Hubie Halloween

Title: Hubie Halloween
Director: Steven Brill
Studio: Netflix
Release Date: October 18, 2019
Run Time: 102 minutes
Genres: Comedy
Starring: Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Julie Bowen
Where to Find It: Website
Rating:

It's October 31st in Salem, Massachusetts, and a town's eccentric, devoted community volunteer and the good-natured object of his fellow citizen's derision and meanest pranks, finds himself in the midst of a real investigation, for a real murderer.

Review

When it comes to Adam Sandler, most viewers know what they’re signing up for when they pick up one of his films. At one point beloved, many of his newer films have been lambasted for all the same toilet humor of the 90s and usually receive mixed ratings. I can see why, but having grown up on many Sandler films I was happy to see him do a campy family Halloween flick.

I watched Hubie Halloween with my husband on a night when I needed something cheerful to brighten my day, and I was pleasantly surprised. Sandler’s character Hubie is the town laughing stock, the uptight hall monitor now aging into his later years, he’s a simple man like many of Sandler’s other characters, but he was lovable. Hubie reports every minor crime to the police so often that it becomes a “cry wolf” situation and nobody takes him seriously. When real abductions appear to be happening, his reports fall on deaf ears.

The story is simple and low stakes, lacking any real scares despite the day and the setting and I was fine with that. The main plot is weak but that’s not the focus so much as the loving jabs at Halloween traditions and overdone costumes, with Harley Quinns showing up left and right. Plenty of those in Sandler’s circle of friends and family make appearances in the film, including Steve Buschemi, Rob Schneider, and Sandler’s own wife and children which was really cute. Buschemi’s character was one of our favorites, and friends of mine that watched the film also loved Buschemi’s role in the film. I also laughed every time June Squibb appeared with another horrendously crude shirt despite her wholesome grandma demeanor.

It’s not a great film, but it’s not a bad one either, and it’s perfect for watching with the kids and family for Halloween, or for fans of Sandler movies in general. The movie doesn’t pretend to be anything that it’s not. It’s stupid and campy and fun which is all that I was looking for when I decided to watch it.