Review of Norbit (2007) by Cath N — 10 Dec 2018
Norbit sucks on every imaginable level. What has befallen Eddie Murphy? Has he been possessed or brainwashed? Norbit takes the idea behind The Nutty Professor 2 - that Eddie Murphy can play just about every character in the movie - and strips it of all charm and humor.
This movie belongs to the much-loved sub-genre of comedies called "unfunny." It's crass, cruel, and borderline offensive, but the laughs that could redeem all of that are missing. Material as bad as the tripe that comprises Norbit can be endured only if there's a payoff.
In this case, the point seems to be that some actors will do anything for a buck. Murphy doesn't do any acting in Norbit. This is all shtick - the kind of stuff that might work in a five-minute skit on Saturday Night Live.
Norbit is a supersized version of Steve Urkel. Norbit operates on the principle that vulgarity is automatically funny. Crassness doesn't need a joke attached because it is (in and of itself) the height of hilarity.
(Horribly unfunny shlock by Eddie).
This review of Norbit (2007) was written by Cath N on 10 Dec 2018.
Norbit has generally received mixed reviews.
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