Why You Should Watch “Hubie Halloween” This Halloween

It’s October. Fall has arrived, school is back in session, and football season is in full swing. Within that classic mix is Halloween, a spooky holiday that has a little something for anyone, other than fun-hating religious zealots. Whether you’re a kid who enjoys getting free candy while trick-or-treating or an adult who enjoys going to Halloween parties in elaborate costumes, you can usually find a way to enjoy it.

While I don’t go trick-or-treating anymore, I do enjoy going to bars with costume parties, drinking a little pumpkin flavored ale, and indulging in some sugary treats. I also have a strong appreciation for Halloween themed movies. Every year, I make it a point to watch a bunch of horror movies to get into the spirit.

Most of the time, those movies are classic slashers like “Halloween,” “Friday The 13th,” and “A Nightmare On Elm Street.” I also appreciate more recent horror movies like “Happy Death Day” and “Get Out.” Those are all great movies in their own right, but every year I try to find a new movie to enjoy on Halloween. Last year, as bad as it was, it was more challenging than usual. I honestly didn’t expect to find anything.

Then, I discovered Adam Sandler’s “Hubie Halloween” on Netflix and it practically saved my Halloween spirit that year.

Now, in terms of Halloween movies, this doesn’t exactly fit the bill of classic horror, nor does it try to. It’s an Adam Sandler movie. It’s primarily a comedy, as most Adam Sandler movies tend to be. It just happens to take place around Halloween and involves a lot of Halloween themes.

The premise is simple. Hubie Dubois is basically the town idiot at Salem, but he goes out of his way every year to keep his town safe during Halloween. He often gets a lot of crap for it because he’s very much a man-child, as is often the case with most characters played by Adam Sandler. However, he has a good heart and he manages to bumble his way into a serious issue that he helps resolve.

If that sounds overly generic, that’s only because I’m overly summarizing this movie without spoiling it. In addition, I don’t want to spoil it because it’s a much better movie than the premise or trailer would have you believe.

Yes, it is an Adam Sandler movie full of many Adam Sandler tropes.

Yes, it does utilize the standard formula that Adam Sandler has been using for years in his movies.

Yes, it’s still as enjoyable and entertaining as any Adam Sandler movie can be.

Moreover, it doesn’t try to be more than that. This isn’t an attempt to reinvent or revolutionize Halloween movies. It’s just a fun, goofy story about a guy getting in over his head during Halloween. There’s mystery, there’s comedy, and there’s plenty of heart. It doesn’t try to scare you. It just tries to delight and entertain you.

By and large, it succeeds. It’s not subtle in its approach. It relies heavily on slapstick comedy, as well as plenty of absurdities. It also doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s not trying to win an Oscar, win over critics, or set box office records. It’s just a delightfully entertaining movie on Netflix.

Watching it last Halloween did so much to boost my spirits after such a rough year. I knew there wouldn’t be many traditional Halloween activities. The most I could hope for was a steady diet of quality Halloween movies and I’m so glad I found this one.

To anyone out there looking for a new movie to enjoy this Halloween, I strongly recommend giving “Hubie Halloween” a chance. Say what you will about Adam Sandler and the types of movies he makes. They’re still fun and entertaining. After last year, we need more of that.

If you’re still not convinced, check out the trailer. We should all make an effort to enjoy Halloween this year. Let this movie be part of that.