What's Wrong With Norbit? (Norbit (DVD))

Name: plipplop

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Product:	Norbit (DVD)
Date:	20/04/07 (165 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: There were times when I laughed out loud

Disadvantages: There were others when I cringed

Norbit. The name says it all really. Abandoned at an early age outside a dubious Chinese restaurant / orphanage, our hero didn’t have much of a chance. A few years of happiness were cut short when his childhood sweetheart is adopted and moved away, and then Rasputia came onto the scene. Rasputia doesn’t ask, she just takes and when she decides that she wants Norbit as her boyfriend, the same principle applies.

In adulthood, Norbit is an unhappy man. Marriage to Rasputia is pretty awful. The porky young girl has turned into a hideously obese woman. Forced to marry into the family, Norbit works for Rasputia’s brothers, who run various dubious business interests and the lot of them keep Norbit exactly where they want him. But then one day, Kate comes back into Norbit’s life and with it a chance to be happy again. Rasputia and her brothers, however, have different ideas.

I’ve seen few films this year that have attracted as much criticism as Norbit. At one point, it had made the list as one of the Internet Movie Database’s 250 worst films of all time and the press mauled it universally. Suffice it to say, when I decided to go and see it, my expectations wouldn’t have been hard to exceed. In reality, I found Norbit to be something of a guilty pleasure – and I wasn’t alone. Norbit was a box office number one both in the US and the UK.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the movie, it’s the latest in a series of films starring Eddie Murphy, in which he plays multiple roles through the deployment of special effects, camera wizardry and increasingly impressive make up. In Norbit, Murphy takes on three key roles, the lead nerd (Norbit), his vile wife (Rasputia) and Mr Wong (the kindly head of the children’s orphanage.) As Norbit, Murphy is perhaps the least impressive (and most irritating) sporting a rounded, bouffant hair cut, a deformed palate and a complete lack of any get—up-and-go. As Mr Wong, Murphy is probably the least recognisable, buried beneath a pile of Asian facial make up with effective, but slightly grotesque results. But for the REALLY grotesque vote, attention must turn to Murphy’s third turn, as Rasputia. It is here that he really excels in caricature, turning in an “interesting” performance as his unpleasant wife.

Rasputia is a truly hideous creation. Although massively overweight, Rasputia is convinced that she is quite the best thing since sliced bread, and anyone who disagrees risks her unfettered wrath. She is a dreadful bully, demanding Norbit to adhere to her every whim and keeping him exactly where she can see him at all times. The make-up team certainly earned their cash where Rasputia is concerned, as her “blubber” is uncannily realistic and every other aspect of Murphy’s fat suit is pretty convincing. Look out for the car wash scene, where a soaking wet Rasputia (in little more than vest and shorts) presses up against a washed car in a riff of Pussy Cat Dolls “Dontcha” video. Laugh or barf – the choice is yours!

Rasputia also gets the best dialogue (some would again argue that this is generally not an impressive feat). Her catchphrase “How YOU doing?” seems to reverberate around every scene, but most of the time the comic timing had me laughing, even if nobody else did. He inherent unpleasantness is also critical to the film’s humour and several scenes show her at her best / worst – delete as required. Having lied to Norbit about carrying his child, she lets rip with an enormous fart, and spits “There’s your damn baby!” venomously in his bemused direction before letting rip again and announcing twins. Can you see the theme here?

But, it’s not all about the laughs you know. Norbit is one of the least politically correct films that I have seen for some time. Is it socially acceptable to portray an unhappy, obese woman as a comedy figure, however unpleasant she behaves to her fellow man? Much of the humour around Rasputia is from shock factor – an unsuspecting swimming pool attendant accuses her of not wearing a bikini bottom, only to be stopped I his tracks by the exposure of these bottoms, facilitated by Rasputia lifting up the rolls of belly flab to show him. It’s gross, it’s crude and to anyone genuinely suffering with a weight problem, it’s not going to help. Furthermore, is it funny to watch people being bullied, both verbally and physically?

Racial stereotypes are prevalent. Black people are portrayed as crooks, pimps, liars, bullies or thugs with Norbit and sweetheart the only exceptions, blinded to what’s going on by their love. It sounds sweet, but it’s not enough to swerve the very real problems that the film has with its portrayal of black people. Worse still, comes the denigration of the Chinese through Mr Wong, who openly admits to being racist. To any semi-educated individual, the stereotyping is unsettling and uncomfortable in a film being screened in the year 2007.

But, even in respect of these criticisms, I have to say that I enjoyed Norbit. As a comedy, Norbit did what it was supposed to do. It made me laugh. It wasn’t terribly well acted (as Norbit’s “real” love interest, Thandie Newton is excruciating) and it certainly wasn’t sophisticated but sometimes you’re not in a sophisticated mood. So I recommend it. But don’t hold it against me.

Summary: Eddie Murphy's latest fat suit comedy. It's not everyone's cup of tea.