anxiety (The Emotion, Not Just The Character) Is Admirable To Say The Least
Inside Out 2 doesn’t have a traditional Pixar villain, which works well for a number of reasons. One, it shows just how complex Maya Hawke’s frazzled character is, and how she’s more than just a standard antagonist. And two, it shows the complex nature of anxiety as a mental illness and how it’s not an absolute evil while also not being healthy when left unchecked.
While watching the movie, I was blown away by the nuance of Meg LeFauve and Dave Holstein’s screenplay and how director Kelsey Mann brought it to life with a delicate touch and perfect balance between the good and bad of anxiety and everything that comes with it. It wasn’t like “Hey, anxiety is crazy,” but more, “Hey, something’s going on here and we need to talk about it.” And I found that to be admirable, to say the least.
I Kept Looking At All The Times I've Allowed My Self-Destructive Anxiety To Get The Best Of Me
Nothing against watching movies at home, but being fully immersed in a movie playing on a massive screen in a dark theater is the best way to experience a film, especially something as rich as Inside Out 2. With no distractions like cell phones, dogs barking every five minutes, or the sights and sounds of a lively home, I was left with the movie and my somewhat intrusive thoughts, which only seemed natural for a movie like this.
Throughout the movie, I kept thinking about how like Anxiety making a mess of Riley’s life by making rash decisions to help make a better life for the teenager, I too have allowed my self-destructive anxiety to get the best of me. I’m sure this is also the case for so many others, but I felt particularly seen by this aspect of the story. In high school, social anxiety got me; in college, fear about the real world knocking on my door brought on a senior-year mental breakdown; and other memories went running through my head.
However, I didn’t let those thoughts, memories, or feelings get the best of me this time. Watching, Riley’s (and Anxiety and Joy’s) story unfold gave me some slight relief, which was unexpected.
I Relate To Anxiety, Specifically Her Failed Attempts To Fix Problems On Her Own
There’s a long history of movies being honest about mental illness, and Inside Out 2 is honestly one of the best in a long time. I think a lot of that is because Anxiety is one of the most relatable Pixar characters in some time, at least in my eyes. While she’s great throughout the movie and adds a whole other dimension to the franchise, there’s one scene in particular that I keep going back to, and that’s the sequence where she turns into a literal tornado of hyperactive and overly anxious energy.
Watching Anxiety lose control of the situation after kicking out or locking away the other emotions that try to help her fix the problem while she continues to make things worse for herself and Riley was so relatable, even if I feel ashamed admitting it. There have been countless times throughout my life where I have made a situation much worse because I became so anxious about asking for help. In those situations, my anxiety builds up a wall around me, tricking me into thinking it’s protecting me, when in reality, it’s making things much, much worse.
Inside Out 2 Sort Of Normalizes Anxiety, But In Moderation, And That's Awesome
Just like how the Inside Out ending showed us that there is a place for sadness and other emotions in our daily lives, Inside Out 2 pretty much says that anxiety is good, but just in moderation. Not to distract you all with Thanos, but the Mad Titana’s whole “perfectly balanced, as all things should be” quote from Avengers: Infinity War rings true in this 2024 Disney film, especially when it comes to finding the coexistence of all the emotions.
A healthy balance of Anxiety, Sadness, Joy, and even Ennui goes a long way and helps make Riley a normal, active, and somewhat emotionally-stable teenager preparing to enter high school. And a message like that, one that doesn’t stigmatize anxiety but instead telling the audience that it’s okay to be a little anxious, is something we should all marvel.
Inside Out 2 Was A Great Healing Experience, And A Tremendous Help
Though I won’t be canceling any of my upcoming appointments with my therapist, Inside Out 2 was a great healing experience and a tremendous help when it came to dealing with anxiety. Watching an animated movie about the emotions guiding and dictating our lives was a cathartic experience that allowed me to gain a better understanding of my own problems with mental health while also helping me realize that I’m not alone in this world.
Having a movie that isn’t afraid to tackle issues like anxiety in a meaningful way that doesn’t feel preachy or distant is really cool, especially for younger audiences who might be going through similar situations as Riley. Hats off to Pixar and Disney for allowing something like this to happen.
Hopefully, watching Inside Out 2 had a similar impact on you and the way you think about anxiety (or other mental health issues). And while not a lot is known about Inside Out 3 at this point, there is the Dream Productions Disney+ show to look forward to before the end of the 2024 TV schedule.
