Norbit

First let me say ... I am an Eddie Murphy fan. I think he's a comic genius. And that's why I was so surprised to see him star in and even write such a low level and offensive comedy.

The first few minutes of the film started out with a little promise, but it didn't take long for the film to fall to such a low level that I cringed from early in until the movie was over. And even though I watched to nearly the end, I demanded my money back. It's only the second time I've ever done that, and I'm an avid film goer.

What was so offensive? I don't know where to begin. Most obviously, every "fat" gag in the book was used. Eddie Murphy plays an overweight woman who is ugly and evil, and every nasty thing you can think to say about her is said. To make it worse, the leading lady is Thandie Newton who is extremely thin, which only goes to further emphasize the other extreme.

Maybe Eddie Murphy thought he could get away with this because he shows, in The Nutty Professor, how an overweight man can "get the girl". But, really, that just shows the extreme double standard that remains when it comes to overweight men versus women.

Now, I'm a realist, and I know that the double standard is not Eddie Murphy's fault. Still, he plays on it here in such a nasty way that it offended me, an open minded, in-shape male. And for those who argue that it's the character's attitude and not her weight that made her "the bad guy", then why make her fat in the first place. And why have so many nasty fat jokes.

The movie was offensive on other levels too. The racial humor wasn't funny. There are some lines with attempts at humor that really go too far. Many of you who have seen it will understand what I mean. And those who haven't, I hope you don't support this film out of curiosity. Please, wait for cable. There is nothing in this that you can't wait to see.

I heard that it was Eddie Murphy's brother who came up with this idea. If EM did this as a favor to his brother, he could have done his brother, and himself a bigger favor by bringing Charlie in on a better project and tossing this script.

On the one positive note: Eddie Murphy does put his all into these characters as always. His job as Norbit gets lost in the low class, low level "comedy". Even though I just saw the film, I had to really remember that his performance as Norbit was decent. All I can think about is how offended I was, and how thoroughly depressed an overweight woman sitting at the end of my row looked throughout most of the film (she left before I did).

well Norbitt came out to awful reviews in this country..anti women..anti fat women...anti everything women...I like Eddie Murphy..if he has gone where eagles don't the guy is incredible...Norbitt is so funny from the first second to the last....the story is ..boy meets girl..boy loses girl...boy regains girl, but oh boy the action is thick and fast..Norbitts wife deserves an Oscar...but you have to keep telling yourself thats Murphy....and who ever delivered the line "God bless America" or"Officer down " with more of a belly laugh...The Man is so funny I cant think of anyone giving me more laughs The nutty Professor was funny but this film I've watched it ten times,and I don't tire of it..if your a fat feminist ..dont watch...but for the rest of you ..enjoy

Yes, the movie is racist and politically incorrect, but you know what? I think many people are offended because they miss the point. Brian Robbins and Eddie Murphy would be stupid to make a racist movie -- instead, they are making fun of it. Anyone who has seen a South Park episode would understand "satire" instead of calling it racist, homophobic, or whatever. I think that's what Eddie Murphy was trying to do here -- to poke fun at our own prejudices.

As a film, Norbit only succeeds halfway. It has some hilarious moments, but the film is unfocused and inconsistent. The script is bad, but I guess if you're used to comedies like Epic Movies, you'll be okay with bad comedy scripts. The stereotypes are so blatant and obvious that they are funny. When Mr. Wong (Murphy) said, "Of course I am racist!" he had a point. In a way, we are all prejudiced; we just don't want to admit to it.

Judging from the reaction of a packed theater on a Sunday night (blacks, whites, Asians, men, women, thin people, overweight people), I think people can have a good time with this one if they put aside their political correctness. It's just another crude, raunchy, silly comedy. And Eddie Murphy is funny as hell.

This movie has a rating of 4.2 as of Nov, 2024. That's a disgrace.

This movie shows off Eddie Murphy's genius. Period.

I read a couple of the naysayers' reviews. Wow. What a bunch of prudes. This movie is genuinely funny, not like the crap in most other movies or Hallmark movies which I'm sure most of you who rated this poorly like. Shessshhh...

No wonder Eddie took off for years. Good job, Prudes. You completely disgraced one of America's greatest comedians.

Norbit has it all; COMEDY, physical comedy, honest comedy and is just all around fun.

Stop lying about who you are, and what you find funny. Live life and watch the movie. It's genuinely funny!

I seriously liked this movie. It showed also that fat people can wear a bathing suit at the water park and do what skinny girl do as well no matter what. It showed that a skinny guy accepts a huge girl, as you can see in norbit, he saw as big at first and then they came to like each other somewhat. It is just humor, people are making big deals about the movie, but what about when he did the nutty professor, and so forth, how come no problems with that, I mean we have a Fat scientist in the lab and he got to a nice looking skinny girl, but there wasn't any parts in the movie stating that the nutty professor was toooooo fat and same thing with this movie, People need to get a grip and just relax it is only humor, We had Marlon in Little Man, no problems there right, and then we also had White chicks no problems there, so Black people need to chill out and relax, it is just a funny movie, nothing derogatory.