It has been 15 years since I seriously thought about watching an Adam Sandler comedy. I’ve seen newer Sandler films in that time span but like many things, one’s tastes change and personally I just got tired of the same old Sandler schtick, so I stopped seeking his films out. If they find me, they find me.
Which brings me to Hubie Halloween, the first film in a long time that I decided I’d sit down and give a go. I gathered my family around and we settled in to watch what is essentially the same old Adam Sandler. But you know what, it’s fine. Look, Hubie Halloween isn’t a great film but considering there aren’t a ton of new family friendly Halloween films to watch, this one fills in admirably.
It’s still filled with the same old bodily fluid and bodily function humor that one has come to expect from Sandler and his friends (and he brings a lot of them along for this) and Sandler is still playing the same tired caricatures he’s been playing for the past 30 years. But it also has a healthy dose of heart and if you can get past the annoying voice Sandler puts on for the entirety of the film, it has some fun to it.
Sandler’s Hubie is a pure hearted dumbass. He’s never left home (both Salem, MA and his mother’s house) and is the object of mockery for everyone in the town from kids to neighbors. But despite having to dodge all manner of projectiles (physical and mental) he goes about his self proclaimed duty of keeping the town safe. When things go sideways on Halloween night, Hubie tasks himself with figuring it all out even if it means capturing his new neighbor who he thinks might be a werewolf.
At its core, Hubie Halloween is about being a good person and fighting through adversity to do the right thing, even if that means having to constantly battle an entire community of bullies. And you know what, that is a good thing to put out there. Still, it’s a bit too much The Waterboy or Little Nicky for my tastes but I chuckled a few times and didn’t hate myself watching it, so it’s a win I guess.
2*
Parent Note: It did not hold the attention of most of my kids. My son and middle daughter watched about 20 minutes of it and went to play Among Us in the other room. My youngest lasted the entire film but I think she was more interested in stealing my wife’s blanket than the film.
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