Pixar – the studio that loves to make you cry over toys, grandmothers, and 30-second marriage montages.
But this Father’s Day, I ask that you wipe your tears, and instead reach out your arms.
Because Pixar has got some daddy issues.
Here are five moments when Pixar was (not so) silently pleading for a hug.
*Note: Spoilers ahead, and maybe tears, so read at your own risk.
4. Inside Out
Inside Out was lauded by critics and psychologists for its portrayal of emotional health, especially in regards to how it treated “good” feelings vs. “bad” feelings. Riley, the girl whose mind is the setting of the film, must learn to accept both joy and sadness.
But the source of Riley’s tension can be overlooked. She’s stressed because her family moved from Minnesota to San Francisco, away from her hockey team and normal pizza.
But the emotional conflict that drives her to eventually run away is rooted in the mask she is asked to wear by her mother, on behalf of her father.
Soon after moving into the new house, there is a scene in which Riley lies on the floor of her still-unpacked room. Her mother enters, and they have the following exchange:
Riley: Where’s Dad?
Mom: On the phone. This new venture is keeping him pretty busy. Your dad’s a little stressed — you know, about getting his new company up and running. I guess all I really want to say is: thank you. You know, through all this confusion you’ve stayed… well, you’ve stayed our happy girl! Your dad’s under a lot of pressure. But if you and I can keep smiling, it would be a big help. We can do that for him, right?
That last line is key. Riley feels pressured, both by her mother and watching her parents argue about the moving truck, to put on a smile, even if she doesn’t feel like she can.
Riley has to push down her feelings, suppress the “bad,” in service of her father’s career.
