Inside Out: An Emotional Movie

Disney Pixar’s Inside Out shows us how our brains work. Five emotions control our lives from headquarters: Joy, Anger, Disgust, Fear, and Sadness. Each of the emotions plays a principle part in helping their human cope with life and grow. Joy leads the other emotions in Riley’s brain until an accident occurs. Both Joy and Sadness disappear from headquarters along with Riley’s core memories, the memories that ground her personality.

Inside Out offers a solid Pixar production. If you’ve liked their previous offerings like Toy Story or Monsters, Inc., you’ll enjoy this. The levels of humor and emotion strike a great balance, and of course the storytelling and animation are top-notch

However, like every Pixar film, Inside Out delivers a powerful message. Minor spoilers ahead as I tackle the messages, both overt and subtle.

There’s two messages I’d like to laud. First, the core message of the film startles in this happiness-obsessed world: sadness is necessary. Our culture insists that the meaning of life is “be happy.” We do all we can to avoid sadness, discomfort, and pain. Yet Inside Out teaches a valuable lesson: Sadness is not the enemy. In fact, it helps us process our emotions and gives us a powerful release. Joy must learn that while she has her place, her companion Sadness brings a lot to the table. When Joy rejects Sadness, Riley’s entire world begins falling apart.

For the Christian, the message goes even further. Sadness is necessary for the Christian in this broken world. We are to look on our sins with sadness, leading us to repent. We are to see this sinful world with sadness, so that we long for the world to come. And it helps us to be honest. Christians aren’t people who always sport huge grins; we are people who deal realistically with the world. The most emotional book in the Bible, the Psalms, teach us that sadness has its place: “I say to God my Rock, ‘Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy? My bones suffer mortal agony as my foes taunt me, saying to me all day long, ‘Where is your God?’ Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God” (Psalm 42:9-11). As we see this broken world, as we evaluate our sinful lives, sadness is a correct reaction. We turn to our Savior for cleansing, and then we experience joy.

A second message from Inside Out is far more subtle. Take a look at the choices of emotions in charge: Joy, Sadness, Anger, Disgust, and Fear. Notice anything missing?

Where’s the love?

By choosing to have love not be an emotion in charge, Inside Out teaches a subtle lesson: Love is not an emotion, but a choice and an action. It fits well with I Corinthians 13, of which you may have certain parts memorized: “Love is gentle, love is kind…” Each of the emotions love Riley. They don’t have love be a separate person because love colors every emotion.
He cialis 10 mg was born of strong peasant stock, Francis and Margaret. A report of a prominent UK news paper says that Kamagra tablets have been found useful and successful in every 7 out of 10 users. on line cialis If the patient has been suffering from cardio generic cialis http://greyandgrey.com/covid-19-and-mental-health/ problems, high blood pressure, etc. he must not opt for such product or not. A choice can then be made about the best online W.H.O and FDA approved lowest price for cialis store.
Sadly, there are two things I want to point out that could have been far better.

First, we get to see Riley’s very first memory. Joy first steps out of the darkness to see Riley as she opens her eyes and sees her mother holding her for the very first time. The filmmakers present a tender moment with a delicate hand. Yet, it would be easy to see a different lesson here: Riley did not become a person, had no one at the help inside her head, until she was held and loved by her mother. I doubt the filmmakers intentionally wanted to teach that lesson, but it could be gathered from that scene. It would be something to talk about as a family after seeing the film, though. When does life begin? As Christians, we know that life begins at conception. I’m not certain this movie teaches that.

The second disappointing matter goes to the very heart of the film. Who controls Riley?

The entire concept of the movie revolves around emotions controlling this young girl. Our culture has bought the lie that our emotions are in charge.

Emotions do not control us. They are certainly gifts given by God; we should never scoff at joy or sadness in and of themselves. Yet, as Christians, we never give them the driver’s seat.

We do not know God’s love because we feel joy; instead, we see the objective truth that yes, despite my sin, Jesus chose to be my brother – even me! Jesus chose to die for me – even me! And that objective truth brings a subjective reaction: joy! And yet, even if I don’t feel joy, the objective truth of sin and grace remains true. When emotions take the driver’s seat, I can never be certain of anything. The truth is, we feel joy because we know that God loves us, not the other way around.

Thank God emotions don’t control us!

Inside Out is another great Pixar movie. It teaches a valuable lesson – sadness is necessary – even while presenting a world that isn’t true – emotions control us. It’s worth seeing for the laughter and great storytelling, but take the opportunity to talk about the lessons it teaches and the assumptions it makes. Take the family, but remember to talk about it afterward!