From director Pete Docter, the man behind the monsters,
comes Disney/Pixar's Inside Out,
arguably their most daring and intricate film to date. Prior to viewing it, I
have to admit I had reservations. Pixar's winning streak was irrefutably
tarnished four years ago by the plot-hole-laden (or is that pothole-laden?) Cars 2 (2011). Moreover, their
subsequent features seemed to lack the originality than once delineated the
company as world-class innovators in animation. But this film had potential. As
a film whose plot predominantly takes place in the human mind, its concept
sounded unique, and its characters looked bright and cheerful in all promos and
teasers. That said, the concept, though unique, sounded like a somewhat
laboured attempt to return Pixar to its pedestal where it belongs. The question
is, with a concept this audacious, have they redeemed themselves, or are they
out of their minds?
Inside Out focuses
on Riley (Kaitlyn Dias), an 11-year-old girl whose recent move to San
Francisco from Minnesota
has cost her her friends, her hockey team and her family, which is seemingly
drifting apart. Inside her mind (referred to as 'HeadQuarters'), her five
primary emotions, Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear and Disgust, act as her guides, responsible
for her decisions and emotional expression. Joy (Amy Poehler) represents a
pixie-like ringleader, keeping Riley upbeat for the majority of her childhood.
However, Riley's increasing mental anguish means Sadness (Phyllis Smith) looks
set to take the helm, and Joy's uneasiness and subsequent attempts to restrict
her activity ultimately result in the pair's unintentional desertion of
HeadQuarters, leaving Anger, Fear and Disgust in charge. Joy and Sadness'
journey takes them both deep into Riley's subconscious mind, as they attempt to
find their way back to HeadQuarters with the help of Riley's imaginary friend
Bing Bong (Richard Kind). It's smart, it's funny and, it being Pixar, it's
expectedly touching.
Thematically, Inside
Out diverges from its pretence as family-friendly fare within its first
half hour, presenting what is essentially a narrative of the devolvement of
protagonist Riley into a tortuous spiral of depression following the family’s
move. Indeed the story of the inside of Riley’s mind is a greatly deceiving
one. On the outside, Inside Out appears
colourful, airy and child-friendly, when conceptually, the narrative represents
a profoundly mature one, covering themes such as emotional maturity, apathy and
isolation, as well as one which emphasises the importance of embracing a
variety of emotions. Such themes are generally alien to the average animated
flick. In fact, their presence, while arguably innovative, feels somewhat out
of place with regards to the marketing of the film, whose bright, colourful
characters have no doubt graced many a child’s toy chest in the form of a
stuffed plaything or inane talking doll. The question on my mind throughout was
‘who exactly is the target audience for this?’
Despite the fun, bright character designs, the story is a
complex one – one so complex I doubt very much that young audiences would
appreciate it. Of course, there’s no disclaimer prior to the feature indicating
that the film intends to pertain solely to kids (it doesn’t, by any means), but
marketing-wise, it was a peculiar choice to exploit the film’s characters in
the form of a variety of plush dolls when the film itself maintains a rather
dark and lugubrious tone throughout. Heck, on more than one occasion, I choked
up a bit! But this review isn’t about the merchandising; it’s about the film
itself, which, in reality, contrary to what all the trailers and merchandise
would have you believe, is not, repeat, NOT a kids’ film.
Needless to say, praise must be given for the film’s
visuals, which are expectedly top-notch. The character designs, the malleable
animation style, and the locations are all awe-inspiring. Visually, Pixar’s
films have never faltered, and this feature is no exception. The film’s setting
within Riley’s mind is both creative and beautifully crafted, while the transitions
between there and the outside world are smooth and seamless. It’s a clever concept,
and although the film’s main story arc – that of Riley’s losing herself and sinking
into a depression – is not a cheerful one, ultimately the visuals succeed in
giving the film some much-needed levity.
Narratively, the story does enough to evince emotion from
the casual viewer - particularly if you're an adult. The trailers, the movie
posters, and even the film's opening scene are all deceptively light, warm and
fuzzy when the film itself is altogether rather dark. This isn't a bad thing by
any means - in fact, praise should be given for Pixar's daringly mature
storytelling. That said, while it is intelligent, there are aspects of the film
that feel as though it's too clever for its own good, and on more than one
occasion the script feels like a recitation from a self-help guide. Regardless,
all loose ends are eventually tied up, and it feels satisfying, and even
cathartic, by its conclusion, in spite of its occasional pretentiousness.
In terms of the film's design, conceptually, it cannot be
stated that it's flawless - but its flaws are wholly subjective depending on
the leniency of the viewer. A problem with the film that audiences may have to
overcome is its reductive attitude towards the complexity of the human mind,
condensing it into only five states of consciousness – Joy, Sadness, Anger,
Fear and Disgust. Naturally, however, given the complexity and ambitiousness of
the film as it is, it seems a sensible idea to limit its scope. Likewise, Bing
Bong's character design feels like a basic rehash of every other imaginary
character to ever grace the silver screen. Yet this renders the film no less
effective, story-wise; it simply works,
and that's all that matters.
Ultimately, it's difficult to summarise one's thoughts on
the film in its entirety. Visually, for the most part, it's incredible, and
exceedingly creative. But conceptually, this may be too confusing a concept for
younger audiences to grasp. Of course, this doesn't mean the film itself is bad,
but it's advisable to proceed with caution. Pixar's latest effort might look
like mindless entertainment, but inside, its story is a profoundly mature,
metaphorical one that only an adult mind can appreciate. Scratch beneath that
colourful surface and you'll find the inside of Inside Out is altogether rather grey. This is an adult film
masquerading as toddler fodder - look beyond its pretences and your mind will
be blown.
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