Untitled Document
Norbit Running time 1:40 Rated PG-13 ShowPlace West, ShowPlace East
It is woefully obvious when Eddie Murphy is just
showing up for a paycheck or when he’s determined to create something
distinctive. His latest film, Norbit, sports the thinnest of premises and contains far too many
simplistic slapstick moments, but, by taking on three separate roles,
Murphy allows himself to go into comedic overdrive — and the results
are inspired. The humor here produces some of the largest, most honest,
gut-busting moments seen on a movie screen for quite some time. Murphy is Mr. Wong, a Chinese grocer who takes in a
young orphan, Norbit (Murphy again), and raises him to the best of his
ability. Although the old man has the best of intentions for his adopted
son, his young charge develops into a socially awkward young man with
little backbone. He’s so weak-willed that he marries the repulsive
Rasputia (guess who, under mounds of latex), a giant of a woman whose
personality is as large as her waistline and who has poor Norbit under her
thumb. That proves unfortunate after Kate (Thandie Newton), Norbit’s
childhood sweetheart, reenters his life. What ensues are a series of events that find poor
Norbit trying to escape Rasputia’s clutches, each attempt more dismal
than the last, while Kate does her best to help once she enters the fray.
The plot is nearly transparent, but that doesn’t matter:
Murphy’s absolutely inspired here. Norbit will never
be referred to as a classic, but Murphy’s performance certainly is
one.
This article appears in Feb 1-7, 2007.
