Long were the days when Saturday morning meant waking up to a bowl of cereal and a buffet of animated wonderment. And one show stuck out as the favorite of most tots. A fun factory of creative wackiness, Pee-Wee’s Playhouse was king. A household name at the time, Pee-Wee Herman (Paul Reubens) build an empire from a comedy act, turned successful film directed by a young Tim Burton, to a children’s show. Now after a long break, Pee-Wee is back and, thankfully, hasn’t grown up.
Pee-Wee’s Big Holiday brings back a surprisingly timeless looking Paul Reubens as the titular character he made famous years ago. Pee-Wee, a perpetual boy with a kind heart, never dreamed of leaving his small town until the day he meets a biker played by Joe Manganiello, who convinces Pee-Wee that there is a world of experiences he is missing out on. Stepping out of his comfort zone, Pee-Wee embarks on an epic journey with zany results.
Played exactly as we remember, the trailer strings together some of the cartoonish situations throughout the flick. The kid part of me wants this to be amazing, and it very well could be. Unfortunately, like with anything from our youth, there is the tarnish of time. Will the concept grow with the changing times and still land? Who knows? Given the positive reviews from The Pee-Wee Herman Show on Broadway (2011), this project has a great chance.
A recommend, especially for those who grew up with the character, Pee-Wee’s Big Holiday will at the very least be a fun trip down memory lane. Premiering on Netflix on March 18, 2016, go watch the trailer and be your own critic. And remember, the secret word is “Enjoy”!