Norbit
Norbit 1/2*
Directed by Brian Robbins
Written by Jay Scherick, David Ronn, Eddie Murphy, and Charles Q. Murphy
Starring:
Eddie Murphy as Norbit
Eddie Murphy as Rasputia
Eddie Murphy as Mr. Wong
Thandie Newton as Kate
Terry Crews as Big Jack
Cuba Gooding Jr. as Deion Hughes
Eddie Griffin as Pope Sweet Jesus
102 Minutes(Rated PG-13 for crude and sexual humor, some nudity and language.)
-------------------------------
Just two or three weeks after getting a nomination from the Academy, Eddie Murphy goes and screws it up by making "Norbit," a painfully unfunny two hours which brings Murphy back to an act that he did about ten years ago. The new age of Eddie Murphy that many thought would begin with "Dreamgirls" is dead already-and it hasn't even been two months. "Norbit" is a failure on every level that it attempts-it fails as a comedy because, simply put, neither the jokes nor the comedy is funny. It fails as a romance because it was ridiculous. It isn't even worthy of a little pure dumb fun at the movies. I don't think I laughed a single time in the entire hour and forty minute run time, and I was angry my cell phone battery was dead because I really wanted to know how much more time I had to sit through this drivel. Instead, I had to wait it out. I had to wait out every single painful minute.
"Norbit" introduces us to Norbit, the nice, sweet natured man whose luck is just a little down on him at the moment. As a baby, Norbit was abandoned and brought to Mr. Wong's orphanage. Norbit was raised with the others kids, but made real close friends with Kate-and they would do everything together, including going to the bathroom which is just a little strange. However, Kate was adopted by a couple, and Norbit was adopted too-only not by a couple, but by Rasputia, a rather large and scary looking little girl who decides that Norbit will be her boyfriend. Norbit is terrified of her brothers, three lumber salesmen, and eventually he ends up marrying Rasputia. At his wedding, her brother Big Jack threatens Norbit, telling him that if he ever makes his sister sad or angry, he will be killed. Norbit is picked on by Rasputia-who casually cheats on him with her dance teacher, is rude and crude, and not to mention-about 500 pounds, but claims that she is only 165. Norbit lives through this, even though the rest of the town can plainly see the problem. And then one day, when he is at the edge of his rope, he is reunited with Kate, who plans on buying the orphanage from Mr. Wong, who is getting old in the years. Norbit is elated by Kate's return, but not so happy when he finds out that she is getting married. From that moment on, Norbit begins to re-fall in love with Kate, try to get rid of Raputia, and also try to evade her brothers, who are plotting with Kate's fiancee to gain control of the orphanage, and turn it into a strip club.
"Norbit" isn't just bad, it's pitiful. It just isn't funny seeing Eddie Murphy don a fat suit in drag as much as you would think. It may be just me, but I never found the whole "drag" thing funny-unless it's done in a classy way like in "Some Like It Hot," or even "The Birdcage." In this case, it isn't funny, it's just a little creepy. I began to dread every scene with Rasputia, and it isn't because she is just a pain to be around, it's because it was painful to have to watch Murphy put himself through this. Considering he was just nominated for an Oscar, and also a big contender to go home with the gold, I hope that the Academy Award voters neglect to watch "Norbit," because if they did they might want to reconsider. Murphy should have timed this flick just a little better. Murphy plays three roles-the kind Norbit, the even Rasputia, and also the Chinese Mr. Wong-although him playing Mr. Wong took me about twenty minutes or so to realize. None of these roles offer anything special, or even memorable. Norbit is decent, but he is supposed to be. Rasputia and Wong are supposed to be funny, and they don't even do that well.
The supporting cast doesn't take any prizes home either. I may have not agreed with all the roles Thandie Newton has taken, but she is a decent actress. And what is Cuba Gooding Jr. doing here? Here's another actor that goes from Oscar gold to "Norbit." And. . . oh sorry Eddie Griffin. Nobody cares about you anymore. This isn't 2002. . . . you can go home now. I don't mind a good dumb comedy once in a while, but "Norbit" isn't comedic, it's just dumb. It's painful to watch. Oh, and it's so so long. It never wants to end. The last ten minutes especially drag on and on for what seems like an eternity. My eyelids got heavy, and when it was finally over I bolted out of the theatre like it was on fire. Oh how I hated "Norbit." It's not even the end of the second month of the year yet-there's still ten more left, and I already have a leading contender for the worst movie of the year. Shame on you Eddie Murphy. I almost want to smash that Oscar you might win next week just because of this. Avoid "Norbit" as if your life depended on it.
Directed by Brian Robbins
Written by Jay Scherick, David Ronn, Eddie Murphy, and Charles Q. Murphy
Starring:
Eddie Murphy as Norbit
Eddie Murphy as Rasputia
Eddie Murphy as Mr. Wong
Thandie Newton as Kate
Terry Crews as Big Jack
Cuba Gooding Jr. as Deion Hughes
Eddie Griffin as Pope Sweet Jesus
102 Minutes(Rated PG-13 for crude and sexual humor, some nudity and language.)
-------------------------------
Just two or three weeks after getting a nomination from the Academy, Eddie Murphy goes and screws it up by making "Norbit," a painfully unfunny two hours which brings Murphy back to an act that he did about ten years ago. The new age of Eddie Murphy that many thought would begin with "Dreamgirls" is dead already-and it hasn't even been two months. "Norbit" is a failure on every level that it attempts-it fails as a comedy because, simply put, neither the jokes nor the comedy is funny. It fails as a romance because it was ridiculous. It isn't even worthy of a little pure dumb fun at the movies. I don't think I laughed a single time in the entire hour and forty minute run time, and I was angry my cell phone battery was dead because I really wanted to know how much more time I had to sit through this drivel. Instead, I had to wait it out. I had to wait out every single painful minute.
"Norbit" introduces us to Norbit, the nice, sweet natured man whose luck is just a little down on him at the moment. As a baby, Norbit was abandoned and brought to Mr. Wong's orphanage. Norbit was raised with the others kids, but made real close friends with Kate-and they would do everything together, including going to the bathroom which is just a little strange. However, Kate was adopted by a couple, and Norbit was adopted too-only not by a couple, but by Rasputia, a rather large and scary looking little girl who decides that Norbit will be her boyfriend. Norbit is terrified of her brothers, three lumber salesmen, and eventually he ends up marrying Rasputia. At his wedding, her brother Big Jack threatens Norbit, telling him that if he ever makes his sister sad or angry, he will be killed. Norbit is picked on by Rasputia-who casually cheats on him with her dance teacher, is rude and crude, and not to mention-about 500 pounds, but claims that she is only 165. Norbit lives through this, even though the rest of the town can plainly see the problem. And then one day, when he is at the edge of his rope, he is reunited with Kate, who plans on buying the orphanage from Mr. Wong, who is getting old in the years. Norbit is elated by Kate's return, but not so happy when he finds out that she is getting married. From that moment on, Norbit begins to re-fall in love with Kate, try to get rid of Raputia, and also try to evade her brothers, who are plotting with Kate's fiancee to gain control of the orphanage, and turn it into a strip club.
"Norbit" isn't just bad, it's pitiful. It just isn't funny seeing Eddie Murphy don a fat suit in drag as much as you would think. It may be just me, but I never found the whole "drag" thing funny-unless it's done in a classy way like in "Some Like It Hot," or even "The Birdcage." In this case, it isn't funny, it's just a little creepy. I began to dread every scene with Rasputia, and it isn't because she is just a pain to be around, it's because it was painful to have to watch Murphy put himself through this. Considering he was just nominated for an Oscar, and also a big contender to go home with the gold, I hope that the Academy Award voters neglect to watch "Norbit," because if they did they might want to reconsider. Murphy should have timed this flick just a little better. Murphy plays three roles-the kind Norbit, the even Rasputia, and also the Chinese Mr. Wong-although him playing Mr. Wong took me about twenty minutes or so to realize. None of these roles offer anything special, or even memorable. Norbit is decent, but he is supposed to be. Rasputia and Wong are supposed to be funny, and they don't even do that well.
The supporting cast doesn't take any prizes home either. I may have not agreed with all the roles Thandie Newton has taken, but she is a decent actress. And what is Cuba Gooding Jr. doing here? Here's another actor that goes from Oscar gold to "Norbit." And. . . oh sorry Eddie Griffin. Nobody cares about you anymore. This isn't 2002. . . . you can go home now. I don't mind a good dumb comedy once in a while, but "Norbit" isn't comedic, it's just dumb. It's painful to watch. Oh, and it's so so long. It never wants to end. The last ten minutes especially drag on and on for what seems like an eternity. My eyelids got heavy, and when it was finally over I bolted out of the theatre like it was on fire. Oh how I hated "Norbit." It's not even the end of the second month of the year yet-there's still ten more left, and I already have a leading contender for the worst movie of the year. Shame on you Eddie Murphy. I almost want to smash that Oscar you might win next week just because of this. Avoid "Norbit" as if your life depended on it.
posted by Eric at
10:00 PM
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