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Trailer

Pee-wee's Big Adventure

1985Movie1 h 31 minPG

Comedy
67
GoodGoodWatch score
IMDb7.1Letterboxd3.5/5Metacritic477.5Rotten Tomatoes78%79%

An eccentric, gloriously campy comedy movie about pop culture.

Good for date night · family movie night · friends night

Where to watch

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Not for brutality.

Movies with

Story

The story of a rebel and his bike.

The eccentric and childish Pee-wee Herman embarks on a big adventure when his beloved bicycle is stolen. Armed with information from a fortune-teller and a relentless obsession with his prized possession, Pee-wee encounters a host of odd characters and bizarre situations as he treks across the country to recover his bike.

Feels like

  • Cult Classic
  • Road Trip
  • Slapstick Comedy
  • Children's Adventure
  • 1980s
  • Nostalgic
  • Pop Culture
  • Whimsical
  • Family-Friendly

Cast

24 of 41

Crew

Directed by
Tim Burton
Written by
Paul Reubens, Phil Hartman, Michael Varhol
Produced by
Robert Shapiro, Richard Gilbert Abramson
Music by
Danny Elfman

Everyone

Pick a department, or search for a name or a job (“editor”, “stunt”).

Facts

July 26, 1985 · 1 h 31 min · PG

Released
July 26, 1985
Runtime
1 h 31 min
Age rating
PG
Genres
Comedy, Adventure, Family
Original language
English
Also spoken
French
Made in
United States
Budget
$6 million
Box office
$41 million
Available in
71 countries

Tropes

Foreshadowing, I Meant to Do That, Rent-a-Zilla +9

  • Foreshadowing
  • I Meant to Do That
  • Rent-a-Zilla
  • Mattress-Tag Gag
  • Lighter and Softer
  • Nightmare Sequence
  • Stop Copying Me
  • Crashing Dreams
  • Brick Joke
  • Stout Strength
  • Squirting Flower Gag
  • Out-of-Context Eavesdropping

12 of 169 tropes. From TV Tropes.

Q&A

7 questions, like "Where can I stream Pee-wee's Big Adventure?"

Questions about Pee-wee's Big Adventure

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream Pee-wee's Big Adventure?

In the United States, you can rent or buy Pee-wee's Big Adventure from Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, and Spectrum On Demand. It streams in 3 other countries, but not in the United States.

Is Pee-wee's Big Adventure worth watching?

67
GoodGoodWatch score

Mostly, it's well received, with a GoodWatch score of 67 (IMDb 7.1, Letterboxd 3.5 out of 5, Rotten Tomatoes 78%, and Metacritic 47). Audiences rate it higher (74 out of 100) than critics (63).

Is Pee-wee's Big Adventure okay for kids?

PG

Yes: it's rated PG in the United States, and the viewing guide lists it for kids.

Will Pee-wee's Big Adventure make me laugh?

Funny

Yes: the humor is mostly slapstick (9 of 10) and absurd humor (8 of 10).

Can I half-watch Pee-wee's Big Adventure?

Easy watchDemanding

Yes: it's easy to follow, with complexity at only 5 of 10, and the viewing guide calls it good for background watching.

Was Pee-wee's Big Adventure a box office hit?

Budget$6 million
Box office$41 million

Yes, a big one: it cost about $6 million to make and earned $41 million worldwide, 6.8 times its budget.