Inside Out: A Spiritual Perspective on the Block Buster Movie

I went see the movie Inside Out and liked it for many reasons: it models a healthy and happy family (rare in today’s movies), it deals with real life struggles for children (the move to a new city, a new school, transitioning from childhood to pre-teen, the struggle to be make a sports team, a father who is away at work, missing old friends and making new ones) and it is so funny (for adults without being tacky and without making sexual innuendos, as so many other movies for children do, in the attempt to make parents laugh). I really like this movie and think it is must see for families.

My only issue with this movie comes from my spiritual perspective. The different centers of the brain are characterized as tiny people who care deeply for and want the best for the little girl in the movie. They protect her, watch over her and help guide her. But really? Is our brain really this personal?

I think this movie demonstrates beautifully the real struggles children face and that children are not alone when they struggle, but in my opinion, making the brain the thing that cares for children is just wrong. I believe it is God that brings hope, cares for children as they struggle and desires good things for them.

I know, I know… Disney can’t/won’t make spiritual movies… but could someone? Could someone make a movie that is as entertaining and clever as Inside Out, but that reminds children and families that we are deeply loved and cared for, by God, not by our brains and certainly not little people living in our brains?