Instead of, Inside out 2 uses the template of that film’s success to tell another poignant and funny story about the challenges of growing up.

The first sign that Inside out 2 will build on the first film, rather than completely shaking things up, it comes from the story. Based on a joke at the end of Inside out (“Riley is 12 now, what could happen?”), the sequel opens with Riley now 13 and puberty about to hit.

To complicate matters, Riley’s best friends go to different high schools than her, meaning she has to adjust to a new school on her own. Luckily, a hockey camp gives Riley the chance to make new friends, including super-cool hockey player Valentina “Val” Ortiz.

But how can Riley make a good impression? Enter new emotions of Fear (Maya Hawke), Shame (Paul Walter Hauser), Envy (Ayo Edebiri) and Ennui (Adèle Exarchopoulos) to guide Riley through this scary new chapter of her life.

It’s a twist on the first film where Riley had to adapt to a new city, but it’s no less recognizable. We’ve all been faced with the dilemma of how much to adapt to seem ‘cool’ or make friends with new people, while still fighting to maintain our self-esteem, and the sequel is packed with keenly observed details of the dangers of growing up.

At its heart is the most important new emotion, Fear, played superbly by Maya Hawke, to such an extent that you can’t imagine anyone else doing it. It’s such a complex emotion to portray, but writers Meg LaFauve and Dave Holstein simplify it without watering it down, leading to a nuanced and important discussion about how fear can affect us.

Envy, Boredom, and Shame don’t get as much to do, but are all easily recognizable thanks to some great character work. They all have their standout moments too – the development of sarcasm in Riley’s personality, driven by Ennui, is ingenious – but be prepared to fall in love with the nearly wordless Embarrasment above all else.

This does not mean that the original five emotions have been completely discarded. They have their own fascinating journey as they come to terms with how they fit into Riley’s new phase of life. It leads to some cutting observations, like how as you get older you “feel less joy,” but director Kelsey Mann keeps things from getting too bleak.

It’s a credit to Tony Hale and Liza Lapira that you won’t really notice the recasts of Fear and Disgust, respectively. Amy Poehler’s Joy is still the guiding emotion here, with the core story revolving around Joy coming to terms with fear. If there’s a complaint, it’s that Sadness is somewhat sidelined, especially since Phyllis Smith is perfect in the role.

What stops Inside out 2 of reaching the heights of the first film is that it is sometimes overly familiar. The events and the jokes may be different, but the structure of the three acts is the same, so it doesn’t feel as fresh this time.

The result is that it doesn’t quite have the same emotional impact, even though it builds to a sweet message about being yourself. For some viewers, however, the lack of a heartbreaking “take her to the moon for me” moment may be a blessing in disguise.

But want Inside out 2 matching the first film was always an unlikely challenge because it was such a unique concept. What the sequel does achieve is be a worthy successor that expands the world with brilliant tweaks to the concept, and delivers funny gags that simplify big ideas.

Riley may be processing anxiety, but we can assure you it’s nothing to worry about Inside out 2.

Inside out 2 is now in cinemas.

Film editor, digital spy Ian has over 10 years of film journalism experience as a writer and editor. He started as an intern at trade bible Screen International and was promoted to reporting and analyzing UK box office results, and carving out his own niche with horror films, attending genre festivals around the world. After moving to Digital Spy, initially as a TV writer, he was nominated for New Digital Talent of the Year at the PPA Digital Awards. He became Movies Editor in 2019, in which role he has interviewed hundreds of stars including Chris Hemsworth, Florence Pugh, Keanu Reeves, Idris Elba and Olivia Colman, became a human encyclopedia for Marvel and appeared as an expert guest on BBC News and on-stage at MCM Comic-Con. Where he can, he continues to push his horror agenda – whether his editor likes it or not.