Pee-Wee has several pratfalls and nightmares and is involved in a few cartoonish bike and foot chases. Pee-Wee and Francis wrestle underwater, and Pee-Wee holds his head under, but neither of them is injured. A jealous boyfriend is bent on catching Pee-Wee and at one point shows a gun, but no one is hurt. A car appears to crash, but again, there are no casualties. In a couple of nightmare sequences, there are visions of potentially frightening clowns, devils, and dinosaurs. Large Marge may scare younger kids.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.
One use of the word "crap," the titular phrase "burn in hell" during a Twisted Sister music video, and Pee-Wee's trademark "I know you are, but what am I?"
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.
Dottie flirts with Pee-Wee and asks him out, but he declines. A jealous boyfriend thinks Pee-Wee is trying to steal his girl. Pee-Wee and Simon hug. In a movie-within-a-movie, the PW and Dottie (played by James Brolin and Morgan Fairchild) kiss while the real characters are finally on their date to the drive-in.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.
Not many overtly positive messages, but Pee-Wee's perseverance and resilience are rewarded. Also, the perspective of a child -- as personified by Pee-Wee -- is respected.
Positive Role Models
very little
Pee-Wee can be a bit bratty. He seems to love his bicycle more than his friends, but in the end he realizes he treated some of his friends unfairly.
Educational Value
none
Purely meant to entertain.
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Pee-Wee's Big Adventure, a quirky 1985 movie, is a cult-classic among devotees of Paul Reubens' bow-tied alter ego. Although even preschoolers will likely find Pee-Wee's antics funny, there are some sinister dream sequences and near-fights that might frighten the youngest of viewers. Large Marge is especially scary. Elementary-aged kids, however, are just the right age to appreciate Pee-Wee's singular mission to find his beloved stolen red bicycle and to witness the various hilarious ways he manages to get out of scrapes without ever getting hurt. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
Came here to see the new movie. It was an okay movie, I'd maybe see it again, but the real pee-wee just jumped out of the screen. Made my lunchly moldy and he peed on my car, I will never watch this movie in my life because well..... Yeah, he peed on my car. This movie is cursed. Never watch. Never will watch again.
I did not like this movie. I never watched Pee Wee's Playhouse, so maybe I am missing some of the nostalgic reasons to like it, but it was hard for me to sit through. Maybe it just didn't quite fit my sense of humor... seemed too silly, perhaps?
We watched it at home and it was not keeping my kids' attention, either. My 11 year old son made it through most of it and thought positively of it overall, but he was not engrossed. My 8 year old daughter really didn't seem into it, although there were scenes that were mesmerizing, but not the overall movie.
I have to give credit to the movie for creativity, though. 100% on the creativity aspect.
And there are some lines that are priceless. Everyone has a big BUT that is stopping them from following their dreams... or something to that effect. That is kind of brilliant.
it was hard for me to decide if the intended audience was children or adults. There was a lot of weird adult innuendo... people seemed to be attracted to Pee Wee everywhere he went... women as well as men when Pee Wee dressed as a woman. All of that was so weird for a character that is not attractive. And then when a movie was made about Pee Wee at the end, Pee Wee was portrayed by a traditionally hunky guy. I am not sure what the message was there?
Everyone has mentioned Large Marge and some have mentioned the biker gang scene as being on the scary side.
Sorry but this movie was not my thing. And it wasn't particularly my kids' thing, although I think pre-teen and up would appreciate the humor and creativity more. The humor may appeal more to males.
What's the Story?
When someone steals his customized red bicycle, sprightly man-boy Pee-wee Herman (Paul Reubens) embarks on the adventure of a lifetime in Tim Burton's imaginative, madcap comedy. Leaving everything he knows behind -- including lovelorn friend Dottie (Elizabeth Daly) -- Pee-wee hits the road on an epic quest to recover his most prized possession. The journey leads him to various sites, including the historic Alamo, a raucous biker bar, the mouth of a dinosaur, and a Hollywood movie set. Along the way, he befriends everyone from a fugitive to a pretty waitress who dreams of becoming a movie star. The adventure also teaches Pee-wee some important lessons (the Alamo doesn't have a basement, it's possible to appease angry biker gangs by dancing to "Tequila," and more). But most of all, Pee-wee learns that he's got what it takes to meet any challenge head on, and, in the end, all he really needs are his good friends and a place to call home.
Those who found Tim Burton's feature film debut a charming curiosity when it hit the big screen in 1985 will find it just as charming -- and just as curious -- today. Children and open-minded adults unfamiliar with Pee-wee Herman are in for a surprise. The movie's success, which paved the way for the Saturday morning show Pee-wee's Playhouse, is due in large part to Pee-wee himself. As personified by comic Paul Reubens, the smooth-faced, childlike man with the infectious chuckle has a unique appeal that elevated him briefly to the status of cult icon.
Reubens' sensibilities work well with Burton's equally bizarre artistic vision. The movie's wild production designs, a bit of claymation, and lots of unusual toys and props demonstrate what ingenuity can do on a tight budget. Pee-wee isn't regarded as abnormal in this movie -- as he was in the less successful follow-up, Big Top Pee-wee -- rather, he's just an innocent man-child in a red bow tie who would rather find his stolen bicycle than go to the drive-in with the persistent Dottie. Kids can certainly identify with that.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what makes Pee-wee such an entertaining character in Pee-Wee's Big Adventure. Why do so many kids -- and adults -- like him? Can you think of any other characters who are as well-loved by both age groups?
Why don't we see more characters like Pee-Wee?
What do kids know about comedian Paul Reubens? Do actors' personal lives affect your appreciation of their artistic work?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
