Is ‘Hubie Halloween’ Adam Sandler’s “worst movie ever”?

Some of Adam Sandler’s best work happens when he doesn’t try so hard. Though Hubie Halloween can’t be compared with some of Sandler’s other classics also featuring his dumb schtick, it’s one of his better films in some time because Sandler goes back to doing what he knows best: straight comedy.

During his run for an Oscar, Sandler seemed to think that he had an award in the bag for Uncut Gems, and vowed to Howard Stern that if he didn’t win an Academy Award for his film, he was going to create his worst film yet on purpose. Thankfully, Hubie Halloween is the beginning of the Halloween fun everyone needed after such an abysmal year.

Blast from the past

Right off the bat, Hubie Dubois (Adam Sandler) comes off as the Bobby Boucher of Salem, Massachusetts. While he’s the nicest guy in town, he’s treated badly by everyone and gets harassed constantly while on his bike. To protect himself, Hubie carries a thermos filled with tricks such as a screwdriver, flare gun, and a grappling hook.

With the nice-guy-with-a-speech-impediment act that takes audiences back to a 90s Adam Sandler, Hubie serves as Salem’s local snitch that is obsessed & terrified of Halloween. Because of his nosy nature, he gets thrown into the chaos of Halloween with an escaped convict, a mysterious new neighbor, and a string of disappearances.

The wacky mom act in Hubie Halloween was also a call-back to Water Boy as the adorable June Squibb kept audiences laughing with her inappropriate t-shirts that read “Boner Killer” & “If you can read this, you’re in fart range.” No matter how uncouth they may be, everyone can appreciate a good boner or fart joke once in a while.

Comedy star-studded cast

Besides Uncut Gems, Sandler’s works aren’t generally known to be “critically acclaimed,” which is why expectations for Hubie Halloween shouldn’t have been too high. Nevertheless, watching Sandler goofing with the star-studded cast of Hubie Halloween was the kind of refreshing fun needed for the Halloween season.

With stars like Steve Buscemi, Julie Bowen, Maya Rudolph, Kevin James, and Shaquille O’Neal, the cast offers an enjoyable watch that makes Hubie Halloween a cut above other mediocre Sandler films.

The ugly side

While this is in no way Sandler’s worst movie, it does feature the actor in a part similar to the other man-boy roles he’s played in the past. The gags follow Sandler’s typical standards but also showcase him having fun with what he knows works for him by creating something simple and available for some quick laughs. 

Because of the film’s predictability and familiar surroundings, a lot of the entertainment has to rely on the elements & aesthetic of Halloween, which may not appeal to some people. If seeing Steve Buscemi as a werewolf or watching Sandler be scared as a grown man with wrinkles and grayed stubble doesn’t sound appealing, then this isn’t the movie for you. 

Going by ratings

Hubie Halloween has a 50% rating on Rotten Tomatoes – a better score than many of his other movies. Sandler’s even landed a 0% with The Ridiculous 6 back in 2015, marking Hubie Halloween as a huge improvement. 

Saying the Hubie Halloween is the worst is a stretch. It shouldn’t be classified as good or bad, just typical Adam Sandler.