Eccentric man-child Pee-Wee Herman embarks on
a cross-country journey to find his stolen bicycle. COMEDY/FAMILY
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Pee-Wee's Big Adventure (1985)Directed by Tim Burton
Written by Phil Hartman, Paul Reubens, Michael Varhol Starring Paul Reubens, Elizabeth Daily, Mark Holton, Diane Salinger, Judd Omen, Daryl Keith Roach Sequel to 1981's The Pee-Wee Herman Show |
Being a huge Tim Burton fan, I'll admit that it's taken me way too long to sit down and watch Pee-Wee's Big Adventure. I just knew I wasn't going to like it. The whole concept of a wacky man-child astonishes me, because I don't know what's so funny about it. Who exactly is the audience for Pee-Wee Herman? He's an obnoxious character who gets annoying after about five minutes. After watching the movie, I honestly can't believe that Burton had his hand in making this. It feels nothing like his work, and is ultimately a movie trapped in the 80's.
When Pee-Wee's beloved bicycle is stolen, he embarks on an adventure across the United States to find it. What follows is a number of halfhearted skits that are sewn together into what would seem like a movie. There is no flow and there is no point. I nearly fell asleep several times, and apart from the now infamous scene with Large Marge, there's barely anything holding the movie together. I don't get the appeal, nor do I understand why this is considered a cult hit. Is it supposed to be "so bad, it's good," because to me, it's just bad. Paul Reubens made a career out of playing one of pop culture's most ridiculous characters, and this movie was a huge jumping-off point for him. Amazingly, the character has a large fan base, as two years ago, Netflix released another special with Pee-Wee Herman. Well, I don't get it, and I doubt I ever will. This movie was, to put it plainly, stupid. |