--- title: "Inside Out" year: 2015 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/inside-out" fi1m_id: "inside-out" imdb_id: "tt2096673" tmdb_id: 150540 wikidata_id: "Q6144664" fi1m_score: 87 critics_score: 85 critics_reviews: 15 published: "2026-09-15" updated: "2026-09-18T08:38:02.314151+00:00" region: "US" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Inside Out (2015) Directed by Pete Docter · 1h 35m · MPA PG · Animation, Family, Adventure, Drama, Comedy ## Identity Inside Out - **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/inside-out - **Type:** Film - **Fi1m ID:** inside-out - **IMDb ID:** tt2096673 - **TMDB ID:** 150540 - **Wikidata ID:** Q6144664 - **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2096673/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/150540, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6144664 **Fi1m score: 87** · Critics 85 from 15 reviews *In a sentence:* Five feelings share a control room, and the cheerful one could do with listening for a change > Pete Docter makes a funny, affecting adventure out of a child’s difficulty with change. The explanations sometimes slow it down, but the cast and the contrast between Riley’s inner and outer worlds earn its warmth. ## Synopsis Eleven-year-old Riley (Kaitlyn Dias) moves with her parents to San Francisco and struggles to adjust. Inside her mind, five emotions share a control room: Joy (Amy Poehler), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), Fear (Bill Hader), Anger (Lewis Black) and Disgust (Mindy Kaling). Each has a different response to the changes in Riley’s life. As she deals with unfamiliar surroundings, the film follows the feelings responsible for her reactions and explores the workings of memory and imagination. Diane Lane and Kyle MacLachlan voice her mother and father in this animated family adventure. ## Review Pete Docter’s *Inside Out* is a funny, moving family adventure with a minor weakness for explaining itself. Its starting point is an eleven-year-old girl struggling with a family move, a disruption that hardly needs embellishing to matter. Docter gives her five emotions a control room and lets them dispute the management of her daily life. That could make Riley sound like a demonstration model, but the film keeps returning to the child whose distress has set everybody to work. Amy Poehler voices Joy with a brightness that can become exhausting, and that is a useful edge to give the character. Her determination to keep things pleasant makes the quieter Phyllis Smith, as Sadness, particularly welcome. Smith’s hesitant delivery is funny without asking us to regard the feeling she represents as ridiculous. Bill Hader’s Fear, Lewis Black’s Anger and Mindy Kaling’s Disgust give the control room enough competing temperaments to make its discussions feel like family business. Ralph Eggleston’s production design makes the mind a place full of bright colour, with enough visual distinction between its workings to keep the premise readable. Patrick Lin’s cinematography helps separate that bustle from Riley’s more muted surroundings. We found that contrast unexpectedly upsetting. The inner world is so busy that the comparatively subdued child outside it seems more vulnerable each time we return to her. Kaitlyn Dias’s voice performance keeps Riley recognisable as a child having a difficult time. The tour through memory and imagination supplies plenty to look at, though the film is sometimes too eager to explain how each part operates. Early on, screenwriters Docter, Meg LeFauve and Josh Cooley seem concerned that nobody should leave without having understood the rules. A little less instruction would let the jokes breathe, and would credit children with following more than the dialogue spells out. The basic sight of these feelings trying to run a person already tells us plenty. Kevin Nolting’s editing has the awkward job of keeping Riley’s difficulties present while the adventure inside her head gathers speed. For the most part, the movement between the two holds our attention, although the more conventional adventure business can feel like a detour from the child. Michael Giacchino’s music is tender enough to suit her vulnerability without making every passage feel solemn. We appreciated the space it leaves for the comedy. Docter is particularly good at taking Riley’s unhappiness seriously without making her ordeal seem exceptional. Moving house is enough to upset her, and the film never suggests she ought simply to get over it. That is a welcome choice for a family adventure, and the humour keeps it from becoming a solemn lesson in being considerate. At 95 minutes, the film has room for difficult feelings without exhausting the people watching it. We recommend it warmly, with patience for the early explanations. There is no need to understand every detail of the control room to recognise Riley’s difficulty. Leave a little time afterwards for anyone who wants to talk. *Fi1m score 87, published 15 September 2026.* ## What the critics say The consensus is strongly positive, with praise centred on the film’s visual invention and its respect for children’s complicated feelings. Most critics find that the control centre inside Riley’s mind makes memory, change and emotional confusion understandable without sacrificing humour or poignancy. The imaginative inner landscapes and Amy Poehler’s voice performance as Joy draw particular praise, while the family move gives the elaborate premise a familiar human setting. The reviews repeatedly credit the film with appealing to adults and children without talking down to either. Reservations concern how insistently the film explains its ideas and how conventionally it sometimes tells its story. The New Yorker finds moments of adult theorising where a child’s perspective might serve better; The Playlist notes didactic exposition early on; The Wrap argues that the familiar plot weakens the central metaphor. These are qualifications within broadly favourable reviews, rather than a substantial split over the film’s merits. ## Straight answers **Is Inside Out worth watching?** *Inside Out* is worth watching for families and for anyone who remembers a childhood move badly, and we scored it 87. Pete Docter turns an eleven-year-old's unhappiness into a funny, affecting adventure, with Phyllis Smith's Sadness the quiet standout of the cast. Our reservation is that the early scenes spend too long explaining how the control room works before letting the jokes breathe. **How long is Inside Out, and what is it rated?** *Inside Out* runs 1h 35m and is rated PG by the MPA in the US. It is an animation and family film. **Where can I watch Inside Out in the US?** *Inside Out* is streaming on Disney+ in the US, and it is also available to rent from Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV from $3.99. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service. **How does Inside Out compare to My Neighbor Totoro?** *Inside Out* is the busier, more explained film, while [*My Neighbor Totoro*](https://film.one/film/my-neighbor-totoro) is the patient one that trusts its children to be watched rather than decoded. Both take a child's anxiety seriously alongside the pleasures of their invented worlds, and we recommend both warmly. Choose Docter's film for a family who want jokes and a plot; choose Miyazaki's for a quieter evening that asks less and rewards attention. **What should I watch after Inside Out?** After *Inside Out*, try [*My Neighbour Totoro*](https://film.one/film/my-neighbor-totoro) (1988, Fi1m 89): For another child’s-eye adventure that gives anxiety space alongside its pleasures. Then [*A Matter of Life and Death*](https://film.one/film/a-matter-of-life-and-death) (1946, Fi1m 92): Another imagined bureaucracy, with wit, feeling and unusually persuasive impossible spaces; and [*Song of the Sea*](https://film.one/film/song-of-the-sea) (2014, Fi1m 82): A family animation that lets grief matter without abandoning the adventure. ### Reviews we read (23) - **Radio Times** (5/5): Pixar navigates the brain control centre of an 11-year-old girl upset by a family move with masterful precision, juggling poignant drama and visual pizzazz to create another tremendously entertaining triumph that shakes up family animation clichés. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movies/inside-out-review/) - **Vulture**, David Edelstein (90/100, inferred): The review celebrates the film's inventive exploration of the mind as a theme park run by personified emotions, emphasizing how it captures the pain of loss and the value of mixed feelings during Riley's difficult transition. It singles out Amy Poehler's nuanced voice work as Joy and the film's therapeutic yet entertaining approach to emotional complexity. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/2015/06/movie-review-inside-out.html) - **Sight and Sound**, Nick Pinkerton (85/100, inferred): The film offers a wildly entertaining and inventive exploration of an 11-year-old girl's psyche through personified emotions, respecting children's feelings with wit and visual invention while delivering a gentle moral about the value of sadness. [Read](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/film-week-inside-out) - **Slant Magazine**, Christopher Gray (85/100, inferred): The critic describes the film as both wonderfully complex and reductive in its depiction of the mind as a boardroom of emotions, praising its inventive tour of memory and identity. He notes Docter’s skill at blending on-the-nose ideas with dazzling invention and singles out the poignant resolution involving the role of sadness. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/inside-out-2015/) - **The Guardian**, Peter Bradshaw (85/100, inferred): Pixar returns to form with a dazzlingly imaginative adventure set inside the mind of an 11-year-old girl. The film is in the top rank of Pixar productions with its combination of audacity, intelligence, wit and emotional reward. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/jul/26/inside-out-review-pixar-emotional-rollercoaster) - **Little White Lies**, Sophie Monks Kaufman (4/4/5): Pixar delivers a sophisticated, witty and true exploration of a child's inner psyche through colour-coded emotions, blending surface delights with deeper themes of growing up and letting go. [Read](https://lwlies.com/reviews/inside-out) - **Screen Daily** (80/100, inferred): Pixar delivers another richly realised, candy-coloured universe in this witty, emotionally deft film with a relatable and ingenious premise about what goes on inside our heads, likely to achieve strong commercial returns. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/inside-out-review/5087439.article) - **The Hollywood Reporter**, Todd McCarthy (80/100, inferred): The critic lauds the film's bold personification of emotions as cartoon characters in a control room inside an 11-year-old girl's mind, noting its conceptual ingenuity and ability to appeal simultaneously to children and adults. He highlights the emotional journey as Riley adjusts to a family move and praises the voice performances, especially Amy Poehler as Joy. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/inside-film-review-796483/) - **Time Out** (4/5): Pixar's latest is a delightful, frenetic, near-experimental animated film that dives into the mind of an 11-year-old girl whose world is turned upside down by a move, with bold thinking that appeals to both kids and adults. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/film/inside-out-film-review) - **The New Yorker**, Anthony Lane (75/100, inferred): The movie offers an inventive visualization of a girl’s mind with five emotions at the controls, proving hard to top for originality this year. It excels in visual sheen and domestic insight but occasionally feels like adult theorizing rather than a child’s story. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/06/29/head-trips) - **Empire**, Ian Freer: The review praises the film as audacious, silly, funny and imaginative, with profound pathos in dramatising human emotions and the role of sadness. It singles out the inventive inner-world sequences (such as Abstract Thought and Dream Production) and the emotional impact on Riley’s coming-of-age story. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/inside-review/) - **Evening Standard**, David Sexton: The critic calls the film a tearfully touching, wonderfully inventive and gloriously funny triumph that helps viewers understand emotions. They single out the technical differentiation between the bright inner world and the muted outer world, plus Amy Poehler’s voice performance as Joy. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/inside-out-review-a-joyous-and-inventive-triumph-10412618.html) - **Film Comment**, Michael Sragow: The critic finds the film both audacious and unpretentious, praising its imaginative mapping of an 11-year-old girl's mind through everyday visual elements. It generates convulsive comedy and drama while exploring themes of emotion, memory, and change. [Read](https://www.filmcomment.com/article/review-inside-out-pixar/) - **Los Angeles Times**, Kenneth Turan: Pixar stands alone with this sophisticated yet simple film that probes deeper questions about life through visual magic and emotional sensitivity. Director Pete Docter’s examination of an 11-year-old girl’s mind and emotions is honest, unafraid, and moving without cheap sentiment. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-inside-out-review-20150619-column.html) - **The New York Times**, A.O. Scott (NYT Critic’s Pick): The film demolishes the idea that movies cannot think by using whimsy and literal-mindedness to solve philosophical problems about emotions. It centers on an 11-year-old girl’s move to San Francisco and the resulting interior drama managed by personified feelings. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/19/movies/review-pixars-inside-out-finds-the-joy-in-sadness-and-vice-versa.html) - **Total Film**, Jamie Graham: The critic hails it as A-grade Pixar and the studio’s finest since Toy Story 3, celebrating its dazzling original concept about leaving childhood behind. They single out the heady mix of imagination, technical marvel and emotional depth in Joy and Sadness’s journey through the mind. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/inside-out-review/) - **Variety**: Pixar’s most out-there concept fuels its most vivid and relatable film yet, delivering a stunningly original idea that changes how people think about thinking. It combines creative fireworks with a relatable family story of an 11-year-old’s move and emotional turmoil. [Read](https://variety.com/2015/film/festivals/inside-out-review-disney-pixar-cannes-1201499227/) - **Den of Geek**, Don Kaye (5/5): Pixar's Inside Out is called a flat-out masterpiece and one of the studio's finest creations, with praise for its original concept, emotional depth, and handling of themes like loss of innocence and memory. The review highlights the strong voice cast and visual imagination while noting it works for all ages. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/inside-out-review/) - **Collider**, Matt Goldberg (A): The film is a return to form for Pixar and an emotional triumph that will make viewers weep in the best way possible. It stands out for its imaginative, idea-driven storytelling set inside a young girl's mind. [Read](https://collider.com/inside-out-review-pixar/) - **Polygon**, Danielle Riendeau (90/100, inferred): The film is Pixar's most personal and best in years, emotionally honest and funny while delivering a strong message that all feelings, including negative ones, are necessary. It excels through its clever depiction of universal experiences via the interplay of Riley's emotions. [Read](https://www.polygon.com/2015/6/5/8733925/inside-out-review/) - **The Playlist**, The Playlist Staff (B+): The critic notes the film's high-concept setup leads to some didactic exposition early on, but praises how it soars in the second half with imaginative inner landscapes, witty humor, and heartfelt conclusions about emotions and growing up. They single out the touching arc involving Riley's imaginary friend Bing Bong for particular emotional impact. [Read](https://theplaylist.net/review-pixar-finds-poetry-in-emotion-with-inside-out-20150615/) - **The Wrap** (75/100, inferred): The critic finds the film emotionally moving and thematically rich, with standout moments that rival the best Pixar work, but notes that the experience feels fleeting due to a conventional plot structure that undercuts the central metaphor. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/inside-out-review-pixar-amy-poehler-phyllis-smith-mindy-kaling/) - **Deadline**, Pete Hammond: The critic calls the film wildly original, inventive, and visually dazzling, hailing it as one of the most creative animated features since Fantasia and a likely awards contender that will appeal to all ages. [Read](https://deadline.com/2015/06/inside-out-review-pixar-amy-poehler-bill-hader-mindy-kaling-1201428574/) ## Details - **Director:** Pete Docter - **Director:** Pete Docter - **Screenplay:** Meg LeFauve, Josh Cooley, Pete Docter - **Cinematography:** Patrick Lin - **Editor:** Kevin Nolting - **Music:** Michael Giacchino - **Production design:** Ralph Eggleston - **Producer:** Jonas Rivera - **Cast:** Amy Poehler as Joy (voice); Phyllis Smith as Sadness (voice); Richard Kind as Bing Bong (voice); Bill Hader as Fear (voice); Lewis Black as Anger (voice); Mindy Kaling as Disgust (voice); Kaitlyn Dias as Riley (voice); Diane Lane as Mom (voice) - **Runtime:** 1h 35m - **Certificate (MPA):** PG - **Release (the US):** 19 June 2015 - **Genres:** Animation, Family, Adventure, Drama, Comedy - **Budget:** $175 million - **Box office:** $858 million - **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yr3tv1hW1gg ## Where to watch in the US - Disney+: streaming, uhd - Amazon Prime Video: rent $3.99, uhd - Apple TV: rent $3.99, hd - Amazon Prime Video: buy $19.99, hd - Apple TV: buy $19.99, hd *Checked 2026-09-15.* Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HR, HU, IE, IL, IS, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, SI, TR, UA, US, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## Awards - Academy Awards 2016: Best Writing, Original Screenplay (nominated); Best Animated Feature (won) - Annie Award for Best Animated Feature 2015: Annie Award for Best Animated Feature (won) - BAFTA Film Awards 2015: BAFTA's Children & Young People Award - Feature Film (nominated) - Critics' Choice Awards 2015: Best Animated Feature (won) ## If you liked this - *My Neighbour Totoro* (1988), Fi1m 89: For another child’s-eye adventure that gives anxiety space alongside its pleasures. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/my-neighbor-totoro.md) - *A Matter of Life and Death* (1946), Fi1m 92: Another imagined bureaucracy, with wit, feeling and unusually persuasive impossible spaces. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/a-matter-of-life-and-death.md) - *Song of the Sea* (2014), Fi1m 82: A family animation that lets grief matter without abandoning the adventure. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/song-of-the-sea.md) - *Where the Wild Things Are* (2009), Fi1m 80: For feelings too large for a child to manage politely. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/where-the-wild-things-are.md) - *Petite Maman* (2021), Fi1m 88: A quieter approach to childhood sadness, with just enough magic. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/petite-maman.md) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/inside-out