Hubie Do Be Hilarious

After the release of Uncut Gems, Adam Sandler went on The Howard Stern Show and stated that if he didn’t get any Oscar love, then he would make a movie “so bad on person it will make you all pay”.

Well, he didn’t fulfill that promise. Hubie Halloween (2020), written by Adam Sandler, is an incredibly delightful movie. It’s definitely not to everybody’s taste, but if you like stupid films that also contain warm and fuzzy moments then this is the movie for you. It’s very important to remember that this movie is supposed to be dumb. You’re supposed to laugh at how ridiculous the plot line and characters are.

The movie follows a grown man, named Hubie Dubois, who lives with his mom. Hubie loves Halloween and every year he takes it upon himself to keep the town of Salem safe. Hubie is an easy target for ridicule and is never taken seriously. However, when members of the community go missing, law enforcement and former enemies must work with Hubie in order to find them. There are numerous other plot lines throughout the film - including love stories, an escaped mental patient, and a ‘murder pig’ - which all connect to finding the missing Salem citizens.

At its root, Hubie Halloween is a story about self-love. In the beginning, Hubie Dubois is ridiculed and made fun of, but by the film’s ending he realizes that he’s a good person, and people are jealous of that. There’s no need to be afraid to stand up for yourself and be who you are. These deep messages are embedded in this unsuspecting Halloween comedy. I don’t want to give any spoilers by saying too much, but there is a happy ending.

If you don’t watch it for the comedy then you must watch it for the guest stars. I highly suggest not looking up the cast before you watch the movie, because I gasped every time a new person waltzed on the screen. The cast is an impeccable group of actors getting together to support Adam Sandler’s stupid movie. Also, one of the best parts of the movie is that members of Sandler’s family feature in it. Both of his daughters, his wife, and his nephew all have roles - it’s truly a family affair. 

Hubie’s canteen steals every scene it’s in. He whips that thing out whenever he needs help with anything and it becomes the ultimate tool. The canteen is used as a vacuum, a flashlight, a shovel, and more; truly an incredible prop that is almost a character in itself. 

If you’re like me and hate being scared, Hubie Halloween is the ideal Halloween movie for you. It’s got tricks and treats, without the intense feeling of your heart racing and inevitable insomnia that follows. Sandler combines the thrill of Halloween with the comedy that he has built his career on. I was truly on the edge of my seat throughout the whole film, because it was riddled with twists and turns. There isn’t a single character that you don’t suspect is the mysterious ‘bad guy’ of the film. 

This movie looked like it was a blast to film, and I’ve watched it three times since it came out on Netflix last week. It’s one of those movies that you can throw on at anytime and you know that you’ll laugh. When you embrace the stupidity, it gets a thousand times funnier.

The movie is dedicated to the late actor, Cameron Boyce. Boyce played Sandler’s son in the Grown-Ups movies and was supposed to star opposite Sandler in Hubie Halloween. Boyce passed away two days before filming was set to start. His character was played by his best friend and roommate, Karan Brar. Boyce’s parents suggested Karan to Sandler because he’s the only actor they could bear playing the part that was supposed to be Cameron’s.

I’m glad Adam Sandler didn’t get any Oscar love for Uncut Gems because if he did, we might not have gotten the masterpiece that is Hubie Halloween.