Directed by: Steve Brill
Written by: Tim Herlihy and Adam Sandler
Starring:
Adam Sandler as Hubie Dubois
Kevin James as Sgt. Steve Downey
Julie Bowen as Violet Valentine
Ray Liotta as Mr. Landolfa
Steve Buscemi as Walter Lambert
Rated PG-13 for crude and suggestive content, language, and brief teen partying
Runtime: 102 minutes
Adam Sandler joined forces with Netflix back in 2015 with the film The Ridiculous 6. I wasn’t sure what to make of that film before watching it for the first time – a quality film would have deserved a theatrical release, right? However, I enjoyed it thoroughly – it had many unexpected laughs. The rest of his Netflix filmography, though, missed the mark.
That streak ended with Hubie Halloween. It’s a fun film about a Hubie (Sandler), a man who cares too much. The film has plenty of heart and no shortage of laughs.
Hubie Dubois is a lifelong resident of Salem, Massachusetts, for the home of the Salem Witch Trials in the late 17th century. Since then, the town has a reputation for being haunted. Every Halloween, Hubie sets out to protect his community from any wrongdoings, despite the ridicule of his fellow townsfolk.
Hubie loves his town, even though the community is known to throw things at him (he’s become adept at dodging them). If you poke him on the shoulder, though, he freaks out. Hubie hasn’t conquered his fears yet, which makes his being out there every October 31st more admirable.
Hubie’s only friends are his mother (June Squibb) and Violet Valentine (Julie Bowen), who Hubie has had a crush on since they were kids. Hubie’s mother encourages him to keep being himself and not worry about the town’s bullies. Fitting advice from a woman who wears t-shirts that show that she doesn’t care what people think of her (i.e., “If you can read this, you’re in fart range.”).
Violet works in the town diner and, like Hubie, has a big heart. She adopts foster children and raises them to respect others, even Hubie. They are not like the other kids in town, who throw whatever they can at Hubie.
This Halloween seems to be routine for Hubie until he meets his next-door neighbor Walter Lambert (Steve Buscemi), who may or may not be a werewolf. There is also an escaped mental patient who has a beef with the town cop, Steve Downey (Kevin James). Downey seems to forget that he’s no longer in the ‘80s and is unwilling to get rid of his puffy mullet.
Armed with his “Swiss blade Thermos,” Hubie hopes to save the town of Salem from mayhem and hopefully earn some respect from his community. It should be the other way around.
It was great seeing Bowen reunite with Sandler after they co-starred in Happy Gilmore (1996). They have great chemistry, much like Sandler had with Drew Barrymore. There are many cameos from Adam Sandler’s real-life friends, which seems routine in any Adam Sandler movie, but they always come as a surprise. The film’s opening scene sets this up perfectly. Sorry, no spoilers.
I loved the set designs and decorations. This film is perfect for Halloween viewing, along with many other Halloween classics. However, I wouldn’t recommend letting young kids watch this alone – I am stressing the PG-13 rating.
I had a lot of fun watching this film, but it does have its imperfections. I had mixed feelings about Sandler playing his Canteen Boy character again. The first time was in The Waterboy (1998), which won me over, but doing it again twenty-two years later made me shake my head. However, I accepted the character choice and moved on. At least Hubie sported a mustache to differentiate between him and the other characters who talk the same way.
Anyone who knows Adam Sandler well enough also knows that he always goes back to silly comedies. His most recent film was Uncut Gems (2019), which should’ve given Sandler his first Oscar nomination. That was a heart-pounding drama with Sandler as you’ve never seen him before: a pathetic excuse for a human being. His bounce back to comedy reflects his range, with Hubie as a loveable human being.
I had mixed feelings about the film’s climax. It didn’t seem to add up, but the denouement made me forget it. It had a satisfying ending, but it still didn’t quite make sense.
All in all, Hubie Halloween is a film that gives what it offers: a fun time that will help you get in the spirit of Halloween, with a plethora of laughs. If you know what to expect, then you won’t be disappointed.
3 / 4 stars
