SXSW Review: ‘Pee-Wee’s Big Holiday’ Starring Paul Reubens, Alia Shawkat & Joe Manganiello

There’s a choice moment of acid-trip hallucigenia in “Pee-Wee’s Big Holiday” — the latest outing from Paul Reubens and his signature character — that’s on on par with the now-iconic Large Marge scene in the beloved “Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure” from 1985. That this ghoulish moment feels stale yet still disturbing, though, embodies the torn meta-duties of this sweet-natured lark: produced by Judd Apatow and co-written by “Love” writer/star Paul Rust and Reubens, “Pee-Wee’s Big Holiday” wants to be “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” for a new generation of Pee-Wee fans, pursuing the classic beats of the aforementioned Tim Burton film while throwing in hints of new journeys. But the result, while featuring some superbly non-sequitur moments and gags, feels forced into a road trip package caught between self-awareness and naivety.

Square in the center of this conflict is actor Joe Manganiello, so present in this film that he reaches Furiosa-esque heights of franchise...