Summary
There are hundreds, if not thousands, of Christmas movies out there. But when it comes to Hanukkah, most people will struggle to name even a single film. That is precisely whereAdam Sandler’s Eight Crazy Nightscomes in. Released back in 2002, this movie actually featuredthe admirable Adam Sandler’sfirst-ever foray into the world of voice acting for the big screen.
Majorfans of classic Adam Sandler filmsare going to want to give this film a watch, whether they celebrate Hanukkah or not. There’s something for everyone to enjoy here (plus there are hints of Christmas sprinkled throughout). Inspired by Adam Sandler’s famous tune, “The Chanukah Song,“Eight Crazy Nightsmay surprise some by including a variety of musical numbers. Striving to marry heart and comedy for those who love Hanukkah, this infamous movie might be one that fans of the comedian may find themselves loving despite what the critics say.
76 minutes
$34 million
Box Office
$23.8 million
Davey Stone is a waste of potential, having become a crude and jerkish drunk in the small town of Dukesberry. He steals from a Chinese restaurant right off the bat and causes chaos throughout a musical number, before eventuallybeing arrested by the police. Instead of being sent to prison, a kind old man named Whitey Duvall steps in and suggests that Davey help him with his basketball referee job in order to give back to the community. Reluctant, but not wanting to go to jail, Davey begins his tentative partnership with Whitey, putting the old man one step closer to the coveted Dukesberry All-Star Patch he dreams of.
As one might expect from a troublemaker, Davey doesn’t do a great job, causing Whitey to have a seizure. To try to break through to Davey, Whitey takes him to his favorite place,the Dukesberry shopping mall, where Davey runs into his childhood crush Jennifer and her young son. After plenty of awful behavior from Davey, including turning Whitey into a poopsicle in the middle of his service to the town, the two slowly start to warm up to one another. Whitey and Davey play basketball with Jennifer’s son, Benjamin. Whitey brings Davey to his home to meet his sister Eleanore after his trailer is burned down, and things generally seem to be getting better for Davey.
Unfortunately, all of that changesone day at a skating rink. After putting in his vote for Whitey to earn the All-Star patch he wants so badly, Whitey begins to tell a story from Davey’s past, one that involves the death of his parents. Not willing to re-live his past pain, Davey lashes out at his new friends, storming off and being kicked out of Whitey’s home in the process. With nowhere left to turn, Davey goes back to the behavior he knows best.
What Is Eight Crazy Nights’ Rotten Tomatoes Score?
A fun, comedic animated adventure that blends the celebration of Hanukkah with a dash of Christmas may sound like a lot to love. However, it’s not uncommon for folks to dislike this movie. Of course, comedy is subjective, but the silly animated movie has only managed to garner a measly 13% from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, and a slightly better general audience score at 49%. When it comes to the split general audience, it seems like most people love the animation style. Adam Sandler’s older brand of crude comedy isn’t to everyone’s taste, and that particular sense of humor is key to finding this movie enjoyable.
On the flip side, the critics absolutely tore this movie apart on just about every level. Many critics call out the inclusion of major brands as a part of the movie, taking issues with the significant product placement that exists throughout. Many also criticized the juvenile humor, from a variety of toilet jokes to other over-the-top aspects that could have only ever worked in an animated form.Matthew Rozsa of Salonhad some harsh words forEight Crazy Nights, opening his critique with a serious scolding:
“There aren’t enough creative Yiddish insults in the world to adequately express how much I hate Adam Sandler’s “Eight Crazy Nights."”
How Does Eight Crazy Nights End?
After walking out on Whitey and Eleanore, Davey is left in a dark place. Reverting to his previous bad habits, Davey spends his time drinking heavily until he eventuallybreaks into the Dukesberry Mallto vent his anger. He lashes out at people who aren’t even there, until he begins to hallucinate a variety of big-name product mascots that come to life all around the mall. After a brief musical number, the mascots succeed in getting Davey to finally open up the Hanukkah card his parents had left him before their death. This finally forces him to confront the thing he feared the most: the loss of his parents.
Taking the words of his parents to heart, Davey lets all his emotions out and has a good cry, just in time for the police to arrive. After a quick escapetaking the cops by surprise, Davey’s getaway plans are foiled after his bus has its tires blown outside the building hosting the All-Star Banquet. Knowing he needs to make things right with those he hurt, Davey shows up in time to see Whitey lose, only to then remind the town how important Whitey is through song, though only after the old man has left.
With Whitey returning to the mall to confess his plans to leave Dukesberry for good, all seems lost. Luckily, Davey and the rest of the town are able to get to the mall in time in order to give Whitey his patch and many more for everything he’d done for them. Having officially made amends, Davey and Jennifer begin to rekindle their relationship and the film ends with Whitey having a bizarrely happy seizure.
