The Pez Outlaw feels like it could be an espionage story on its own, but instead of loading up weapons, collector-extraordinaire, Steve Glew and his rival “The Pezident” embark in a long battle of wits until the final pez-down.
Directed by Bryan Storkel and Amy Bandlien Storkel, the style and pace of this documentary is really engaging. There's plenty of laughs as Steve is quite an eccentric character, but the film does carry a lot of sadness too.
Underneath what some may consider nefarious activities, Steve Glew’s obsession with Pez had other personal layers that get explored in this documentary; his own mental health battles and the need to take care of his family. This is something that is a constant struggle for many of us who still hold onto the unrealistic societal expectations that we are told we must adhere to in order to feel worthy and loved by others.
When you are showered with millions of dollars (clearly not all Pez collectors acquire this level of wealth - Steve was a lucky or unlucky duck depending on how you see it), life feels wonderful and you’re untouchable. But it doesn’t last forever, and we are sped through many of the highs and lows from Steve’s perspective, as well as hearing other views, including other Pez collectors from around the world (shout out to our friend, Becky Mathers from Windsor, Ontario who is a pez collector and appears in the doc!).
Steve’s rise and fall from being coined as "The Pez Outlaw" to spending years afterwards in isolation holds valuable lessons that will be personal to each of us and the stories we share. While the art of collecting may fill your shelves or even an emotional and nostalgic void, with every purchase comes at a price so be cautious: handle with care.
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