Modern imitation crab.
These words best describe Pee-wee’s Big Holiday, a Netflix original featuring the return of Pee-wee Herman (Paul Reubens). I grew up watching VHS episodes of Pee-wee’s Playhouse, in addition to the film Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, which use to scare the living crap out of me (all thanks to you Large Marge and your terrifying Claymation face!) Amusingly (and perhaps understandably), it wasn’t until recent years that I really began appreciating (and not getting as terrified by) Big Adventure; it’s a truly delightful film, filled with witty comedy gold, a highly entertaining adventure, and a lovable protagonist whose personality is an ideal zany mix between delightfully sweet and cynically sour. Pee-wee’s Big Holiday tries to recapture the original’s charm and comedy…and, for the most part, falls short.
The film (seemingly not following any previous continuity), begins in the small town of Fairville, where Pee-wee Herman lives his typical surreal life. One day, real-life actor Joe Manganiello comes to town and becomes best friends with Pee-wee, inviting Herman to his birthday party in New York City. Pee-wee accepts the invitation and goes on holiday (a, BIG holiday, if you will), traveling cross country to the big apple. Big Holidays’ plot is noticeably similar to Big Adventure: Pee-wee travels across America, befriends many colorful characters, and gets into zany situations along the way. There’s an overkill Rube Goldberg machine, a man who equips Pee-wee with wacky, yet useful items, some criminals on the run, several dream sequences about Pee-wee’s objective, and the return of Pee-wee’s ophidiophobia (aka fear of snakes).
These events have been seen before and done with better timing and comedy in Big Adventure. Yet in all fairness, Big Holiday is not a complete rehash, featuring plenty of different material—the problem is these new jokes are predictable and not really funny. There’s a few chuckles here and there, in between the awkward scenes and jokes that go nowhere. There’s an entire two minute segment solely dedicated to Pee-wee blowing up a balloon, then slowly letting the air out in a fart-like manner. This is the type of of procrastinating “humor” I’d expect from a modern Family Guy episode than a Pee-wee Herman film.