The Adam Sandler Mystery Comedy That Netflix Fans Are Rewatching In 2021
From "Jack and Jill" to "Uncut Gems," Adam Sandler's career has been a rollercoaster. The actor shines in comedies, best known for his leading roles in the quintessential nineties films such as "Billy Madison," "Happy Gilmore," and "The Wedding Singer." However, not all of his comedy ventures have been as successful. For instance, the video game-inspired "Pixels," the satirical "Sandy Wexler," and the self-descriptive "Murder Mystery" failed to impress critics. Of course, Sandler fans know what they're going to get when it comes to the actor's work, and not everyone is looking for a technically flawless film.
His October 2020 release, "Hubie Halloween," is a family-friendly holiday adventure starring Kevin James, Julie Bowen, Ray Liotta, Rob Schneider, and Maya Rudolph. The Netflix film also features appearances from Shaquille O'Neal and Steve Buscemi. Unfortunately, even this star-studded cast was not enough to fend off the negative reviews. Fortunately, in spite of this, Netflix viewers have been rewatching "Hubie Halloween," and it seems to have found a devoted following.
Hubie Halloween is getting another chance
Adam Sandler's "Hubie Halloween" follows Salem's town fool Hubie Dubois (Adam Sandler), a self-appointed Halloween Monitor, as the locals cruelly prank him on his favorite holiday. Between the pranks, the mysterious new neighbor, an escaped convict on the prowl, and the kidnappings that begin to occur, Hubie is in over his head.
The 2020 film, described by critic Brian Tallerico of RogerEbert.com as "generally entertaining enough to be harmless," proved to be was a miss for many viewers. It had largely negative reviews, and holds a 52% on the Tomatometer (via Rotten Tomatoes). Despite its initial reception, though, many Netflix fans have been revisiting the film one year later, and finding a surprisingly sweet message buried in the film that keeps them hooked. This year, to celebrate Halloween, Sandler shared a video to Instagram of himself meeting fans while in character. "I've seen 'Hubie' no less than fifteen times in the past year," exclaims one fan, after getting a helmet signed.
Additionally, the post's comment section is full of fans gushing about their families enjoying the film. It may not have been a success in 2020, but it seems like "Hubie Halloween" has found an adoring, niche audience.