Surprised by the 1 star reviews

Rating: 8/10 (4 March 2018)

I've read a lot of angry reviews that trash the movie, and I frankly don't understand the vitriol. This is no 1-star movie and even if it is not the most amazing thing Pixar has ever produced, I found it very entertaining. As with all Pixar productions, the visuals are lush, fun, and detailed, and the voice acting is great. Lewis Black as Anger was a genius casting move and his character quickly became my favorite.
Perhaps part of the reason there are negative reviews is because people are not considering the target audience - which is kids, not adults. Giving emotions relatable, uncomplicated characters is not a sin. There is a subtle subplot going on in this movie where the emotions are learning to live and work with each other - in a sense, growing up just like the main character. Joy isn't able to relate to Sadness, for example. But can they learn to get along and benefit from each others' talent? Watch and find out. Other plot bits deal with how memory, thinking, and imagination work in a context that's accessible even to my (now) 7 year old. She and I even used the emotion characters to help express her inner feelings that she might not always have words for.
Don't be put off by the negative reviews. If you like Pixar's work, you'll like this too. You might even love it, but I can't see wanting the time you spent watching it back as some people seem to feel. I've watched it three times with my kids on family movie nights, and I'm still touched by it every time.