Review of Norbit (2007) by Cory M — 02 Apr 2011

Know anybody with a bossy, overweight wife. NORBIT concerns the adventures of an unwanted little boy, Norbit (Eddie Murphy) whose parents dumped him in front of an orphanage run by Mr. Wong (Eddie Murphy) where he meets his one true love.

When she is adopted and leaves, our milquetoast hero finds himself harassed by a rhino-sized harridan, Rasputia (Eddie Murphy) that makes his life a living hell. Director Brian Robbins and scenarists Eddie Murphy and his brother Charles Q.

Murphy along with co-scribes Jay Scherick and David Ronn of I SPY have created an over-the-top, heavy-handed but hilarious comedy about a big gal, a little boy, and an orphanage that a trio of African-American muscle heads in the blackmailing business want to turn into a titty bar.

Murphy is very funny as all three characters and the situations are often pretty funny. Rasputia is a gal gone wild, especially when she parades around all of her 300 pounds on a water slide ride. Thandie Newton is the childhood sweetheart of our timid protagonist and Eddie Griffin registers hilariously as an ex-pimp.

The whale spearing scenes are a hoot!