Diane Salinger, Elizabeth Daily, James Brolin

The cartoonish and childish character Pee-Wee embarks on a quest to find his stolen bicycle.

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65% liked it

47,718 ratings

Critics

100% liked it

24 critics

PG, 1 hr. 30 min.

Directed by: Tim Burton

Release Date: July 26, 1985

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DVD Release Date: May 2, 2000

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Stats: 4,551 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (4,551)


  • June 15, 2009
    This movie is annoying for the most part. The one scene I loved is where he's dancing on the table in those ridiculous shoes.
  • March 7, 2009
    When you think about a movie starring Pee Wee Herman nothing really springs to mind except crap. Another movie that milks a 15 minute wonder for some quick cash. Amazingly Pee Wee Herman's first film Pee Wee's Big Adventure is an entertaining trip through the real world in an ov...( read more)er grown kids eyes.

    Pee Wee (Paul Reubens) is like Peter Pan. The guy never grew up from a fireman's pole in his bedroom to the mouse trap like device that cooks him breakfast Pee Wee lives in a kids fantasy world. His most beloved possession is his bicycle, an ornate affair with all the bells and whistles and P.A. system. It's kept under lock and key and security system. The bike is his life.

    So on a trip to the magic shop his bike ends up getting stolen. This is the catalyst for Pee Wee the over grown kid to travel the real world searching for his bike. He rides with an escapee, runs into a biker gang, hitches a ride with a ghost all in the name of saving his beloved bike.

    What sets this film apart from what it might have been is direction by Tim Burton. Burton directs the film like a cartoon, echoing his previous work and giving us a glance of what he was capable of during the next ten years. Burton's creative eye gives the film a much needed push from being Viva Kineval.
    Pee Wee Herman may be dead, but his film is still a great piece of entertainment. I wouldn't go so far as to call it a classic but it has definitely out grown it's star. A fun film.
  • April 26, 2008
    "I wouldn't sell my bike for all the money in the world. Not for a hundred million, trillion, billion dollars!"


    Pee-wee's Big Adventure is Tim Burton's first feature length movie...and it is FANTASTIC!

    From start to finish the film is a total riot. There a

    ...( read more)re stacks of visual gags that had me in stitches, and a great script that also had me in stitches for every second of the running time. Tim Burton's visual imagination proves to be a perfect match for Pee-wee's fanciful exploits.

    The whole movie is goofy, silly and just plain hilarious. Pee-wee Herman (Reubens, under the pseudonym of Pee-wee Herman) is simply a 9-year-old boy trapped in the body of an adult.

    When his beloved bike is stolen one morning in broad daylight, Pee-wee embarks on a big adventure across the U.S. mainland in order to get it back.

    I can't believe how underrated this movie is. Most people pass it off because of the silly title (as I did, but wanted to see it because of Tim Burton's involvement), but in all honesty the film is pure comic genius.

    Reubens is absolutely hilarious in the title role. He always looks incredibly cute whenever he delivers a line, and his flamboyant antics had my sides aching with laughter.

    The kids will absolutely adore this movie, and the adults might love it even more. While I was watching the movie it felt like it was okay to be a kid again. All the silly gags left my cheeks aching because of so much non-stop laughter and scenes filled with hilarity.

    Face it, this isn't your usual Tim Burton movie and many will give it a pass because of this. But Burton's imagination, along with the witty screenplay penned with Paul Reubens among others, just makes for sensational entertainment.

    Danny Elfman's score was just perfect here as well, and set the tone rather nicely. The bright music assisted in the film being as much fun as it is, especially during scenes that contain extensive visual gags. And the visual gags are so incredibly clever that it will take many viewings just to pick them all up.

    Pee-wee's Big Adventure is little gem of a movie that you cannot afford to miss. The characters are quirky, the gags are cartoonish and the whole film is wildly inventive as well as being perfect entertainment for the whole family. This is a film that everyone can enjoy.
  • April 6, 2008
    Bowtied man-child Pee Wee loses his bike, and travels across America to find it, encountering a bizarre cast of characters. Pee Wee's voice and mannerisms can be grating to adults, but debuting director Tim Burton manages to keep things interesting for all ages with incredible d...( read more)etail, visual style, and sophisticated two-layer humor.
  • February 17, 2008
    heh heh
  • November 7, 2009
    My dad told me about this movie and I watched about six months ago....it's hilareous!!!!!!!!
  • October 29, 2009
    Pee Wee NEVER gets old
  • October 27, 2009
    Comwecial or stupi! :|
  • October 24, 2009
    Comedy Classic. A must see.
  • October 20, 2009
    I not care about this movie.

Comments


  • poopypossum
    October 23, 2006
    never knew it was buy tim burton...
    I like the dance he does.
    I like the start of it when he has breakfast.
    oh and the large marge part was funny and scary..
    i really actually liked it!

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Pee-wee's Big Adventure Trivia


  • In the Tim Burton film Pee-Wee's Big Adventure, what was Pee-Wee searching for?  Answer »
  • In the movie PeeWee's Big Adventure, what is the name of PeeWee's dog?  Answer »
  • True or False: Phil Hartman was one of the writers for PeeWee's Big Adventure.  Answer »
  • Ron Howard directed all these movies but one. which one?  Answer »

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