The movies Inside Out and Soul are two of Pixar’s most unique stories, dealing with the complex issues of emotion and life after death, topics that aren’t often covered in animated stories aimed towards younger audiences. However, Pete Docter did a fantastic job in directing both of these movies, which are filled with unique animation techniques and vibrant personalities.
Whether it’s imaginary characters like Bing Bong or jazz players such as Curly and Dorothea Williams, these two movies have some detailed personalities. But if Joe Gardner was to take a trip inside his own mind to meet his emotions, would he get along with Sadness or Joy? Here are five friendships from Inside Out and Soul that would work, and five that would push the emotions to the limits.
Would Work: Disgust & 22
Disgust and 22 would be ideal friends, purely because of how blunt they can be with their one-liners to other people. They each have no problem in letting others know how they really feel, even if their thoughts can be a little hurtful at times.
They have no filter and that allows honesty, even when it’s harsh. However, while they can both be very sassy and stubborn, at their cores, Disgust and 22 are both very nice characters who want the best for others.
Wouldn’t Work: Dez & Jordan
Dez is the barber in Soul and someone who is shown to be a very positive and intelligent person. He is a great conversationalist and someone who really enjoys connecting with others, bringing people together through talking while he cuts their hair.
However, he would struggle to get a conversation out of Jordan, from Inside Out, who doesn’t really seem to enjoy talking during his appearances in the movie. He’s only a supporting role, but he’s a quiet character who wouldn’t really work in a friendship with Dez.
Would Work: Anger & Terry
Terry could be considered one of the villains in Soul, as he is someone who is trying his hardest to catch Joe and 22, wanting to drag them back from Earth. However, in reality, he is just doing his job, and that is something that Anger would appreciate.
Terry is certainly a grumpy character and that would work perfectly with Anger’s personality. He’s not warm and kind either and because both of them can be very blunt, saying exactly how they feel, the two of them would likely be great friends.
Wouldn’t Work: Joy & Terry
While Terry might be the perfect person to be friends with Anger, he wouldn’t get along with Joy. Both of these characters can be quite bossy and like to be in charge, and put together that would only lead to a lot of confrontation, which isn’t ideal for any friendship.
Plus, the major difference that they have is the fact that Joy is a happy character who is always trying to have fun, meanwhile, Terry is serious and focused on work at all times, with no room for anything else.
Would Work: Sadness & Joe Gardner
The storylines of both Sadness and Joe Gardner are actually very similar. When Soul begins, it’s clear Joe isn’t happy with his life and he’s not living to his full potential. He’s unhappy at work, doesn’t have the best relationships with those around him, and often is lost in his own thoughts.
Sadness’s core is to be glum and downbeat, but she takes that to the extreme in Inside Out. However, that is what would make the two of them good friends as they both do learn to see things in a more positive light, with each character being very kind and polite.
Wouldn’t Work: Anger & Curley
Anger is someone who brings tons of comedy to Inside Out, but he does that through being very angry. He moans a lot and is very easy to frustrate, going from 0-100 very quickly, which leads to him snapping at other people and making Riley make rash decisions.
That wouldn’t work well with Curley, who is a very chilled out and relaxed personality. He shows nothing but kindness in Soul, always trying to help Joe out, going to vouch for him on multiple occasions. Putting those two personalities together simply wouldn’t work well.
Would Work: Bing Bong & Moonwind
It’s not too hard to believe that Moonwind might have an imaginary friend due to his eccentric and over-the-top personality. If he was to have one, then Bing Bong would be the ideal character because their energies would just mesh so well together.
They both just want to have a good time, all of the time, and few people can match that type of energy. However, together, they would have the best of times trying to make each other laugh.
Wouldn’t Work: Joy & Paul
There aren’t many grumpy or negative characters within Soul, but Paul is one of them. He’s one of Joe’s neighborhood friends with who he doesn’t get along with, and that is showcased during the excellent barbershop scene in the movie.
Paul is grumpy and moody, barely taking the time to look up from his phone. He wouldn’t appreciate Joy’s bubbly personality and vibrant positivity, which is something that knows no bounds.
Would Work: Riley & 22
Riley is a complex character who is dealing with a lot of change in her life during Inside Out, and that leads to a real mix of emotions. There are moments when Riley is happy, having fun with her parents, yet the next moment she’s sad, crying in class.
It’s perfectly normal behavior for someone to have that mixture of emotions, as 22 showcases in Soul. She’s a character who goes on a rollercoaster ride of emotions as well, and she doesn’t always handle it in the best way, but both of them learn from it, and doing that together could create a great friendship.
Wouldn’t Work: Fear & Counsellor Jerry
Fear likes to be very careful about everything that he does, which helps Riley stay safe for the most part. However, as a character, anything with danger involved is something that he wants to avoid at all costs. This is why he wouldn’t be able to have a friendship with Counsellor Jerry.
The abstract-shaped Counsellors are kind and considerate, however, the way the Great Before operates would frustrate Fear. Often, the souls are just flung around in a very chaotic manner, a chaos which the Counsellors are responsible for that, which would stress Fear out.
