Just Sandler's recent impressive dramatic work, it did provide a good bit of light-hearted fun for the season.
The film stars Sandler as Hubie Dubois, a good-hearted but relentlessly mocked resident of Salem who does his best to make sure every citizen is safe on Halloween. Though not everyone is a fan of Sandler's brand of comedy, Hubie Halloween did pack some big laughs with its slapstick humor, one-liners, and some really fun cameos.
The Hennesseys At The Drive-In
The combination of Maya Rudolph and Tim Meadows is a pretty solid recipe for laughs. These two comedic geniuses play the Hennesseys, a married couple who only seem to get along when they are tormenting poor Hubie.
While at the drive-in, Mr. Hennessey tries to seduce his wife using his costume, which makes it look like he is holding his own head. In a hilariously weird moment, he actually begins sucking on his fake fingers. Mrs. Hennessey is both disgusted and confused about why he would think she'd find that attractive.
DJ Aurora's Identity Revealed
Throughout the film, there is a sort of narration provided by the local radio host, DJ Aurora. As the town gets ready for the Halloween celebrations, DJ Aurora provides soulful and soft commentary while remaining unseen.
After being suspected of being the killer on the loose, Hubie makes a run for it into the woods. He eventually reaches the radio station where he meets Aurora, playing by none other than NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal. Given the voice we had been hearing all alone, this was very unexpected.
Mr. Lambert's Suspicious Behavior
Hubie doesn't get much respect in his town despite his friendly nature. However, his new neighbor Walter Lambert (Steve Buscemi) is kind to him right away. Walter introduces himself and even invites Hubie and his mother over for dinner. But the fact that he tells Hubie to just ignore any strange sounds he in the house is a red flag.
The film has a great time building up the suspicion of Walter in not-so-subtle ways. Hubie later sees him boarding up all of his windows. When asked about it, Walter explains he felt a draft.
Ugly Cat
Someone else who treats Hubie with kindness is Violet Valentine, the girl he has had a crush on since they were in school together. Violet isn't afraid to stick up for Hubie when others mistreat him.
After Hubie heroically saves a cat, the cat's owner yells at him. Violet steps in by threatening to beat her with her own ugly cat. The shocked reaction of the cat is one of the best sight gags in the whole movie.
Walter And Ritchie
There are a lot of foreboding threats in the town that Hubie has to deal with. Not only are people going missing, but he begins to suspect Walter much like Michael Myers in Halloween.
As these threats continue to build, they both come to a rather unexpected conclusion. As it turns out, Walter is just a guy who thinks he is a werewolf and glues hair to himself. Ritchie Hartman is his roommate at the mental institution who escaped to bring his friend back. Their friendly reunion is hilarious and sort of charming.
Harley Quinns
While much of the movie's humor could not be considered subtle, there was one running gag that is a pretty solid bit of observational humor about modern Halloween trends. During a news broadcast about the Salem Halloween celebrations, viewers see various of the news team all dressed as Harley Quinn.
It is a small yet clever gag about how some trendy costumes can get oversaturated each Halloween season. It's the perfect joke for a Halloween movie.
Hubie's School Assembly
Not only does Hubie get taunted by the adults of Salem, but he cannot even get any respect from the youngsters either. In his continued quest to be a good citizen, Hubie comes to the local school to talk to the kids about staying safe during Halloween.
It doesn't start off well with Hubie arriving dressed as a ghost. Not only does the costume not impress the children but one of them loudly points out the stains on the bedsheet. Things go downhill from there, ending with the children throwing their lunches at him. Even one of the teachers suggests Hubie has overstayed his welcome.
Hubie Interrupts A Funeral
While Hubie doesn't deserve all the mistreatment he gets for just being a nice guy, he can be a bit clueless at times. When he gets excited by the Halloween festivities and the various strange occurrences in his town, he can take things a bit far.
After noticing a grave in the cemetery that has Walter Lambert's name on it, Hubie decides to investigate further. Unfortunately, he fails to notice the funeral burial happening close by. As the somber ceremony continues, Hubie shovels dirt that flies all over Father Dave and the mourners.
Throwing Stuff At Hubie
It's safe to say that no one involved in this movie is overly concerned with realism or even making sense of things. This allows the humor to sometimes enter a wonderful absurd realm.
In one of the running gags of the film, Hubie bikes around town while having to dodge the various objects people throw at him, with the objects gradually getting more and more ridiculous. The joke reaches its craziest point when Hubie is running through the woods and bears begin throwing things at him.
The Ben Stiller Cameo
While Hubie Halloween is funny enough, it doesn't compare to some of Sandler's best comedies, such as Billy Madison and Happy Gilmore. However, this new film does offer some fun nods to other Sandler films, including a great cameo to kick things off.
The film begins in a mental institution where the audience meets an orderly, played by Ben Stiller. But to make it even funnier, it is the same orderly character Stiller played in his cameo role from Happy Gilmore. This provides a pretty big laugh for any fans of that classic.