Professor Popinjay's Compendium of Perspicacity

A Non-review by Professor Popinjay

I took all the kids to see this at the theater… all the kids that I personally fathered anyway. The rest were on their own. I’m sure my older kids suspected my ulterior motive in requiring their presence. Their ages right now are 15, 13, 12, 9, and 7. The older three are each going through standard teenage girl stuff and I knew this film would be highly educational for them.

I didn’t stress this point of course. I just coaxed them with the promise of popcorn and a variety of mass-produced confectionery treats. This was adequate to stop their complaining at having to do… well, anything beyond sweltering in their room with their doors closed while staring too closely at their computer screen as they watch humorous videos that are inappropriate for their age which they think I don’t know about. I have no compunction whatsoever about prying them away from that life for a couple hours… any more than I have compunction about run-on sentences.

The first Inside Out was important but heavy. I remember my kids being kind of uncomfortable as the main character processed all the changes happening in her life and I’m sure they related to her in many ways. I don’t want to air out my dirty laundry here but suffice it to say life was a bit rough for them when that movie came out.

Inside Out 2 definitely tackles some realistic scenarios in realistic ways while simultaneously presenting the allegory of the character’s developing psyche in a humorous and entertaining way. This sequel just feels a bit more light-hearted than its predecessor and I kind of appreciate it for that. Despite my older kids having to be dragged to this film for their own good, they were clearly enjoying it once it got going… because, again, they could relate to the character.

Middle school age is a really weird stage of life where you are surrounded by a bunch of other weirdos just like you. They’re all trying their darndest to appear as if they have it all figured out. At the same time they’re all terrified that someone might find out they are clueless as to who they are or should be. Middle schoolers usually haven’t developed the social graces to not eat anyone alive who shows a moment of weakness. It’s a lot of blowing other people’s candles out to make yours brighter, so to speak.

I’m not coming down on anyone here. This trial and error of discovering who they are and who they want to be is a completely natural part of the process and hopefully the mentors and authorities have the training and diplomacy and compassion to gently guide these chaotic wayward space/time pathways we call adolescents in constructive and safe directions. I think Inside Out 2 gets this. All of it! And it presents it in a profound and understandable way.

Having a better understanding of what the filmmaker’s were trying to accomplish this time around, while I was thoroughly entertained throughout the duration, I frequently found myself in tears at the truth of what was happening with the character’s psyche. I could foresee what the story was leading to and I knew it was going to get worse for her before it got better. That’s the message I wanted my kids to catch! Don’t hold it in! Process the emotions you feel and let your mentors help you cope and it WILL get better and you will be better prepared for the next curve ball life throws at you.

We left the theater happy and smarter and I so badly wanted to pick the kids’ brains about what they learned but I knew not to. I knew them well enough to just keep quiet and let them internalize these lessons. When the time comes to reference these lessons again, they will have the structure already in place to understand and build on.

Now all we need is for Pixar to make a movie about hygiene. Please!