The year was 2007 and Eddie Murphy was coming off multiple award nominations for his role in Dreamgirls. He followed it up with Norbit a film that isn't exactly great. It was made of "hideously offensive black stereotypes," "confirms that Eddie Murphy fears and loathes women," and "it probably isn't possible for a single movie to reverse all social progress made since the Civil Rights era, but Norbit, the latest broadside from Eddie Murphy, does its best to turn back the clock."
As a child living in the Golden Wonton restaurant and orphanage Norbit is a nerdy young man in love with Kate another orphan at the restaurant. However, Kate is adopted and Norbit is left alone to fend for himself. He's terrible at it, but one day a girl named Rasputia comes to his rescue. From then on, she protects him. In the end, they get married. It's an abusive relationship as Rasputia mentally and physically abuses Norbit who is afraid of her, all while she cheats on him.
Norbit gets upset for once, and tosses his wedding ring. He also does a puppet show mimicking the abuse. His mood changes when he runs into Kate who is buying the orphanage, however she's with her fiance. Norbit enlists his friends Pope Sweet Jesus and Lord Have Mercy who used to pimps to help him date Kate in secret. On one occasion they rehearse Kate's wedding and kiss, where she considers leaving her fiance for Norbit.
When Norbit returns home, he learned that Rasputia saw the whole thing. When Norbit gets home Rasputia confronts him. She threatens to pour acid over Kate's face if Norbit ever sees her again. Norbit then tries to force Kate out of his life by being mean to her. He himself decides to move out of the city. It's revealed to Norbit that Kate's fiance marries well off women, then divorces them taking their funds.
Norbit makes it to the wedding and reveals the scheme. Norbit is attacked but his friends and family defend him. Rasputia and her brothers fight through the crowd to get to Norbit and Kate. But, Mr. Wong shoots her with a harpoon. In the end Kate and Norbit get married under their favorite tree at the orphanage. Rasputia moves to Mexico and becomes a famous stripper.
The thing about these 2000s movies from Eddie Murphy isn't that they're terrible, except Pluto Nash and 1000 Words. The biggest thing is that the comedy is outdated. Eddie was still dressing up as an old Asian Man and he didn't really need to be an old Asian Man. Honestly, Norbit is pretty funny but every now and then there's a moment where you're kind of grimace. A lot of people were upset about the fat jokes towards Rasputia, but it was either going to be that or jokes about how her abusing Norbit were funny and I'd rather go with the fat jokes. Still, the gorilla jokes may have been a bit much.
Were things outdated? For sure. Did it push the Civil Rights Movement back decades as some people claimed? Not at all. There are funny moments throughout the film. Even if it doesn't come together perfectly, it isn't going to force Black people to start sitting in the back of the bus again.
You can check out some of my fiction at 12 AM Fiction or follow my web serial Exsanguinate and of course hear me on the Powerbomb Jutsu podcast.
Follow @OriginalKingD
