Inside Out needs a warning label… At least for people like me

My children told me that Pixar put out a new movie that opened this weekend.  I heard murmurs around that it was about emotions but I did not look into it at all! Obviously not, because today we took Dan to see it as a part of our Father’s Day celebration.  Don’t get me wrong, it is a wonderful movie.  But that being said, I don’t think I will be able to watch it again - possibly ever.  It hit a little too close to home.  

The emotions that live in the 11 year old girl’s “Headquarters” are named Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear and Disgust.  I think my own headquarters has all of these along with several other “friends” named Hurt, Sensitive, Embarrassment, Skeptical, Pessimistic… ok maybe more than several, but you get the idea.  I am beginning to wonder if rent is cheaper in my head, as I am sure the neighborhood would benefit from some better tenants moving in - such as Confident, Easy-Going, and Certain, but perhaps the real estate is not as desirable?!?    

The movie shows some of the little girl’s memories and how the emotions of Joy and Sadness can see the same memory through their own filters; eventually coming to a mutual understanding of how they are both needed to help her and those around her.  The other emotions chime in as well.  Personally, my biggest laughs came from the short visits into the “headquarters” of the young girl’s mother and father.  All the adults in the theater seemed to enjoy those moments.

So why would I state that I don’t intend to see this movie again?  Because the majority of the movie deals with (spoiler alert - sorry) Joy being lost.  And the little girl is sad, not depressed; but the results are startlingly similar.  Luckily the time frame for sadness (even this little girl’s) is much shorter.  For someone who has recently spent a lot of time in the depths of despair, this movie’s less than two hours seemed much, much longer.  The emotion of Fear, curled up and writhing on the floor may have also sent shivers down my spine… and I haven’t even touched on the clown that appears in the movie.  Have I mentioned this was a PG movie selected by my two young daughters?

I have learned (probably not for the last time), that I probably should look into books, movies, etc. a little more carefully for the content and subject - more for me at this point than for my kids! With that being said… Inside Out is a wonderful movie - if you are in a great state of mind - you should definitely go see it!