So, Riley’s hit those teen years full-on—braces, sleepless nights, and a sudden attitude with Mom and Dad. Being a teenager isn’t simple, right? And to top it off, she’s freaked out ’cause she just found out her besties, Grace and Bree, are heading to a different high school after summer. Major bummer!

But before all that drama kicks in, they’ve got this three-day summer hockey camp coming up. Riley’s hoping she can slip into a new squad so she won’t be friendless later on. This group is made up of older girls who think she’s kinda awkward—you know how it is—but luckily the captain, Viv, decides to mentor her.

Meanwhile, things in Riley’s head are getting pretty wild too. There’re these new feelings like Ennui (yeah, that’s basically boredom), Envy, Embarrassment—and oh boy—Anxiety waltzing in alongside Joy & the rest of the gang. Everyone’s worried ’cause Anxiety’s got the power to mess with all their plans.

Coming up with a follow-up for Inside Out wasn’t easy—that movie nailed how young kids think and feel by turning their minds into characters! But in Inside Out 2? They hit gold again by spinning the story around Riley as she grows up.
In Inside Out 2, the filmmakers really shake things up. This time, Meg LeFauve and Dave Holstein wrote the script, with the story coming from LeFauve and Kelsey Mann—who’s also trying his hand at directing for the first time here. It’s kind of perfect for kids who fell in love with the first movie. They’re teenagers now, so they can grow up right along with this sequel just like those Harry Potter fans did.

The big twist this time is flipping the story premise from the original movie on its head. Back then, we saw how our emotions were running the show inside our heads, controlling everything. Sure, it was fascinating but could also feel a bit like being stuck inside our own mind-jail. Especially if you’re young—it might make you think you have no say against these wild emotions doing their own thing.

Inside Out 2 changes that by showing how emotions can actually work together, old and new alike—not fighting for who gets to be boss. It’s all about growing up—where you want to change everything about yourself to fit in with friends and classmates while worrying if you’re good enough in a world way bigger than just supportive parents or childhood pals.

Basically, Inside Out 2 nails depicting teen life…
Inside Out 2 dives into the messy world of teenage emotions. You know that whirlwind inside a teen’s head? It’s all about feeling not good enough and using sarcasm to cover up insecurities. The first movie was cool with all emotions being legit, but this one nails anxiety as something just plain toxic and not helpful at all for dealing with life’s curveballs.

There’s also a bit of shade thrown at that super positive American vibe (you know, like Joy). This time around, there’s room for less upbeat feelings—without losing faith in yourself though. In the end, it’s about owning your choices, taking responsibility, and knowing your limits without denying them. Riley’s got to juggle her inner battles and keep those emotions in check. They’re real but shouldn’t be driving the car kind of deal.

While Mann’s directing style is a bit more toned-down compared to Docter’s explosive approach, the story builds an emotional climax that’ll hit home even for parents who might see their kids’ teenage struggles reflected back at them. It’s too bad they didn’t flesh out some side roles like Ennui (Deva Cassel did an excellent job instead of Adèle Exarchopoulos) and Embarrassment. These are key parts of what makes up a teenager’s emotional rollercoaster, so it feels like a missed opportunity there.