There is a lot of enjoyment to be had with the Disney Pixar movies, they all offer something for the audience and the company has never made a terrible movie. Some have been a lot better than others granted, but I have to say Inside Out certainly belongs with the best of them. Disney Pixar really hit the mark with this film; it’s clever, funny, witty and extremely enjoyable. The characters all have their role and are very distinguished, Anger, Sadness, Fear and Joy with the possible exception of Disgust, who sometimes loses her sense of what emotion she is actually supposed to be.
There are important themes throughout the film, such as dealing with your emotions, using your imagination, growing up and understanding change, and not necessarily just for the children. This is a perfect family film and really enjoyable for adults too, with the right balance of humor and melancholy, it really is a film designed to make you think.
A sticking point with the film’s universal appeal is that there are a couple of scenes which may disturb young children, in particular a rather unsettling clown which won’t help with this particular fear in the slightest. There are also scenes, which portray the ‘dark places’ of the mind, which, again, could be distressing to children who are unable to understand the context. This may be difficult to explain, however is likely to pass over the child’s understanding.
To sum up, it becomes quite difficult to gauge what age group this film is ultimately aimed at, but it is nonetheless an enjoyable film for the whole family. The young ones will enjoy the whimsical characters, the older ones will enjoy the themes and subtext, (bearing in mind the main character is 12), and for those even older, it is a poignant reflection of growing up.
Joy is the stand out character who forms an integral relationship with Sadness, which may help young viewers to better understand their emotions, and has an even deeper meaning towards the end of the film. It’s clever, sensitive and heartfelt. Inside Out hits UK cinemas on the 24th of July.
#Peace.Love.InsideOut
