Film Review – Pee-wee as Himself

Paul Reubens passed away in 2023, lost to a cancer battle that lasted for six years, and fought in almost complete privacy. His death was a complete shock to fans, who were left to wonder about Reubens’s private life and reflect on his legacy as an actor, including his decades portraying Pee-wee Herman to massive success. “Pee-wee as Himself” is a documentary by director Matt Wolf (“Teenage,” “Spaceship Earth”) that’s out to process Reubens’s history and pop culture domination, with the subject himself sitting for 40 hours of interviews to help guide the two-part film, providing fresh access to most areas of his life. Pee-wee Herman was a magical force on big and small screens, and Wolf achieves an acceptably deep understanding of Reubens’s career quest, keeping the star talking, focusing on “perspective” when taking in the expanse of his professional accomplishments, family experiences, and private adventures. “Pee-wee as Himself” truly captures the complexity of the performer and his personal struggle with identity. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com