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After his charismatic, Oscar-nominated turn in Dreamgirls, Eddie Murphy's follow-up film,Norbit, was a disappointment to say the least. Eddie does work hard here, playing three separate roles in this broad romantic comedy that ineffectively tries to balance slapstick with genuine characters.
Murphy plays Norbit, a small-town nerd trapped in a marriage to an overweight, overbearing shrew named Rasputia (also Murphy)whose unexpected reunion with his childhood sweetheart (Thandie Newton)who has moved back to town, thrusts him in the middle of a convoluted love triangle. Murphy is also unrecognizable as Mr.Wong,the owner of the orphanage where Norbit grew up.
There are scattered laughs here and there, but the film does have problems like a really lame screenplay that could have used some tightening (the film is about 20 minutes too long) and the fact that the character of Rasputia has no redeeming qualities whatsoever and a good comic villain(ness)needs some element of sympathy and Rasputia has none.
On the plus side, Murphy is adorable as Norbit, the sweetest character Murphy has done since Sherman Klump and Newton is a lovely leading lady. There are also a pair of scene stealing supporting turns from Eddie Griffin and Kat Williams as a pair of pimps turned rib shack owners and Cuba Gooding Jr. is seen to good advantage in his best role since winning an Oscar for JERRY MAGUIRE, but the story is so silly and the character of Rasputia is so repulsive that it's difficult to commit to the story, but Eddie definitely gets an "A" for effort.
Murphy plays Norbit, a small-town nerd trapped in a marriage to an overweight, overbearing shrew named Rasputia (also Murphy)whose unexpected reunion with his childhood sweetheart (Thandie Newton)who has moved back to town, thrusts him in the middle of a convoluted love triangle. Murphy is also unrecognizable as Mr.Wong,the owner of the orphanage where Norbit grew up.
There are scattered laughs here and there, but the film does have problems like a really lame screenplay that could have used some tightening (the film is about 20 minutes too long) and the fact that the character of Rasputia has no redeeming qualities whatsoever and a good comic villain(ness)needs some element of sympathy and Rasputia has none.
On the plus side, Murphy is adorable as Norbit, the sweetest character Murphy has done since Sherman Klump and Newton is a lovely leading lady. There are also a pair of scene stealing supporting turns from Eddie Griffin and Kat Williams as a pair of pimps turned rib shack owners and Cuba Gooding Jr. is seen to good advantage in his best role since winning an Oscar for JERRY MAGUIRE, but the story is so silly and the character of Rasputia is so repulsive that it's difficult to commit to the story, but Eddie definitely gets an "A" for effort.