Norbit

Norbit is a 2007 American romantic comedy movie which stars Eddie Murphy in nearly every role. It is an uplifting story about life in the 'Hood, where everyone has an absurd Ebonic given name; also pimping, humping bitches, running scams, and living in fear of the bigger dawgs. A subplot, in which two people obviously destined for one another are engaged or married to others, was added to provide some interest for white folks.

The film overcame the obstacle that having Murphy play every part would require him to fuck himself literally, in addition to the figurative servicing he got for helping bankroll this dog. Happily, Hollywood has plenty of stunt actors willing to fill the hole. The Golden Raspberry Awards gave Murphy sloppy seconds, thirds, and fourths, declaring him the year's worst actor, three times over.

The film is similar to Atlas Shrugged in that all the important people in the world seem to know each other and run into one another at the same diner. Unlike that other screen gem, however, Norbit nearly recouped its investment.

Plot

So, Norbit (Eddie Murphy) is in an orphanage with Kate (Eddie Murphy, again), the only character in this world with a normal first name. But the two are separated and Norbit marries fat dominatrix Rasputia (Eddie Murphy, still again) and the two (actually, the one) have a totally one-sided marriage, saved from tragedy only by the fact that Norbit is always on top in bed. The discerning moviegoer can leave after ten minutes and know how things worked out.

As well as being abused by his wife, Norbit is abused by his wife's brothers in the workplace. Eventually, as he gives a puppet show back at the orphanage, it is revealed that Norbit resents all the mistreatment.

Norbit encounters Kate again, by chance, but she is now engaged to a con artist. Norbit woos her using, of course, multiple con artists: pimps aptly named Pope Sweet Jesus and Lord Have Mercy, whose day job is to procure sexual relief for devout Christians.

The plot thickens, or at least widens, as Rasputia's brothers plan to buy the orphanage to build a competing whore-house, resulting in enough catteries to make moviegoers sneeze, and dooming Kate to a bleak future servicing white Republicans. Separately, Norbit and Kate reveal themselves as too stupid to find real love when it's right in front of them, repeatedly driving each other away "for their own good." Norbit is locked in a basement, but escapes to attend Kate's wedding and avail himself of the moment in the ceremony where the minister asks for objections, as Norbit's race to the chapel allowed for multiple stops to gather up all the victims of the groom's previous scams. Kate's fiancé runs away and Kate and Norbit prepare to live as two eternally in love (actually, as one eternally in self-love), provided they can work out the legalities of Norbit divorcing himself to re-marry himself. The saving grace to this climax is that the cinema is, by now, deserted.

Rating

Eddie Murphy smokes crack cocaine throughout the movie and is always seen with PCP tablets. The movie's opening scene features 194 utterances of "fuck," 161 of "shit," and dozens of more minor obscenities and vulgarities. Director Brian Robbins said these flourishes were important for "characterization," and indeed the film received a PG rating and was called "the family film to watch for 2007."

  Comedy films  

A Man Getting Hit in the Crotch 800 Times (2006) ♦ Amadeus (1984) ♦ American Graffiti (4 BBY) ♦ The Aristokatz (2005) ♦ Baby Geniuses (1999) ♦ The Big Lebowski (1998) ♦ The Boondock Saints (1999) ♦ The Brothers Solomon (2007) ♦ Carry On Film (1970) ♦ Cohenheads (1993) ♦ Dude, Where's My Time Machine? (2000) ♦ Evan Almighty (2007) ♦ Expelled (2014) ♦ Goat Musters (1984) ♦ Ghostbusters III (2010) ♦ Happy Land 2 (2011) ♦ Home Alone (1990-something) ♦ Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992) ♦ I Am Legend (1845) ♦ The Mask (1994) ♦ Norbit (2007) ♦ Osmosis Jones (2001) ♦ Raging Bull (1980) ♦ Requiem for a Dream (2000) ♦ Reservoir Dogs (1992) ♦ There's Something About Mary (1998) ♦ Uh oh! (1996) ♦ Withnail and I (1987)