NORBIT, starring Eddie Murphy as the title character and Rasputia, Norbit’s overbearing, obese wife is a crude and offensive comedy. There is little to recommend about this film, other than the fantastic makeup which transforms Murphy from dweep to dominatrix. The jokes are mean spirited, racist, crude and just plain ugly.
Kate (Thandie Newton) and Norbit were two kids growing up in an orphanage until Kate was adopted and moved away. Norbit was taken in by Rasputia and her three bullying brothers.
Grateful to belong, he readily accepted his role as Rasputia’s boyfriend and later, her husband. Until Kate returned and Norbit tried to escape from Rasputia’s iron fisted grip. The humor is limited to sight gags, all at the expense of Rasputia - is it any wonder she is surly and unpleasant?
In addition to Norbit, Kate and Rasputia, the cast is an assemblage of stereotypes; Eddie Griffin as a zoot suited pimp; Cuba Gooding as a charming con man; or Murphy (enough already!) as an Asian restaurant owner Mr. Wong.
It’s a shame that talented actors like Cuba Gooding Jr. (Jerry McGuire, As Good as it Gets) and Thandie Newton (Crash, Pursuit of Happyness) were involved in this movie because they seemed to be of a higher caliber, as actors and human beings. Murphy has long waded in a swallow pool of talent and it seems his limited resources are drying up.
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