‘Pee-Wee as Himself’ Review: The Late Paul Reubens Opens Up — When He Doesn’t Close Up — In an Expansive Portrait

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In simpler terms, Paul Reubens (most famously known as Pee-Wee Herman) begins “Pee-Wee as Himself” by stating he wants to clarify a few things and that’s all, but the documentary turns out to be much more extensive than expected. With over 200 minutes compiled from over 40 hours of interviews, it offers an in-depth look at his life and career, uncovering many secrets and mysteries despite his initial intentions. Regrettably, this was Reubens’ final contribution as he passed away the day after recording his last interview in 2023.

The film “Pee-Wee as Himself,” directed by Wolf, effectively captures the unique and multifaceted artistry of Reubens, blending elements of experimental performance, humor, and high camp with a queer sensibility that resonated with people of all ages. However, the movie also sheds light on the unfortunate legal issues off-screen that disrupted his career trajectory. Throughout the lengthy documentary, Reubens is open about these matters while also revealing aspects of his personal life he kept private until his passing. What makes this film unique and captivating is the tense, conflicted dynamic during the interview sessions between Wolf and Reubens, who never surrendered creative control easily. Despite their differing perspectives on the story they wanted to tell, the end result is compelling, if not entirely conclusive.

The intrigue surrounding first-hand personal revelations will likely attract viewers when this Sundance-debuted series airs on HBO in an episodic format later this year, and Reubens certainly delivers several. Notably, he discusses his homosexuality publicly for the first and only time, which may not be surprising to some, but he provides personal and emotionally moving explanations for keeping it a secret for so long in Hollywood. However, if the aim of “Pee-Wee as Himself” is to expose the man behind the famous alter ego – a perspective that Reubens questions, preferring not to see them as separate entities – it’s his unpredictable interview style that offers the most insight. At times playful and reserved, talkative and evasive, sincere yet puzzling, he might be acting rather than baring his soul genuinely. Regardless, the film implies, this is who he is, or was.

The deception starts subtly yet boldly with factual details: “I was born in 1938, by the Mississippi river’s edge in a small house,” he claims initially. “My father worked on a steamboat, and his name was Steamboat Milton.” This opening seems like it’s straight out of a fairy tale, and indeed, it is entirely fabricated — Reubens was born in 1952 in upstate New York, much closer to the Hudson. The amusing falsehood is so apparent that Wolf doesn’t feel the need to correct it. Maybe this inconsistent storyline suits Herman, the strange, seemingly out-of-time manchild who emerged in popular culture during the 1980s. Perhaps, more likely, Reubens is merely playing a trick on his director and viewers. The stage is set for the deception.

Damian Rodriguez skillfully compiles various resources from Reubens’ personal records or 60s-era media to depict a childhood influenced by early American TV and a relocation to Sarasota, Florida where circuses were abundant, which sparked his whimsical and vaudevillian spirit. As he grew older, his interests veered towards the bohemian art scene of the late 60s. CalArts provided a nurturing space for his unique abilities during this phase. At that point in his life, Reubens was openly gay, receiving full support from his family. A long-term relationship with another artist brought him joy and creative standstill: “I lost a significant part of myself and my ambition by being with someone else,” he admits, looking back on his choice to hide his sexuality to focus on his career.

Regardless of its outcome, shifting strategies proved successful: The first half of the documentary smoothly portrays Paul Reubens’ ascension to comedic fame through his association with improvisational comedy group The Groundlings and the creation of the Pee-Wee Herman character for mature audiences. It eventually reaches the pivotal point in the 1980s where many of us recognize Reubens from our personal experiences. While the author avoids delving too deeply into specific projects such as “Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure” directed by Tim Burton and the five-year run of “Pee-Wee’s Playhouse,” these are well-known aspects of popular culture. Newcomers, though, might find the early development of these projects surprisingly radical and distinct from the standard family-friendly content produced by the industry today.

It’s no surprise that the second half predominantly focuses on the decline following this rapid rise, providing a revised perspective on two sensationalized media scandals that significantly damaged the performer’s reputation and shattered his meticulously maintained public persona. These incidents include his 1991 arrest for indecent exposure in an adult theater and allegations of child pornography possession a decade later. The latter, fueled by misunderstandings about his extensive collection of vintage LGBTQ erotica, was, as his publicist put it, “a homophobic witch hunt.” Despite strenuously denying the most harmful accusations, Reubens is hesitant to appear too defensive: “How do I handle this narrative without appearing like a victim?” he ponders, explaining his state of mind at the time, although he remains uncertain about the solution.

The scandal in tabloids didn’t push the celebrity to reveal his true identity, but it did prompt him to openly embrace being known as Paul Reubens. For years, he had been portrayed solely as Pee-Wee in public appearances. However, he started giving interviews outside of that character and gradually reshaped the persona to suit his own style, discovering new limits and disguises to safeguard the real man. Despite his assertions during an interview with Wolf that he doesn’t want “Pee-Wee as Himself” to be a lasting legacy, this intriguing documentary, which is both detailed and somewhat elusive, seems to be the culmination of that impulse: it illuminates the man behind the character, while hinting that he might have been a creation in his own right.

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2025-01-27 22:20