classicsoncall Review of The Pez Outlaw

The Pez Outlaw (2022)

"I've been waiting to tell this story for twenty years"

[7/10 · 26 January 2023]

I came across this film by scanning the ones available on Netflix. Who wouldn't be intrigued by a title like "The Pez Outlaw"? I had to give it a look. It's a story about a compulsive obsessive individual named Steve Glew leading a hard scrabble, boring existence as a factory worker who suddenly found himself involved in the fascinating niche world of Pez collectors. You know, those small plastic dispensers in various shapes and colors that you load with the tiny candy that became a big hit in the Fifties and Sixties. Who hasn't had one of those growing up? But talk about taking it to the next level! When Glew learned that the 'Pezident' of Pez U. S. A. Nixed a whole variety of dispensers from the world headquarters manufacturing facility in Austria, he got the bright idea of traveling to Europe to bring home satchels full of the things to sell to a fan base willing to shell out big bucks for the rarities. Eventually becoming a big name among the Pez collecting community, Glew drew the attention of Scott McWhinnie, President of Pez U. S. A., who made it a personal vendetta to put an end to Glew's quasi-illegal operation. You really have to watch the entire story to get a sense of how Glew pulled this off with the help of his son Joshua. There is a point where the normally introverted Glew offers an outsized opinion of himself by stating he was responsible for two European factories closing down, but that had more to do with legitimate business reasons. What's interesting is that by the time the story's over, Glew takes the title of the picture and reassigns it to 'Pezident' Scott McWhinnie, who he considers the real outlaw of the piece. You could agree or disagree, but it's a fun watch in any case.