Inside Out | ScreenRant (2025)

FAQs

What is Riley's mental illness in Inside Out? ›

Riley seems to meet the criteria for someone suffering from adjustment disorder, according to the DSM-5 (American Psychiatric Association, 2013) and the ICD-10 (World Health Organization, 1992).

As far as overt sexuality goes, the movie contains purely PG related references to relatively innocent crushes. We get a brief glimpse of the Imaginary Boyfriends from the first film, and hint at another fictional romantic interest. Yet Riley has the makings of a queer icon.

The tear-filled climax of Inside Out 2 is more than just another classic Pixar happy ending. As the emotions inside 13-year-old Riley's mind embrace each other, they accept that they each play a valuable role in her life.

In "Inside Out 2," debuting in theaters this Friday, Riley has recently turned 13, ushering in a wave of new emotions: Anxiety, Envy, Embarrassment, and Ennui (boredom). Does Riley get her period in Inside Out 2? To that end, Riley doesn't get her period, sneak out, or develop a crush.

Disney films, as referenced in Suskind's "Life, Animated," provide relatable storytelling for autistic people. The new emotions in "Inside Out 2" offer rich material for teaching the nuanced nature of emotions.

And the moment that reveals what that anxiety-driven sense of self is for Riley is the moment that took my breath away. And then made me cry. I'm crying now just thinking about it. Because this isn't just a movie for and about kids.

In the text of the film, this is merely because she really, really wants to be just like Val. But you don't have to squint too hard to see a subtext where Riley is so obsessed with her beautiful, accomplished teammate because she has romantic feelings for her.

This further proves the point that Riley can be seen as a gender-neutral character whose experiences can be adapted for boys or girls. Though Riley's mind is female-dominated, it does still have the male influences from Anger and Fear. It is interesting that there are very few other children throughout the film.

What parents and caregivers need to know about 'Inside Out 2' “Inside Out 2” is rated PG, and Common Sense Media recommends the movie for kids ages 6 years and up.

And now comes the sequel, which does exactly the same things — only with a twist: Whereas the original film dealt with an 11-year-old girl moving to a different town, Inside Out 2 puts her through puberty!

Why is Inside Out inappropriate? ›

Younger children might be confused by references to abstract thoughts and the subconscious and by emotions being shown as actual characters. There are also some scenes that might scare younger children.

Her father had male emotions and her mother, female ones. Thus, some fans thought that Riley might be gender-fluid or non-binary. However, it's established in Inside Out 2 that Riley isn't queer, despite what seems like a crush on a fellow hockey player, Val.

Inside Out 2 explores Riley's adolescence, introducing new emotions and conflicts. During the post-credits scene, Riley's Deep Dark Secret is revealed to be the time she burned a hole into the rug. Riley might have other Deep Dark Secrets that will arise in future Inside Out sequels.