The perky Joy (Poehler) runs the emotions inside lively 11-year-old Riley (Dias), working to keep her colleagues Sadness, Fear, Anger and Disgust (Smith, Hader, Black and Kaling) in check. When Riley's parents (MacLachlan and Lane) move the family from Minnesota to San Francisco, Riley struggles to make sense of her new life. This causes chaos as Joy and Sadness find themselves lost in the distant reaches of her memory, trying to get back to headquarters with the help of Riley's forgotten imaginary friend Bing Bong (Kind). Meanwhile, Riley's being controlled by Fear, Anger and Disgust.

The script has remarkable psychological undercurrents as it explores dreams, abstract thought and the imagination, plus a creepy visit to the subconscious. Also notable for its clever commentary on the balance between the emotions, as Joy and Sadness learn to accept each other and even work together. In other words, Riley is growing up, becoming more complex in how she thinks about what happens around her. As she stops being a giggly little girl, the darker emotions may have a more important role to play.

Obviously, this depth will be lost on young children, but they have a colourful movie all their own, as Joy and Sadness go through an inventive, thrilling adventure. Poehler anchors the film with her hilarious running commentary, much of which is clearly improvised, and the other emotions are equally vivid, with a scene-stealing turn from Black and a startlingly resonant performance by Smith. Visually the film is a gorgeous mix of colours and textures, balancing the dramatic weight with visual gags.

This is one of Pixar's most engulfing films, a movie that pulls kids and adults into a bright scenario and never lets go. Whether we're laughing at yet another sharp joke or wiping away tear, we're utterly gripped to how what's going on in Riley's mind is affecting her moods and actions. It's simply impossible to watch this without feeling every tug of emotion. And it ends by hinting that these filmmakers are both intrigued and frightened about the possibility making a sequel.

themes, some violence

19.Jul.15