Inside Out Parent Review

Ever wondered why it seems your child is here one second and gone the next? Through daydreams, mood swings, forgetfulness, and all that life throws at them, the emotions that kids run on are a large part of their lives. Thankfully, the brilliant minds at Disney/Pixar have explained this to all parents (and siblings, cousins, and people of all ages) in their newest movie, Inside Out.

Based in Headquarters, the control center inside 11-year-old Riley’s mind, five Emotions are hard at work, led by lighthearted optimist Joy (voice of Amy Poehler), whose mission is to make sure Riley stays happy. Fear (voice of Bill Hader) heads up safety, Anger (voice of Lewis Black) ensures all is fair and Disgust (voice of Mindy Kaling) prevents Riley from getting poisoned—both physically and socially. Sadness (voice of Phyllis Smith) isn’t exactly sure what her role is, and frankly, neither is anyone else.

When Riley’s family relocates to a scary new city, the Emotions are on the job, eager to help guide her through the difficult transition. But when Joy and Sadness are inadvertently swept into the far reaches of Riley’s mind—taking some of her core memories with them—Fear, Anger and Disgust are left reluctantly in charge. Joy and Sadness must venture through unfamiliar places—Long Term Memory, Imagination Land, Abstract Thought and Dream Productions—in a desperate effort to get back to Headquarters, and Riley

Here’s one of the Inside Out movie trailers:

Inside Out Parent Review

Inside Out is a family movie that reminded me a lot of UP because of the simple music and vibrant colors. We loved it!

Should I take my child to see Inside Out?

Yes! Though younger kids might find the movie a little slow, it’s safe for all ages. No scary scenes except possibly the large clown who is deep inside Riley’s dreams. If you’d like to avoid that part, take your child to the bathroom when Bing Bong is captured. <— I promise that will make sense when you see the movie!

 Looking for some fun Inside Out activities for before the movie? Desert Chica has quite a few free Inside Out activities right here.

I attended an advanced screening of Inside Out in exchange for this parent review. All images are courtesy of Disney and Pixar, opinions are mine.