The Cheese Stands Alone

Rating: 1/10 (8 July 2015)

I simply cannot comprehend why this movie is being heralded as Pixar's finest. It is flawed in so many ways, which is uncharacteristic of Pixar. The concept is wholly unoriginal, which lead me to believe that Pixar would present us with something astounding to compensate, but what they have given us is unimaginative human characters whose personified emotions represent exhausted stereotypes. When we meet the father's emotions, they're lazily watching sports instead of taking an active interest in family dinner time, while the mother's emotions try to resign themselves to the fact that they have settled for a schlub instead of a handsome ex lover. The daughter is presented as the perfect all-American girl and we are never given even a glimpse of her being anything but perfect until the emotions Joy and Sadness find themselves ejected from the control center of her mind. Then suddenly she's the clichéd brat that lazy story telling will have us believe of every tween and teenager. The most unbelievable action of this character comes when this seemingly ideal daughter decides that in order to be happy she should run away from her loving home and travel alone across the country. All the while, mom and dad take this in their stride as though she's always behaved this way. All this, we are shown, is because the only emotions running the show are anger, disgust and fear, since joy and sadness are still trying to return to the control center. By Pixar's logic, we are incapable of rational actions without joy and sadness. Okay, I get that it's a movie, but this is bad writing. At one point we are expected to accept Sadness's antics simply because she claims that she doesn't know why she's doing what she's doing. What!?! If the ones controlling the brain cannot account for their actions, then what is the point of the premise? Perhaps the sequel will show us the emotions inside the heads of the emotions sadness, joy and the rest. Aside from the terrible story line and lack of character depth, the film lacks the usual humor we have come to associate with Pixar, and while Joy and Sadness's quest to get back where they belong is undoubtedly frustrating for them, the constant obstacles they encounter make it almost unbearable to sit through. Mostly, I feel, because again and again they keep getting sooooo close, only to have something happen and they have to find another way, finally making it happen through the use of a stack of imaginary boyfriends. Let me say that again: They finally get back to control by stacking up a bunch of imaginary boyfriends. Yes, I know, it's a movie, and a cartoon at that, but this is Pixar. We have come to expect better. Well, I have, at least. Judging by the other reviews and the box office, Inside Out is a huge hit. I still cannot fathom why. I must be taking crazy pills.