Toy Story 5: Film Review

"Toy Story 5"Directed by Andrew StantonWritten by Andrew Stanton and Kenna HarrisStarring Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Conan O’Brien, Scarlett Spears, Mykal-Michelle Harris, and Greta LeeRated PG for some thematic elements and rude humorRuntime: 102 minutesRelease Date: June 19, 2026

Final Thought

With a much funnier and more emotional script than its predecessor, Toy Story 5 marks an impressive return to form for the franchise.

Rating

★★★★.5 / 5

Logline

From Disney/Pixar:

The toys are back in Disney and Pixar’s Toy Story 5, and this time it’s Toy meets Tech. Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Jessie and the rest of the gang's jobs are challenged when they come face-to-face with Lilypad, a brand-new tablet device that arrives with her own disruptive ideas about what is best for their kid, Bonnie. Will playtime ever be the same?

Review: "Gimme 10, Gimme 10"

If you’re unaware of “Love Island summer,” you might be living under a rock. It’s somewhat ironic, then, that actually watching Love Island USA forces you to live in a bubble. For the first time, I am proudly renting office space inside that bubble to represent my clients Kayda, Trinity, and Melanie (the newest) this summer, and I would be remiss if I didn’t try to tie my current hyper-fixation in here.

On the fourth night of this season (the USA version’s eighth), Corbin, a bland-new male bombshell, entered the villa. Melanie, an original cast member this season, became a bit overexcited during his first group conversation with all the girls and decided to “pull him for a chat” mid-conversation. Now-eliminated cast member Beatriz felt this was excessive and called her out on this upon her return, but Melanie, ultimately overwhelmed by her pathologically lying partner Sincere, stormed away from the confrontation while tearfully and repeatedly asking the group to “give [her] ten.”

Pixar’s fifth entry in their flagship franchise unfortunately (probably fortunately, actually) has nothing to do with Love Island, but after the endearing and emotional Toy Story 5 made me cry SO much, I found myself feeling just like Melanie - minus some of the willful ignorance - in the already meme-d moment. I needed ten as FUCK!

Toy Story 5 brings back the toy crew we know and love with Jessie (Joan Cusack) as the group’s new leader. When Bonnie (Scarlett Spears), their owner, struggles with making new friends because of her obsession with toys, her parents buy her a new device called a Lilypad (Greta Lee). The tablet and the toys don’t get along as they have different opinions on what’s best for Bonnie, so Jessie takes it upon herself to find Bonnie a friend before Lilypad stunts her ability to make a connection.

Before viewing, it seemed like Toy Story 5 would’ve been filled with nothing but cliched boomer rants about technology. There definitely are - every time Jessie said “devices” or “tech,” I winced - but four things surprised me about this entry: Jessie being the protagonist, more time being spent with human characters than any other entry, and dual focuses on the inhibition of human connection and its dangerous impact on children.

Toy Story 5 centers Jessie, my favorite character, for the first time in the series, and it’s the best decision Stanton and co. could have made for this film. Obviously, she was introduced to the canon in 1999’s Toy Story 2 at Al’s Toy Barn, but she was only ever treated as a supporting character as she and Woody are based on characters from the same in-universe television series and she is Buzz’s romantic interest. She’s played smaller roles in every entry since, but here, she’s the protagonist and it’s due to that that her character now feels complete.

This one is truly for Toy Story 2 fans as the film explores Jessie’s origins, particularly her relationship with her first owner Emily, and the trauma she’s endured since being neglected (because of technological innovation) and donated.

Left to right: Smarty Pants (Conan O'Brien), Atlas (Craig Robinson), Snappy (Shelby Rabara), Bullseye, and Jessie (Joan Cusack) in "Toy Story 5"

Toy Story 5 establishes Jessie’s biggest fear as no longer being useful, which is why she tries so hard to find Bonnie a friend. All of this creates an (obviously one-sided) almost maternal relationship between Jessie and Bonnie, which I love. There has never been a mother-daughter dynamic explored in this series, and I think it’s what makes the entry special. Woody always felt the need to be a kind of paternal guide for Andy. I’m happy that they gave Jessie and Bonnie that parallel.

Funnily enough, the weakest part of the film might be its relationship with technology. There are a few strong lines distinction between technology and toys - “That was a game. We weren’t playing.” - but the general sentiment feels a bit aged. It’s a bit stale how the film preaches moderation in regard to technology, which annoys me in the age of AI, but it was expected because Disney loves a safe stance. It annoys me much less, though, that almost every other element of the film - thematically, technically, or otherwise - is near-perfect.

Left to right: Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) and Woody (Tom Hanks) in "Toy Story 5"

The story’s relationship with technology is dichotomous as everything in the story that comes from its stance on technology is, simultaneously, incredibly strong. It is smart of the film to make the distinction that human connection is more important than either technology or toys for children. Toys are just a better facilitator. Even Lilypad as both an antagonist and (literal) plot device worked for me, but the film’s ultimate stance itself is a bit obvious and tame.

The animation is stunning. The new toy characters are quite funny and the new human character Blaze is so adorable. I love that there is finally somebody Black in Toy Story. Woody and Buzz have smaller roles this time around, Woody’s being significantly smaller as an after-effect of his midlife crisis in 4, but I’m okay with it because we get more Jessie. I also can’t remember laughing this much during a Toy Story movie.

I feel I should mention another underlying factor for my strong reaction to this film. While on my journey of becoming a film professor, I had just finished my first year of working with middle schoolers the night before my Toy Story 5 screening. It was an admittedly emotional night because I had grown attached to my class and the idea of teaching overall.

There’s a layer of this story, without spoiling, that deals with “being there at the right time,” and I have to say it was very reassuring after saying goodbye to my first class of students. Similar to Jessie, I was forced to realize that can’t do anything except hope that my students remember me as I’ll remember them and know that I was there at the right time.

This feels like a return to form for Toy Story. I liked Toy Story 4 at the time (you can read my review from 2019 here), but this film has a much more emotional story, a much funnier script, and a celebration of my favorite character in the franchise. Toy Story 5 makes 4 feel like filler and further begs the question, “What was Lightyear?,” as this story is much worthier of being in the Toy Story canon. I'd rank it just under 3 and 2 and just above the original and 4.

If Toy Story 4 made a billion dollars, Toy Story 5 deserves more. This is the one. Gimme ten more.

Viewed on 6/13/26 at press screening

Published on 6/16/26

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