Inside Out

“Inside Out” is a 2015 American animated coming-of-age film produced by Pixar Animation Studios for Walt Disney Pictures. Directed by Pete Docter, who co-wrote the screenplay with Meg LeFauve and Josh Cooley, and produced by Jonas Rivera, the film features the voices of Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith, Richard Kind, Bill Hader, Lewis Black, Mindy Kaling, Kaitlyn Dias, Diane Lane, and Kyle MacLachlan. The story delves into the mind of Riley, a young girl navigating her family’s move with the help of five personified emotions: Joy, Sadness, Fear, Anger, and Disgust.

Docter conceived “Inside Out” in October 2009, inspired by observing his own daughter’s personality changes as she grew. After receiving the green light, Docter and co-director Ronnie del Carmen spent five and a half years developing the story, consulting psychologists and neuroscientists to accurately depict the mind. The film’s production, with a budget of approximately $175 million, faced delays due to significant changes in its story and characters.

The film premiered at the 68th Cannes Film Festival on May 18, 2015, and was released in the United States on June 19. “Inside Out” was lauded for its craftsmanship, screenplay, subject matter, plot, and voice performances, particularly those of Poehler, Smith, Kind, Hader, Kaling, and Black. It was named one of the top-ten films of 2015 by the National Board of Review and the American Film Institute. The film grossed $858.8 million worldwide, becoming the seventh-highest-grossing film of 2015. At the 88th Academy Awards, it won Best Animated Feature and was nominated for another award, along with receiving numerous other accolades. The philosophical journal Film and Philosophy recognized “Inside Out” as one of the best animated films ever made. A sequel, “Inside Out 2,” was released on June 14, 2024.

Inside Out Movie Trailer

Inside Out Movie Storyline

In the mind of young Riley Andersen, personified emotions—Joy, Sadness, Fear, Disgust, and Anger—guide her actions. Her experiences become memories stored as colored orbs, sent to long-term memory each night. Riley’s five most important core memories form floating islands representing aspects of her personality. Joy leads, seeing Sadness as a burden and working to minimize her influence.

At age 11, Riley moves from Minnesota to San Francisco for her father’s job. Her initial experiences are tough: the new house is cramped and old, her father is busy, the local pizza parlor serves broccoli-topped pizza she dislikes, and the moving van with their belongings is delayed. On her first day at her new school, Sadness turns joyful memories sad, making Riley cry in front of her class and creating a sad core memory. Joy attempts to dispose of this memory, but in the struggle with Sadness, the core memories are knocked loose, disabling the personality islands. Joy, Sadness, and the core memories are sucked out of Headquarters.

In their absence, Anger, Fear, and Disgust take control of Riley, trying unsuccessfully to create happy core memories. Riley becomes increasingly distanced from her parents, peers, and hobbies. Without core memories, Riley’s personality islands crumble and fall into the Memory Dump, where forgotten things fade away. Anger convinces Disgust and Fear that Riley should run away to Minnesota to restore her happiness.

Joy and Sadness, navigating the vast long-term memory area, encounter Bing Bong, Riley’s imaginary friend. He suggests riding the “train of thought” back to Headquarters. After several adventures and mishaps, they catch the train, but it is derailed when another island collapses. Joy, afraid the core memories will turn sad, abandons Sadness and tries to use a “recall tube” back to Headquarters. The ground collapses, breaking the tube and sending Joy and Bing Bong into the Memory Dump. There, Joy realizes Sadness’s purpose: to alert others when Riley is overwhelmed and needs help. Joy and Bing Bong use Bing Bong’s song-powered wagon rocket to escape, but Bing Bong sacrifices himself to save Joy.

Joy reunites with Sadness, and they return to Headquarters. Anger’s plan has disabled the console, plunging Riley into depression as she boards a bus to Minnesota. Joy hands control to Sadness, who reactivates the console, prompting Riley to return to her parents. Sadness reinstalls the core memories, turning them from happy to sad. Riley tearfully tells her parents she misses her old life, and they comfort her, expressing their own longing for Minnesota. Joy and Sadness work together, creating a new core memory that is both happy and sad, symbolizing Riley’s acceptance of her new life in San Francisco. A year later, Riley, now 12, has adapted, made new friends, returned to hockey, and developed new hobbies. Inside Headquarters, her emotions admire her new personality islands and work together at an expanded console.

Box Office

• Budget
  • $175,000,000 (estimated)
• Gross US & Canada
  • $356,921,711
• Opening weekend US & Canada
  • $90,440,272
  • Jun 21, 2015
• Gross worldwide
  • $858,852,998

Technical Space

• Runtime1 hour 35 minutes
• Color
  • Color
• Sound mix
  • Dolby Digital
  • Datasat
  • Dolby Atmos
  • SDDS
  • Dolby Surround 7.1
  • Auro 11.1
  • 12-Track Digital Sound
  • D-Cinema 48kHz Dolby Surround 7.1
  • D-Cinema 96kHz 7.1
  • D-Cinema 96kHz 5.1
• Aspect ratio
  • 1.78 : 1

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