Common Sense Media Review
By Jennifer Green
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Crass, mean-spirited Halloween tale has cursing, bullying.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Hubie Halloween
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 34 parent reviews
Based on 80 kid reviews
Kids say this movie is a mixed bag, balancing crude humor and inappropriate jokes with positive messages about kindness and self-acceptance. While some find it entertaining and funny, others criticize its reliance on offensive humor and a lack of a solid plot, suggesting it may not be suitable for younger audiences due to its mature themes and occasional scary moments.
- crude humor
- positive messages
- mixed reviews
- not for young kids
- entertaining to some
- inappropriate jokes
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
HUBIE HALLOWEEN's Hubie Dubois (Adam Sandler) considers himself responsible for monitoring activities every Halloween in his historic hometown of Salem, Massachusetts. Hubie still lives with his mom (June Squibb) and carries a multipurpose Thermos with him everywhere, which—combined with his nosiness and extreme dedication to rule-following—makes him the target of constant bullying by town locals. The only people who see his kind heart are his mom and his childhood crush, Violet Valentine (Julie Bowen). As Halloween hits this year, Hubie grapples with a new and suspicious neighbor (Steve Buscemi), an asylum patient on the run (Rob Schneider), and people disappearing in strange ways.
Is It Any Good?
Nobody plays a kindhearted but simpleminded character like Sandler, which this mediocre movie proves once again. Though, really, it's more than time for Sandler to quit playing characters who are implied to have an intellectual disability or autism. Squarely targeting the teen/tween audience, Hubie Halloween offers a mishmash of holiday hijinks, potty talk, anatomical humor, and celebrity cameos. Viewers are expected to laugh as Hubie is bullied and insulted for an hour and a half. The onslaught of meanness is intended to make his largesse at the end of the movie that much more heroic, and the near absence of redeeming qualities in other characters is meant to make their ultimate confessions of insecurities more satisfying. But none of it is particularly funny or impactful. It's mostly tiring, sometimes disturbing, and, at moments, very insensitive.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the moral of Hubie Halloween. Did the townsfolk learn their lesson?
Did Hubie remind you of any other characters played by Adam Sandler? How are they similar? How is Hubie different?
How is bullying portrayed? Do you think it's ever funny to see someone get bullied? What can you do if you or someone you know is being bullied?
What other Halloween movies do you know? Do you have any favorites you like to rewatch during the holiday? What makes something "rewatchable," and does Hubie Halloween have that quality?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : October 7, 2020
- Cast : Adam Sandler , Julie Bowen , Steve Buscemi
- Director : Stephen Brill
- Studio : Netflix
- Genre : Comedy
- Topics : Holidays ( Halloween )
- Run time : 102 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : crude and suggestive content, language and brief teen partying.
- Award : Kids' Choice Award
- Last updated : September 21, 2026
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