Inside Out 2

What’s it about?

Riley, freshly entering her teenage years, hits puberty the night before an elite hockey camp. She wakes up with new emotions – Anxiety, Envy, Embarrassment and Ennui – who try to take control of her mind’s headquarters, causing chaos for her five core emotions Joy, Fear, Anger, Disgust and Sadness.

The facts

• Directed by Kelsey Mann
• Starring Amy Poehler (Joy), Maya Hawke (Anxiety), Liza Lapira (Disgust), Tony Hale (Fear), Lewis Black (Anger), Phyllis Smith (Sadness), Ayo Edebiri (Envy), Paul Walter Hauser (Embarrassment), Adèle Exarchopoulos (Ennui)
• English language
• Runtime: 96 minutes

Why did it get this rating?

This film game was cross-rated by the Film and Video Labelling Body. You can find out more about cross-rating here.

Intense scenes

Riley goes through several emotional events, but she is eventually able to calm herself down each time.

In one scene, after accidentally knocking friend during a hockey game, Riley has a severe and realistic panic attack for the first time. This scene is quite frightening, however it is resolved when Riley’s friend forgives her.

Violence

There are instances of mild violence including characters being pushed, shoved or falling over.

In one scene, a group of “emotions” blow up the side of a cliff with dynamite which is very-cartoon like, however it may worry young viewers.

Breakdown of emotions

Inside Out 2 is a film about learning to handle your biggest emotions as you go through life. While Riley’s emotions are well-meaning, they can sometimes cause problems for her. Some scenes may be a bit more confronting compared to the first film, as this one deals with puberty.

Inside Out 2 provides opportunities for parents and caregivers to discuss with their tamariki what they are watching and how it makes them feel. For more information on how to have these conversations, please refer to the "Further Information" section at the end of the content breakdown.

New emotions

Anxiety

Anxiety is always worrying about potential problems and tries to avoid them. This sometimes disrupts Riley’s emotional balance and create unnecessary stress for her.

Envy

Envy longs for what others have, which can lead to disappointment for Riley and impacts her relationships because of jealousy.

Embarrassment

Embarrassment struggles with social awkwardness and self-consciousness, making it difficult for Riley to express herself and navigate social situations.

Ennui

Ennui often feels bored and disconnected, which can affect Riley’s motivation.

Core emotions

Joy

Joy often tries to suppress Sadness, believing only happiness is valuable, which leads to unintended consequences.

Fear

Fear exaggerates the potential dangers in Riley's new environment, causing her to become overly cautious.

Anger

Anger tends to make Riley lash out or act impulsively when he takes control.

Disgust

Disgust influences Riley to dismiss things too quickly based on appearances, affecting her decisions negatively.

Sadness

Sadness tends to dwell on negative memories or outcomes, which can amplify Riley's feelings of sadness or hopelessness.

Further information

• Why are ratings and content warnings important for me and my whānau?
• The ‘Bluey’ parenting hack: How to start those tricky conversations when your kids are young - Blog
• Find a rating – Inside Out – Content breakdown
• You're in control with parental controls – Resource
• Brain development – how it works, why it matters – Resource