Inside Out

It’s impossible for most of us to know what goes on inside the mind of an 11-year-old girl these days, but Inside Out makes a pretty good guess.

Fortunately, the wonderful latest Pixar animated feature wraps this lesson in behavioral science into an ambitious and visually dazzling head trip that’s both hilarious and heartwarming, and extends its appeal well beyond those who can identify with its protagonist.

The film takes place almost entirely inside the cerebral cortex of Riley (voiced by Kaitlyn Dias), an only child struggling with her family’s move from Minnesota to San Francisco, where she must adjust to new school, different hockey teammates, her father’s stressful job situation, and her own puberty.

So the film follows these developments by envisioning her mind as a complex control center of memory balls and personality-trait islands operated by five emotions. They’re led by Joy (Amy Poehler), whose job is obviously to keep Riley happy and not let her colleagues – Sadness, Fear, Disgust, and Anger – take the reins. But when a mishap keeps Joy perilously away from Headquarters, the young girl begins a downward spiral.

It’s been more than two decades since Pixar revolutionized animated filmmaking, and Inside Out ranks as one of the studio’s best efforts in the way it combines style with substance. Kids will love the colorful characters even if the setup might be too complicated for the younger ones. It’s hardly meant as a tutorial for children on how the brain works, but it strikes a balance by not dumbing down such material either, cleverly interpreting concepts like abstract thought, subconsciousness, and how memories influence personality that adults should appreciate.

As directed by Pete Docter (Up), the film captures adolescent angst in a way that’s ideal for the age of emoticons and instant technological gratification. Here’s proof that it’s possible to make something smart and sophisticated that appeals to contemporary children without resorting to low-brow jokes or cliched pandering.

The charming screenplay has a rapid-fire assortment of sight gags and one-liners but also digs deeper, offering poignant reminders about emotional maturity and cherishing memories, even the sad ones.

Although it sometimes manipulates the emotions (perhaps an ironic side effect), Inside Out creates an imaginative fantasy world of mayhem and mood swings that might, more than anything, give some insight into why so many people today are hopped up on Prozac.

Rated PG, 94 minutes.