A surprisingly clever children's film aimed more at adults than kids

Rating: 8/10 (5 August 2015)

A foundation on fairly deep themes (reactions caused by different emotions, the difficult of moving across the country, growing up) and plenty of more grown-up jokes make "Inside Out" a successful film in its own right. Bizarrely, where it falls down is its accessibility to children. Riley's age (11) and the everyday situations she experiences should make her story relatable, yet the introspective focus on her emotions' decision-making turns the film into a more profound reflection on human nature. Pixar have developed a reputation as a thoughtful alternative to Disney animation; debatably this is the first occasion of their parent-friendly children's films which will be more favoured by adults than youngsters. Don't get me wrong - "Inside Out" is a very well-thought-out, cleverly crafted and enjoyable film, it's just that it may go over the heads of the majority of the target audience.
The animation is average by animated-film standards, with bright colours and glows to amuse kids but enough darkness in parts to accurately reflect parts of the human mind. The music is of a similar standard, effective and subtle whilst not being outstanding. What really makes "Inside Out" an excellent film is its themes and messages. Many kids' films previously - notably Pixar works - have tried to identify with children's minds and thought processes, so it's no surprise that the most effective one I've seen is set entirely within preteen Riley's mind. The notion that sadness and other seemingly unhelpful feelings are actual useful is an important sentiment to get across to children, and this film accomplishes effectively while avoiding being "preachy" or cliché. The short foray into her parents' emotions is one of the more inspired "adult- targeted" jokes, revealing the subtle emotional differences between genders, and between adults and children.
Overall, the film was extremely enjoyable and deserves multiple watches; there were enough jokes to lighten the heavy subject matter and the sparkling voice acting from all of Riley's personified emotions brightened up the script too. "Inside Out"'s slightly ambivalent tone should make for interesting differences between adult and child opinions of the film.