Pee-wee's Big Holiday (2016) User Reviews

A fun, but more aimless sister film to "Big Adventure"

[TOMNEL · 7/10 · 18 March 2016]

If you wondered what a Pee-Wee movie would be like 30 years after his heyday, the answer is pretty much exactly the same, which is perfect. Pee-Wee still exists in this surreal 1950s alternate reality that feels as fresh today as it did in the 80s.

Pee-Wee Herman has never left the small town of Fairville, but after meeting actor Joe Manganiello (playing himself in a hilarious self aware performance), he's convinced to head East on a journey to New York for Joe's birthday party. Along the way he meets an assortment of colorful characters that help break him out of his sheltered existence.

The makeup department deserves an Emmy or Oscar (or whatever awards Netflix movies qualify for) for the job they did to Paul Reubens. The man is 63, and in real life, looks about his age. But in this film he only looks slightly older than he did back in the 80s. His voice has gotten a little bit raspier, but that's to be expected. Reubens himself is back in character, fully committed (surprisingly he hasn't been yet), and giving it his all.

The supporting cast is also consistently wonderful. Similar to any other Pee-Wee Herman project, almost all the characters, whether they're harboring deep secrets or not, smile and wave, giving off that 50s Leave it to Beaver "everything is great" attitude. Every performance is over the top, but they're all perfect. Diane Salinger from Big Adventure returns, this time playing a kooky pilot, and she gives it her all in a manic and memorable cameo. Character actor Hal Landon Jr. is similarly insane as a farmer that is simultaneously sheltering his nine daughters and trying to marry them off to strangers.

The biggest fault in the film is that it feels somewhat disconnected. The locations Pee-Wee ends up in are all amusing, but at times it just seems like a series of scenes not really leading to Pee-Wee's final goal. On the plus side, at times when the plot seems to really be getting lost, Pee-Wee mentions again where he's going, and how far he has to go bringing it back on track. In general, the journey to Joe's party and to find himself, is not as compelling as Pee- Wee's journey to find his bike. It would be much easier not to compare Big Adventure and Big Holiday, if they hadn't clearly modeled the latter on the former.

Kids will enjoy it for it's over the top cartoonish qualities, and the adult Pee-Wee fans will enjoy the exact same thing, in addition to all the ironic winks at the audience that the kids don't notice. If you're a fan of Pee-Wee Herman at all, then this will be a treat for you. It looks to the first feature film for guidance, but Holiday is it's own unique movie, full of the typical quirky charms you would expect from Paul Reubens. The best moments here don't equal the fun climax of Big Adventure, but it's still consistently amusing, never boring, and at times laugh out loud funny. And it's a heck of a lot more charming than Big Top Pee-Wee.

My rating: *** out of ****. Contains mild language and some mild sexual innuendos.

Not laugh-out-loud funny, but entertaining

[cricketbat · 6/10 · 19 June 2019]

Pee-Wee's Big Holiday is bizarre and ridiculous. However, if you're a fan of the old Pee-Wee movies, you'll probably enjoy this one. Paul Reubens is noticeably older, but it still feels like the same old Pee-Wee Herman. This movie didn't make me laugh out loud, but it did make me smile a few times.

Better than I expected

[utgard14 · 6/10 · 2 April 2016]

I really didn't have high expectations for this but I found myself enjoying it. At first I was put off by the heavy makeup on Paul Reubens to try and hide his age, plus the sad reality that Reubens can no longer do the distinctive Pee Wee voice quite right. So, the first few minutes into this I was doubtful I would be able to finish it. But gradually I began to look past those things because it's funny and charming with a delightfully corny approach that reminded me of the older movies and the TV series. Not every gag works but I think most of them are at least worth a chuckle. There's a very simple but effective gag involving a balloon at one point that had me in stitches. In an age where every stand-up comic uses trite observational humor and every comedy film seems to rely on dick jokes, it's refreshing to see something prove "old school" humor still works. Once you get past the creepy makeup and the voice, it's a fun movie. Sure it's mostly an exercise in nostalgia for those of us who grew up watching Pee Wee but I don't really think that's a negative.

That's a real big apple

[nogodnomasters · 6/10 · 8 January 2018]

This Pee-Wee film doesn't tie into the previous films. The signature Pee-Wee (Paul Reubens) of a maze of events that was made his first film and the game Mousetrap so fun. Pee-Wee has never left town but meets his soul twin in Joe Manganiello who invites him to his birthday party in NYC. Pee-Wee embarks on a cross country adventure living a bunch of short adventures that are humorous, but not rip roaring funny.

Jessica Pohly plays a shriveled up looking Elvira, who Paul Reubens once dated. I didn't know if there was a message there or not, although she does grope herself.

Good film for Pee-Wee fans.

A Very Nice Return for Pee-Wee

[gavin6942 · 7/10 · 20 March 2016]

A fateful meeting with a mysterious stranger inspires Pee-wee Herman to take his first-ever holiday in this epic story of friendship and destiny.

This movie is not going to knock your socks off, and it never quite reaches the level of "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure", but it is still a fun movie with plenty of interesting characters and situations. If this film is as successful as it seems to be (the reviews are generally positive), I hope they get another one going soon. With Judd Apatow and Paul Rust on board, Pee-Wee is back! I did find it interesting that they kept the celebrity factor rather low. With the names attached, they could have had an endless stream of celebrity cameos, but it was minor. More or less, it was a string of actors who are better known for their faces than their names. (Many times throughout the film I had to look up different actors to make the connection, such as Farmer Brown being the same actor who played Ted's father in "Bill and Ted".)

Very much like a reworking of "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure".

[planktonrules · 7/10 · 19 March 2016]

"Pee-Wee's Big Holiday" is the latest film made specifically for Netflix and it's debuted this weekend. After seeing it, I think that if you loved Paul Rubens' first starring film, "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure", you'll love this picture as well. And, if "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure" is not your idea of fun, you'll find this one tough viewing. As for me, I enjoyed it and thought it was a very amiable film...and not a lot more. But, in my case, I think that's enough.

The style of the film is pretty much the same as in the previous film...Pee-Wee leaves his small town and goes on a journey across America. Along the way, he has a variety of adventures, meets some nice people and brightens up the lives of most everyone he meets. Why would he leave his town? Because he's just met the movie star Joe Manganiello ("Magic Mike") and the pair instantly bond and become friends...and Joe has invited Pee-Wee to his giant birthday party in New York. But Pee-Wee has to overcome his fear of leaving town for the first time in his life...which means, incidentally, that Pee-Wee has absolutely no recollection whatsoever of the first film!

This Apatow-Rubens Production is pleasant viewing and the best thing about the film is its wonderful sense of style. Pee-Wee's hometown is retro in every way...sort of like a 1950s TV series in real life. Everyone is nice, the cars are all gorgeous 50s models and there is a very, very strong sense of nostalgia. Pee-Wee is, well, Pee- Wee...and if you like his shtick from his previous two starring films (he also made the less than famous Big Top Pee-Wee), you'll enjoy this as well. The only things I didn't like is that the film, while enjoyable, took very few risks. It's essentially his first (and best) film all over again in many ways. Also, there's a sequence involving balloons and the Amish that goes on a bit too long. But otherwise, it's a nice film for the family--parents who enjoy Pee-Wee and kids who can't help but like the guy. Will it change your life? Not in the least...but it's nice, enjoyable and worth your time.

Beyond tedious and trite

[thebogofeternalstench · 1/10 · 20 March 2016]

Horrible abortion of a film. Pee Wee Herman is pudgy faced, old, and his voice sounds completely different.

This is a far cry from Tim Burtons Pee Wees Big Adventure movie, which was fantastic and still one of my favourite movies of all time just for its weirdness and quirkiness.

Pee Wee lives in some boring town working at a diner and then some biker guy comes in for a milkshake (no idea what the deal was with Pee Wee making the milkshake in such a stupid manner) inviting him to his birthday in New York, and tells Pee Wee to 'live a little'. From then on its a stupid pathetic comedic attempt of Pee Wee travelling to NY City getting involved in really lame capers.

It just isn't funny, at ALL. It is cringe-worthy beyond words. The writing is absolutely lame, and I think only 6-12 year olds would be entertained by this utter crap.

I completely gave up forcing myself to watch anymore at the scene where he slowly, and painstakingly lets down a big balloon, making noises with it. Who wrote this $hit? Who thought this was funny in any sense?

I also did not get what was supposed to be funny about the bus he gets on with the black dudes with weird big hair. Awful $hite from the writers of this turd.

Paul Reubens must have been desperate for a pay-cheque. No idea why he waited decades either to make another Pee Wee film, it just doesn't work in any shape or form. Big Top Pee Wee was lame as well but much better than this steaming pile of horse $hit.

Paul should have at least got off his a$$ and lost the right amount of weight to reprise the Pee Wee Herman role. Its embarrassing seeing him as this old flabby faced older man.

Avoid this huge dud at all costs, because its like watching paint dry.

just wonderful!

[guypop-994-459196 · 10/10 · 22 March 2021]

Wonderful for kids and parents who want to go back to being kids. Very naive and funny. A movie that is all one great pleasure.

Welcome back, Pee Wee Herman

[subxerogravity · 6/10 · 23 April 2016]

The Man-child has not aged a bit.

Pee Wee goes Big for the third time. In the Big Holiday, Pee Wee has a brief but memorable encounter with a fictional Joe Manganiello (played by the real Joe Manganiello) and as, such is invited to his birthday bash in New York, so for the first time, ever he leaves the town of fiarville to journey to New York, and what a journey.

Similar to his first movie, Pee Wee's Big Adventure, Pee Wee travels across America to get to New York, along the way meeting some strange an usual characters, like a group of female bank robbers on the run and an old Framer with too many daughters that see Pee Wee as a catch, all in the name of Friendship. Who wouldn't want to be friends with Pee Wee Herman? Who wouldn't want to be friends with Joe Manganiello?

Time has agreed with Pee Wee. He's as ageless as a cartoon character. It successfully brought me back to my child hood. I still want to live in Pee Wee's house.

Pee Wee's Big Holiday was funny in it's purest form as Herman yelled out jokes for everyone.

Very nice, Way to go Netflix.

The Best of the Pee-Wee Films

[dostoevsky1111 · 18 March 2016]

Perhaps this is sacrilege, but I found Pee-Wee's Big Holiday to be the best of his three films. (I agree that the biker-bar scene from Big Adventure is the best individual scene—but this film is more consistent in tone and execution.) Pee Wee's goal is to get to Joe Manganiello's birthday party in New York City after the two bond over milkshakes and root-beer barrels in Pee Wee's home town of Fairville.

All we know is that Pee-Wee never has left home and that NYC is a long way east. Joe zooms back to his penthouse in Manhattan on his motorcycle. After looking for a sign as to whether or not to go cross-country to New York (and being hit on the head by a Big Apple), Pee Wee hops in his car and is immediately kidnapped by three female bank robbers (Pepper, Freckles, and Bella, aka Pee-Wee). He's left tied up in a hotel room in the middle of nowhere—but he hitches a ride east with a traveling salesman vending the sort of gag gifts that Pee-Wee finds irresistible.

Pee-Wee's misadventures en route to NYC all are amusing and clever. There is an overt theme of friendship and tolerance, as well as an underlying theme of homosexuality being a-okay—but this latter is embodied in a sly and funny way. Whether Paul Reubens himself is gay or bi- scarcely matters—and Pee-Wee himself encounters several would-be girlfriends along the way, including Bella.

For me, the encounter with an Amish community entertained by Pee-Wee's balloon antics was the best scene in the film—perhaps because I'm from Pennsylvania. The action never flags, and the large cast is consistently strong. Pee-Wee's punning is scintillating throughout.

Let's hope Paul Reubens soon will host Saturday Night Live in character. His perpetuation of Pee-Wee in 2016 is utterly on-target and satisfying.

No sparkle, no nothing

[Kingkitsch · 2/10 · 26 March 2016]

What a massive disappointment "Pee-Wee's Big Holiday" has turned out to be. Paul Reubens' man-child creation should have stayed in the 80s and kept it's beloved status and reputation intact. It's a sad thing to realize that Reubens insisted on dragging his idiot boy out of the past and shoved him back into public view. "Big Holiday" is really "Big Bore".

A thin and very poor reboot of "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure" (1985), this new movie crawls along at a snail's pace while attempting to emulate the frantic quality of the first film, but without the genius of Tim Burton to direct the lunatic odyssey. There's absolutely no sparkle here, although this new adventure tries to be lively and effervescent. Ninety-nine per cent of the jokes fall flat. The characters aren't drawn well, and who can really believe that Pee-Wee instantaneously bonds with musclebound Joe Manganiello? There's a weird subtext here that pretty much sums up "bromance". A number of vignettes on display are instantly forgettable, such as the business with the farmer's daughters. The squealing balloon sequence goes on too long, and it wasn't funny. It was nothing but filler and is more annoying than anything. Where was Large Marge when you really needed her? Not a damn thing in this shabby attempt to get some last mileage out of the man-child Reubens created is memorable.

Paul Reubens is too old for this. He often appears wax-like and spackled to death. There's years of bloat that neither the camera or CG can remove. He appears to be going through the motions with no trace of his original maniac energy. That being said, simply compare the biker bar sequence from "Big Adventure" where Pee-Wee rocks those ridiculous white platform shoes in a bartop dance to the Champs' classic "Tequila". Not one moment in "Big Holiday" can compare. Perhaps it's time to let Pee-Wee go. This viewer only found the whole movie sad and tired. I'd like to remember Pee-Wee in his prime, not this obvious attempt to wring one last dollar out of a truly iconic creation.

Classic Pee-Wee!

[jadelowrey · 9/10 · 24 March 2016]

The artistic heart of any Pee Wee movie is the idea that you're looking at the world through the eyes of a kid again. Everything is bigger, brighter, more exciting, scarier, and new.

This is a road trip story, that sets up lots of funny, and usually absurd encounters for Pee Wee to experience. There's no new ground broken here, and that's as it should be. It's a continuation of everything that makes Pee Wee great.

I laughed, I snorted, and I smiled the whole time.

If you like classic Pee Wee Herman, you'll love this!

A fun movie for the kid in all of us!

I know you are, but what am I??

A Corny and Quirky Surprise Worth your Time

[Zac_La_Porte · 6/10 · 3 September 2021]

Pee-Wee's Big Holiday is a surprisingly delightful and fun case in which you should not judge a film by its cover, trailer or appearance. Seriously, how did this Pee-Wee adventure manage to be so pleasurable? It's mainly a quirky comedy targeted at families with older kids, but parents, let them know that this childish-appearing entertainment is spot-on enjoyable. And it's actually very watchable, classing as something you could watch over and over without becoming really bored.

Whether you're a fan or just new, you'll discover that Pee-Wee is a truly bright, funny, quirky and witty character. He and the story of his loveable friendship with actor Joe Manganiello is definitely strange and corny, but that's exactly what Pee-Wee is meant to be. Alongside these charming characters are awesome female criminals, flirty farmer's daughters and even more weirdly appealing characters.

The innocence of this loveable journey is hilarious and entirely witty. However, this comedy doesn't reach full-on adoration due to its predictably uninteresting elements. Not all of the characters and sections are going to fully entertain you. Luckily, it'll give you a good laugh with fun ideas. The charming appearance of this film is meant for your attention.

If you liked this review, check out the full review and other reviews at aussieboyreviews.

A geriatric journey for an aging Pee-wee...

[moonspinner55 · 5/10 · 19 March 2016]

Paul Reubens resurrects his elfin creation Pee-wee Herman after a 28-year absence, but comedic lightning generally fails to strike again, mostly due to Reubens' curious lethargy as both co-writer and star, as well as a bloated production that turns Pee-wee's world into a '50s comic book fantasy (a safe, sterile one right out of "The Archies"). Joe Manganiello plays himself as a hunky yet sensitive actor who meets Pee-wee at a diner where Pee-wee works as a short-order cook (!). They bond over root beer candy (!), and Manganiello helps Herman forget his recent troubles--seems Pee-wee's music group has broken up. Pee-wee sings? Eventually, but there's nothing much else interesting in the journey our hero takes to New York City after his brotherly soul-mate invites the overgrown child to his star-studded birthday party. Many talented people were involved in this Netflix production, but most of the comedy support just stands around with nothing clever to say. It's such a vacuous film with wobbly dialogue that when Pee-wee does rattle off a funny retort, it takes a few seconds to get the joke. Reubens puts on the retro gray suit and familiar red bow tie, he has the haircut and makeup down right, yet he struggles to find Pee-wee's self-amused voice; this is an older Pee-wee who's been stung by life's disappointments. Instead of the cartoony outsider welcomed into the real world, Pee-wee Herman has, ultimately, become one of us. ** from ****

Not as good as the original but it was OK

[cadillacjack-06423 · 6/10 · 5 June 2017]

PeeWee's basic look has not changed but in his voice, you could sometimes hear the 65 year old man that he is. This movie had the overtones of a gay romance. First, Joe and Peewee take selfies together, Joe says Peewee was the only person he wanted at the party and is so distraught that Peewee is not at his party that he stays in his bedroom, and then the treehouse scene, tell me that's not an overtone of something deeper than friendship. The whole theme of the movie was Peewee getting to NYC to be with Joe

Reubens Has Held Up Nicely All These Years...

[MovieHoliks · 6/10 · 12 April 2016]

Well, I saw this new Netflix original the other night; if I'm not mistaken, the third full-length Pee Wee Herman film, and the first one in 28 years (has it been THAT long??) since 1988's "Big Top Pee Wee".

For "Pee-wee's Big Holiday", our hero takes to the road to re-unite with, and attend the birthday party of his newly-formed friend, actor Joe Manganiello!-LOL- who has dared him to do something different, and be adventurous!

I must say, actor Paul Reubens has barely aged in 30 years!?? And it's interesting watching this movie with his history and acting credits since then. I see now he is reprising his role as Penguin's dad on TV's "Gotham". Very cool.

Well, I was surprised how much I enjoyed this- definitely liked it better than "Big Top Pee Wee" and his old TV show from the '80s, although the latter seemed to be geared more toward kids. Not sure I liked it as well as 1985's now classic "Pee Wee's Big Adventure", but this one definitely holds up to that film no doubt. Even though I liked this, I was a tad surprised it got as high of a meta-critic rating at IMDb as it did-??

Netflix is doing a pretty good job, with these new feature films!

[Hellmant · 7/10 · 23 March 2016]

'PEE-WEE'S BIG HOLIDAY': Three and a Half Stars (Out of Five)

Paul Reubens reprises his signature role of Pee-Wee Herman; from the 80s kids' TV show 'PEE-WEE'S PLAYHOUSE' (and two feature films). In this new adventure, Pee-Wee travels to New York; to attend his new friend's birthday party (actor Joe Manganiello). The film was directed by John Lee, scripted by Reubens and Paul Rust, and produced by Reubens and Judd Apatow. The movie is pretty good, considering how much time has passed (since 1988's 'BIG TOP PEE- WEE').

Pee-wee Herman (Reubens) is working at Dan's Diner, in Fairville, when he meets actor Joe Manganiello. The two immediately hit it off, and Joe invites Pee-wee to his birthday party; in New York. Pee-wee decides to leave Fairville, and venture to the big city, for his first ever vacation. On the way, he gets involved in multiple adventures.

The film is zany, and funny, and Reubens is great in the lead (he hardly looks much older, even though he's now 63-years old). I wasn't a huge fan of 'PEE-WEE'S PLAYHOUSE', or either film, but I enjoyed them. So I wasn't expecting much from this new feature either, especially given how much time has passed, but it is fun (probably especially if you're a fan). I think Netflix is doing a pretty good job with these new feature films!

Watch our movie review show 'MOVIE TALK' at: https://youtu.be/_3w7EWxV5vg

An Honest Review

[generationofswine · 5/10 · 26 August 2018]

Well, there was one review that used the word "aimless" and that really hits the mark for this film.

The previous two Pee-wee films had more coherent plots, they had more of a story, and in all, they had a better McGuffin.

But, it was made to walk that line of debate with your significant other, is Pee-wee a man-child, or is he the creepy eccentric pervert that lives down the block? Either way, that is about the most you can get from the film.

Honestly it is, just about everything else is a disjointed mess.

But, there is nostalgia and it is a little surreal, so at least its a disjointed mess that you can actually finish.

A great movie and it is about time!

[jeff-92-33421 · 10/10 · 18 March 2016]

This one really brought back memories for me. Pee Wee Herman has been gone for far too long. I am very happy to see Paul Reubens making Pee Wee Herman movies again. What happened to that poor man was SO UNFAIR! He never really did anything wrong and he paid a huge price for it.

If you hated the old Pee Wee Herman movies, this one will not turn you into a fan. But for those of us who loved this character, this movie is a real treat.

Yes, it is corny and goofy, but isn't that what Pee Wee Herman is supposed to be? It doesn't have any profound messages, it is just a lot of fun and a movie that you can watch with your kids.

"Pee-Wee's Big Holiday"- A very charming but often uneven return for the beloved comedic icon.

[TedStixonAKAMaximumMadness · 7/10 · 23 November 2016]

Many times before, I've noted that one of the most important things a comedy film must do is to charm its audience. With good characters and a good heart at its core (or even a black heart in some cases), a film's charm can make up for many a fault, whether it be lackluster writing, questionable casting or poor visual direction. And I do think charm is the one saving grace that helps to elevate the 2016 Netflix original movie "Pee-Wee's Big Holiday" beyond the shaky foundation of its troubled and uneven script. As a long-time fan of the character who very much enjoyed his children's show and adored the original theatrical "Big Adventure", I found myself once again having a blast thanks to the wonderful childlike antics of Paul Reubens' iconic creation... even when it falters on a frequent basis.

Pee-Wee Herman (Reubens) isn't having the best day at his home in the town of Fairville. He's just found out his band has broken up and his friends are moving on, while he feels scared to go out into the wide world. However, a chance-encounter with actor Joe Manganiello causes Pee-Wee to question his inability to leave. When Joe invites Pee-Wee to his Birthday bash in the Big Apple, Pee-Wee decides that now is the perfect chance to take a road-trip and broaden his horizons. Along the way, he'll run afoul a group of Bank Robbers (Jessica Pohly, Alia Shawkat and Stephanie Beatriz), meet a kindly old farmer (Hal Landon Jr.) and his nine crazy daughters, befriend an eccentric aviator (Diane Salinger) and encounter numerous other colorful characters on his journey to New York.

The biggest part of the appeal here is the sort-of novelty of seeing such a wonderful and widely loved character back after so many years. And this simplistic aspect of the film is where it excels the most. Pee-Wee has always been a favorite for many people, and when Reubens is able to focus on simply being the character in all his obnoxious and childlike glory, the film nails its grandest laughs. He's such an inherently silly and entertaining character to watch, that I found if anything, the film was weakened by being bogged down too much in trying to replicate the sort-of road trip aesthetic first seen in "Big Adventure." I almost wish that the film had more of a traditional narrative that narrowed down on characters and instead placed more focus on Pee-Wee as a character than on his journey. We've missed him. We just want more Pee-Wee. There doesn't necessarily have to be a grand plot at hand.

Unfortunately the problems with the film are a result of it trying to recreate the magic of that original film. Director John Lee can't quite recapture the magic that Reubens and director Tim Burton had so many years ago, and instead we're saddled with a lot of really half-baked gags and hastily abbreviated sequences that constantly swap Pee-Wee out with different supporting characters. It just comes off as very rushed and a uneven as a result and there's too many moments that fall flat for me to completely ignore it.

Thankfully, that charm factor I spoke of earlier is able to salvage the film despite this. Pee-Wee continues to wow us with his ability to generate honest laughs and chuckles, and Reubens barely looks like he's aged a day since the last film. Supprting roles are all generally well-played and enjoyable despite their often abbreviated screen time. Particularly Salinger and Shawcat, who are both a great boost to the film. Manganiello is also a good bit of fun playing a sort-of caricature of himself. And despite lacking style, the film's playful atmosphere is very infectious. You'll find yourself chuckling along with Pee-Wee, humming the theme to yourself and giggling over its handful of inspired gags for hours after its over.

I'm going to give "Pee-Wee's Big Holiday" a pretty good 7 out of 10 for the sheer manic likability and charm it oozes in every scene. If you're a longtime fan of the character, you're definitely going to get a kick out of it. But if you're on the fence or have built up the hype too much, it's uneven storytelling might be a bit too off-putting.

Watchable, but feels more like a remake than a new adventure

[Wizard-8 · 4 September 2017]

After a number of years of silence, actor Paul Reubens brought back his Pee-wee Herman character for this Netflix exclusive movie. You might think that during all those years of keeping his iconic character out of the limelight, Reubens would have come up with a storyline for a new movie that would be more original, but that's not really the case. This movie's story feels VERY much like the 1985 movie "Pee-wee's Big Adventure", with a number of individual scenes and moments having a strong deja-vu feeling. Even the titles of the two movies have a strong similarity! But I guess what really matters is whether this new movie is funny or not. Well, it moves along at a brisk pace, it's never dull, and there are some genuinely amusing moments here and there, some coming close to the old Pee-wee magic. But quite often the gags feel like weak humor cut out of the script from the 1985 movie. I think another reason why the movie is not as funny as it should be is that director John Lee is no Tim Burton, though in fairness he was working with a somewhat limited budget. I will give the movie this, however: It's better than "Big Top Pee-wee".

Oh my god noooo

[cry_wolf23 · 3/10 · 20 March 2016]

This Movie Is Awful I never Laughed Once I am A Fan Of The Other 2 Movies This One Should have Been Shelved Before it Was MAde The Storyline is So Stupid It is Like A Mr Bean Clone Only Mr Bean Was Funnier Than Pee Wee Leaving Town To to Go To Some Movie Stars Birthday Party This is So Stupid It Makes Crossroads With Britney Spears Look Like A Masterpiece

You Have no Humor Just 90 Mins Of Pointless Film Wasted Not Even Paul Reubens Could Save this that is how Bad it is Those giving it such a high Rating Must Not See how Stupid The Movie Really is. Just like Joe Dirt 2 Went Straight To Crackle .joe dirt 2 had 1 funny Scene this had no Funny Scenes at all

Twizard Rating: 96

[goolizap · 10/10 · 31 March 2016]

Pee-Wee's Big Adventure is one of my all-time favorites, so I've been looking forward to this one for awhile.

From the very opening of the film, we already get a sense that this will take place in a similar realm of surrealism that was used in the 1985 classic. It's a different film universe from Big Adventure, but it gives us the same tone. From Pee-Wee's love for Rube Goldberg-style housing, to the utopian town that he lives in--Fairville--which is populated by less than 1000 residents. It all hearkens back to Tim Burton's vision from the original. But the comparisons don't end in Fairville. The whole film tries to mimic what worked so well in the first movie--which is a good thing.

Pee-Wee has never left Fairville before. In fact, I'm not sure anyone really has. So, much like Big Adventure, Pee-Wee sets out on a cross-country road trip with inspiration from Joe Manganiello- -playing a fictionalized version of himself who just so happens to be the cool-guy version of Pee-Wee. You wish for more scenes with the two of them because they oddly have great chemistry with each other.

There may not be as many iconic scenes as there are in Pee-Wee's Big Adventure, but the ride is just as entertaining. The silliness is still there, even if the lines aren't quite as memorable. But that's what Pee-Wee's all about. His world is meant for us to lose ourselves in. To find that place of innocence and imagination that many of us left with our childhood.

In 2016, Paul Reubens' vision for Pee-Wee still holds up. Not much has changed. There are points in the film where you forget that this is a new project.

This is truly amazing day for Pee-Wee fans. Hopefully this won't be the last we see of him for another 25 years. He was a big part of my childhood and it's great to see a new generation getting to know the world's most beloved man-child.

Twizard Rating: 96

This is funny!

[RodrigAndrisan · 7/10 · 26 November 2017]

I didn't managed to laugh at a movie in long time. This one made me laugh, not with the mouth up to my ears, but I laughed: the scene with the balloon, at the Amish community. Also the scene in the cave with Grizzly Bear Daniels is funny. The same, the moment with the 9 fat sisters who all want to marry. So, give it a try, maybe you'll laugh too!

A disgrace to the original

[shadowpriest100 · 3/10 · 11 September 2022]

This movie was very clearly trying to re-create the magic of Pee-Wee's big adventure, but everything that movie does well, this one doesn't...

In Big Adventure, you have a strange person, surrounded by mostly normal people, who all tolerate and go along with this strange person. In Big Holiday, you have every single character trying to be super quirky and over the top. Not a single character in the whole movie is believable, and even Pee-wee doesn't seem to know how to play himself any more. I think Hollywood is so disconnected from the real world, they don't even know what a real person acts like any more.

I also can't tell how this movie even relates to the original. It acts as if the first one never even happened, but calling this a prequel, when Paul is 64, is even more unbelievable.

The whole movie is trying way too hard, and it falls flat.