Norbit (2007)

Directed by: Brian Robbins | 102 minutes | comedy, romance | Actors: Eddie Murphy, Thandie Newton, Terry Crews, Clifton Powell, Mighty Rasta, Cuba Gooding Jr., Eddie Griffin, Katt Williams, Floyd Levine, Anthony Russell, Pat Crawford Brown, Jeanette Miller, Michael Colyar, Marlon Wayans, Alexis Rhee, Khamani Griffin, Austin Reed, Lindsey Sims-Lewis, China Anderson, Jonathan Robinson, Yves Lola St. Vil

It has been known for some time that Eddie Murphy likes to play multiple roles within one film. In the comedy ‘Norbit’ he takes on the role of three characters. Murphy plays the old Chinese Wong, the wimpy orphan Norbit and his battleship of a woman Rasputia. In addition, Murphy is partly responsible for the script and acts as a co-producer.

That large part of Murphy certainly did not lead to a nice film. Since the plot of ‘Norbit’ is negligible, this comedy depends entirely on the quality of the humor. And that one is to cry. For ‘Norbit’ Murphy once again put on a fat suit (see ‘The Nutty Professor’) but this time as a woman. Really all the jokes you can come up with about fat women come here. From a dip in the pool to waxing a bikini line. Those jokes are not only bland and childish, but they are also jokes that you have already seen a hundred times.

Even more annoying is the appearance of the main character. Rasputia is an unsympathetic, foul-mouthed, aggressive and violent person, that after every brutal action a hysterical ‘how you doing?’ let hear. That catchphrase will undoubtedly be meant to be funny, but after three times the fun wears off and it becomes terribly annoying. At least as irritating is the rudeness of the humor. Crude humor can of course be fun, provided there is an intelligent idea behind it (check ‘Bad Santa’, ‘South Park’ or the television series ‘Bottom’). In the case of ‘Norbit’ the humor is of the painfully stupid kind, making the rudeness rather rude and repulsive. It’s the kind of humor you get when you have a group of twelve-year-olds write a screenplay: lots of sex, farts and stupid violence.

For example, ‘Norbit’ is a childish and unsympathetic comedy, in which you can discover exactly one successful joke. The only ones who still deserve a compliment are the grime people and those responsible for the characters’ names. But you have to be a diehard Eddie Murphy fan to enjoy this one. For most others, the 102 minutes of ‘Norbit’ mainly provide a lot of annoyance and headache.