Main Cast: Eddie Murphy, Eddie Murphy, Eddie Murphy, Thandie Newton, Eddie Griffin, Terry Crews
Release Year: 2007
Country: US
Run Time: 102 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG13
Plot
A meek and lovable milquetoast married to an overbearing, overweight tyrant finds his life turned upside down when he meets the woman of his dreams in this romantic comedy starring Eddie Murphy, Thandie Newton, Cuba Gooding Jr., and Eddie Griffin. His entire life, Norbit (Murphy) has been picked on and put down, and after being bullied into marrying the most obnoxious woman in town (also Murphy) it appears as if that's the way things will remain until the day he dies. Upon meeting the one woman who seems to accept him for who he is, Norbit is instilled with a newfound sense of hope for the future. In order to find true happiness, however, Norbit will first have to gather the courage to stand up to his monstrous spouse once and for all. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
Review
Eddie Murphy was considered the frontrunner to win his first Oscar for the supporting role of James "Thunder" Early in Dreamgirls. When he didn't, there were whispers it was because voters were subjected to the ads for Norbit while casting their ballots. Brian Robbins' film is indeed vulgar and disagreeable, but it's not hard to understand why Murphy developed this particular story (with brother Charlie). Thunder Early may have brought him acclaim from critics, but Murphy's own personal challenge has always been to see how many different character types he can mimic. With a career's worth of assistance from makeup artist Rick Baker, he's morphed into other sizes, races and genders like no one in movie history -- often, several per film. The problem in Norbit is that these additional characters, so sweet in the likes of Coming to America, have finally hit the level of just plain wrong. His 300+ pound Rasputia -- the focal point of every ad for Norbit -- is one of the most obscene creations ever committed to film, specifically offending blacks and overweight people, and generally offending everyone else with her unremittingly crude behavior. She drowns out all the film's attempts at sweetness, of which there are many, mostly compliments of a surely regretful Thandie Newton. Slightly less racially dubious, and slightly more stunning in terms of Baker's makeup work, is Murphy's turn as Mr. Wong, the owner of a Chinese restaurant/orphanage. It's not that Murphy isn't basically impressive in all three of his roles, including the bespectacled titular geek. There's no doubting his ability, even when it doesn't produce any laughter. What's in question is his ability to let good taste limit him where his own ambitions can't. Murphy will need to figure that out -- if he ever wants another shot at an Oscar, that is. ~ Derek Armstrong, All Movie Guide
Clifton Powell - Earl; Katt Williams - Lord Have Mercy; Lester '"Rasta" Speight - Blue; Anthony Russell - Giovanni; Floyd Levine - Abe the Tailor; Michael Colyar - Morris the Barber; Cuba Gooding, Jr. - Deion Hughes; Pat Crawford Brown - Mrs. Henderson; Jeanette Miller - Mrs. Coleman; Marlon Wayans - Buster; Alexis Rhee - Mrs. Ling Ling Wong; Khamani Griffin - Norbit Age 5; Austin Reid - Norbit Age 9; Lindsey Sims-Lewis - Rasputa Age 10; China Anderson - Kate Age 5; Kristen Schaal - Event Organizer; Rob Huebel - Excited Man on TV; Michael Vossler - Bullies; Travis Vossler - Bullies; Mason Knight - Boy at Schoolyard; Jonathan Robinson - Norbit Age 17; Yves Lola St. Vil - Rasputia Age 17; Richard Gant - Preacher; Susan Beaubian - Shop Owner; John Gatins - Attendant; Laura Ortiz - Teen Attendant; Miles Robbins - Kid at Water Park; Charlie Murphy - Floyd the Dog; Hayley Marie Norman - Ex-Wife; Sara Sanderson - Ex-Wife; Smith Cho - Ex-Wife; Esther Friedman - Beautician; Lonnie Henderson - Beautician; Carmen Rojas - Beautician; Marianne Muellerleile - Helga; Frank Langley IV - Puppeteer; Donald Johnson - Charlie; Greta Bommelje - kid; Jesse Mendel - Little Girl in the Pool; Kayren Wallace - Orphan Girl; Kendra McCulty - Moonbounce Kid; Amanda Sawyer - Moonbounce Kid; Cameron Ur - Moonbounce Kid; Lisa Marie Fernandez - Kissing Booth Girl; Taylor Kennedy - Basketball Kid; Hakeem Washington - Basketball Kid; Fumi Desalu - Booty Shaker Girl; Sammy B. Wills - Rib Shack Waitress; Shyann Shane Lee - Rib Shack Waitress; Richard Corgiat - Giovanni Staff Member; Marc De'Antone - Giovanni Staff Member; Vince Micelli - Giovanni Staff Member; Ollie Rasbury - Female Vocalist; Donald Bell - Male Vocalist; Ron Cole - Wedding Guest; Eurydice Davis - Wedding Guest; George Angelo - Bar Patron; Anthony Vela - Bar Patron; Virgil E. Carter - Norbit Photo Double; Lauren Miller - Rasputia Photo Double; Sally Stevens - Choir Member; Carmen Twillie - Choir Member; John West - Choir Member; Wendy Fraser - Choir Member; Terri Koide - Choir Member; Clydene Jackson-Edwards - Choir Member; Josef Powell - Choir Member; Kathryn Bostic - Choir Member; Maxine Waters - Choir Member; Terry Wood - Choir Member; Gerald White - Choir Member; Kipp Lennon - Choir Member; Darryl Phinnessee - Choir Member; Louis Price - Choir Member; Oren Waters - Choir Member; Craig L. Copeland - Choir Member; Bob Joyce - Choir Member; Guy Maeda - Choir Member; Alvin Chea - Choir Member; Donna Medine - Choir Member; Neisha Folkes - Dancer; Kristin Denelhy - Dancer; Lucas Raynaud - Dancer; Tyrell Washington - Dancer; Reginald Jackson - Dancer; Celestina Aladekoba - Dancer
Credit
Jay Pelissier - Art Director, Juel Bestrop - Casting, Seth Yanklewitz - Casting, Fatima Robinson - Choreography, Aakomon "AJ" Jones - Choreography, Molly Maginnis - Costume Designer, Lars P. Winther - First Assistant Director, Brian Robbins - Director, Andy Gill - Second Unit Director, Ned Bastille - Editor, Brian Robbins - Executive Producer, Mike Tollin - Executive Producer, David B. Householter - Executive Producer, John Panzarella - Location Manager, David Newman - Composer (Music Score), Debra Coleman - Makeup, Rick Baker - Makeup Special Effects, Cinovation Studios - Makeup Special Effects, Dan Turrett - Camera Operator, John "Buzz" Moyer - Camera Operator, Clay Griffith - Production Designer, Clark Mathis - Cinematographer, John Davis - Producer, Eddie Murphy - Producer, Josh Lusby - Set Designer, Barbara Mesney - Set Designer, Steve Nelson - Sound/Sound Designer, Andy Gill - Stunts Coordinator, David B. Householter - Unit Production Manager, Charlie Murphy - Screen Story, Eddie Murphy - Screen Story, Charlie Murphy - Screenwriter, Eddie Murphy - Screenwriter, Jay Scherick - Screenwriter, David Ronn - Screenwriter, Maurice K. McGuire - Second Unit Camera, Igor Meglic - Second Unit Camera, Nino Ponsini - Second Unit Camera, Michael Owens - Visual Effects Supervisor, Leandro Visconti - Visual Effects Supervisor, Page Rosenberg-Marvin - Production Coordinator, Michelle Morrissey - Production Supervisor, J.P. Jones - Properties Master, Mike Smithson - Prosthetic Makeup Effects, Clinton Wayne - Prosthetic Makeup Effects, Margaret Prentice - Prosthetic Makeup Effects, Bart Mixon - Prosthetic Makeup Effects, Jamie Kelman - Prosthetic Makeup Effects, Steve Prouty - Prosthetic Makeup Effects, Margie Latinopoulos - Prosthetic Makeup Effects, Chris Jenkins - Re-Recording Mixer, Frank A. Montaño - Re-Recording Mixer, Brenda Lopez - Script Supervisor, Gregory G. Hale - Second Assistant Director, Garry J. Elmendorf - Special Effects Coordinator, John "Buzz" Moyer - Steadicam Operator, Elliot Koretz - Supervising Sound Editor, Les Hunter - Visual Effects Producer, Larry Wallace - Chief Lighting Technician, Don Bixby - Chief Lighting Technician, Michael Villarino - Construction Coordinator, Sandy Kenyon - Costumes Supervisor, JoAnn Strafford-Chaney - Key Hairstylist, Doug Moreno - Production Accountant, Hammerhead Productions - Visual Effects, Digital Dimension - Visual Effects, Pacific Title & Art Studio - Visual Effects, Robert Greenfield - Set Decorator, David Heron - Special Effects Foreman, yU+Co - Title Design, Camille Friend - Department Head Hair, Melanie Hughes-Weaver - Department Head Makeup, David Kelley - Second Unit Second Assistant Director
Norbit Albert Rice (Eddie Murphy) and Kate Thomas (Thandie Newton), were best of friends in an orphanage as children but were separated. Norbit then meets Rasputia Latimore (Eddie Murphy), a morbidly obese, self-centered, overbearing, vain girl who makes Norbit her boyfriend. As they both grow up, Rasputia dominates every aspect of Norbit's life and they eventually marry. Rasputia mistreats, insults and dominates Norbit to ensure that she keeps him to herself.
Years later Norbit is performing a puppet show for the children at the orphanage when he sees Kate for the first time in years. Stunned by her, his affection for her returns. He is disappointed to find out that she is engaged to Deion Hughes (Cuba Gooding, Jr.), a sneaky, slick-talking businessman.
Rasputia finds out about Norbit and Kate's affection for each other and tries to prevent Norbit from talking to her. Things become more complicated when Norbit uncovers a plan by property developers to purchase their former orphanage. There is a confrontation where Norbit is assisted by the townspeople who pitch in to fight off Rasputia. Just when it looks like Rasputia is unstoppable, she is harpooned in the rear. This causes her to run away from the crowd, screaming in pain. She is followed out of town by her brothers, who are now being chased by the mob of townspeople.
Kate and Norbit buy the orphanage and get married under the tree that they once played as children. Rasputia and her brothers move to Mexico and open up the "El Nipplopolis" with Rasputia, who has become their most popular and lucrative stripper.
Reviews are overwhelmingly negative. Review aggregate website RottenTomatoes gave the film a score of 9%, based on 10 fresh reviews out of 116, and selected top critics giving it a combined score of only 4%. The consensus described Norbit as "a cruel, crass, stereotype-filled comedy that's more depressing than funny".[2] Metacritic gave the film a score of 27 based on 26 reviews which were generally unfavorable.[3]
Box office
Despite being critically slated the film was a success at the box office. The movie opened to $34.2 million in the United States and was Murphy's 14th #1 box office opener.[4]Norbit has grossed $95.7 million in North America and $63.6 million overseas for a total of $159.3 million worldwide, in comparison to its $65 million production cost.
Home media
Norbit was released on Blu-ray Disc, DVD, and HD DVD on June 5, 2007. Since HD DVD is discontinued, Norbit is remains available on Blu-ray and DVD.
