Pee-wee as Himself

Despite being listed as an executive producer, Paul Reubens was apparently distrustful (and possibly contemptuous) of the making of this documentary about his life, his career, and his famous alter-ego, Pee-wee Herman. If so, he needn't have been so fearful as director Matt Wolf has whittled down some 40hrs of interview footage into a well-paced, well-narrated 3hr-22mns (separated into two parts for release on HBO and Max). Born Paul Reubenfeld in chilly Peekskill, NY, the children's TV show-loving Paul was happy to eventually relocate with his family to Sarasota, FL, where the local Ringling Bros. Circus activity sparked the theatrical performer in young Paul. As an incredibly ambitious, smart, self-aware young adult, Paul Reubens' flair for outré style in college turned "weird" into an art form, and he was never without admirers of both sexes. Joining an acting troupe in Los Angeles--eventually known as The Groundlings--Reubens tried out different characters on-stage before settling on his most popular creation, the child-like Pee-wee Herman. That's where this documentary really takes off, showing how a long-fought journey to fame paid off for Paul--and how stardom isn't always a fair trade for anonymity. For fans, this is a terrific summation of an iconic man--warts and all--who loved making people laugh but who was also a perfectionist and a bit of a diva. At one point, Reubens acknowledges that his entire focus was "Me, me, me", and he's defensive and bitter about the legal troubles that dogged him in his final years ("The public has a mind like a steel trap!"). Did Paul Reubens ever forgive some of his fans and former colleagues for turning their backs on him when times got rough? Maybe not--but he certainly wasn't regretful at the time of his death in 2023. He had nothing to feel sorry about. *** from ****

It's challenging trying to explain the huge appeal of Peewee Herman to those who never saw him or didn't get it. A unique blend of irony, sincerity, nostalgia and quirky charisma, Paul Reubens created his man-child character based on the 50's kids TV he loved in boyhood - and succeeded brilliantly.

In part one, director Matt Wolves delves into young Paul's obsession with performance and fame - and how he reached it. Along the way, though, Paul sets aside his personal life and a loving gay relationship to focus on his career. His reward is graduating from the Groundlings improv to regular appearances on Letterman and the Tonight Show - and ultimately a hit Hollywood movie.

As revealed in candid interviews, Reubens' hunger for fame was so great that he became jealous over credit given to director Tim Burton for the success of Peewee's Big Adventure - he did not want to share it.

Part II looks at the dark challenges in his life. These included a career-hobbling arrest in a Florida sex shop and a later witch-hunting investigation by the LAPD - with groundless news leaks about pedophilia. What is amazing is watching the resilience of Reubens and his supportive close friends, his family - and many fans.

Tragically, we also learn that the secretive Reubens suffered with cancer for six years before his death - which he kept from the film team telling his story.

The film's later chapters also touch on the irony of a performer accustomed to final-cut control on his projects fencing with the director telling his life story. It leads to revealing and sometimes awkward exchanges.

In total it's a compelling rise and fall and rise again life story that ended far too early.

If you watched this as a kid (or maybe even didn't), this will put a smile on your face and make your day. I'm so glad he did all of this work before he passed. It is so much better that he leads the journey, as only he and his expressions can. His PeeWee character and humor are one thing, but the real Paul Rubens is a very charismatic man and I think most people don't realize that. It would have been awesome to have experienced The Groundlings troop in LA in their heyday.

The archival footage is fantastic, the editing is great, the music choices are on point and it details the extraordinary story of a social sensation exactly as it should.

I dare you not to smile as you watch it.

Paul Reubens was one of the true creative masters of our time. He didn't need a cartoon for his vision; he translated it into real life. The characters, the energy, the Playhouse itself, were so authentic and timeless that it felt like we were being invited into a safe space that lurked just behind the curtain of our everyday world. He managed to blend the mainstream with the avant-garde in such a way as to activate the full range of viewer imaginations and backgrounds- like all the best art. I remember checking my fridge during commercial breaks to see if we had any dancing food in there like Pee-wee's. And I was only partly disappointed when I found none... because I knew it was dancing when I wasn't looking. :)

This two-part doc by Matt Wolf offers a complete anthology of Paul's journey. We learn about his family and friends in Florida, early influences, education at CalArts, development at Groundlings, emergence on Broadway, and ultimately his superstardom on film and television amid the handful of personal issues that set him back.

I connected with the storytelling style here. It veers between historical clips, interviews and narration- notably from the man himself. Paul was a natural performer all the way through to the end. He talks to the camera as if he's sharing a secret with you. He's intellectually nimble, and his improv skills evidently never eroded. He knows precisely when to leaven adult anecdotes with juvenile humor: "Dad told me, 'Paul, if you're homosexual, I want you to be the greatest homosexual you can be'... so I went out that night to be the greatest homosexual ever- no, just kidding. ;)" His winsome attitude and smiling eyes make him a compelling speaker, and he means what he says in perfect earnest.

Learned a lot as well. Like how Pee-wee had a regular spot on Letterman before he made it big; he was once a contestant on The Dating Game; at CalArts he was part of an absurdly talented 10-actor ensemble that included Katey Sagal (= Peg Bundy) and David Hasselhoff (= HOFF!); and at Groundlings he laid the foundation for the Playhouse with mainstays Phil Hartman (Captain Carl) and John Paragon (Jambi). So if you're a Pee-wee fan, it's delightful. And if you're learning about him for the first time I'd love to be in your shoes because he's a total original whose greatness will inspire you.

Was there anyone who actually believed that Paul was a pedophile? There was never any there there. Yet the label tormented him until the day he died, as revealed by some gripping footage where he addresses the miasma of innuendo that swirled around his name. I'll never understand whose agenda we serve by perpetuating falsehoods against those who mean well. All I can say is, thank you Paul for laving pure joy over the world and sharing your singular artistry with us all. Your reputation remains clean to me, and legacy of Pee-wee Herman will be cherished forever. Conky's secret word today is LEGEND.

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"I just felt I could be the beacon out there and say it's okay to be different. It's okay to be creative. In fact not only is it okay, but let's celebrate it." - Paul Reubens.

I found this film extraordinary, and am so grateful it was made--as a "final testament" by this gifted, maligned and mistreated comic genius. Director Matt Wolf clearly had an ambivalent collaborator in Paul Reubens, but the way in which Wolf was able to craft such an incisive glimpse into the mind of this very private man is really remarkable.

With hindsight, it almost goes without saying that Paul Reubens got a raw deal, and his career ruination was, to say the least, undeserved. This documentary sheds light on the "second" career-damaging "scandal" to hit Reubens, when an ambitious city attorney for Los Angeles brought a patently false case against Reubens for possessing "obscene material." This excellent documentary succeeds in "humanizing" the late Reubens,, really, for the first time, publicly. His final recorded words are heartbreakingly sad and bring this beautiful tribute to a very moving close. If only Paul could have seen a tribute to him like this while he was alive. Short of that, this fine film serves as a well-deserved, heart-felt epitaph.