Eddie Murphy, the king of multiple personalities, has America rolling on the ground with laughter yet again in the movie “Norbit.”
The socially challenged Norbit (Eddie Murphy) is thrown onto the street as a baby by his parents and is raised at a Chinese orphanage-restaurant called the Golden Wonton, run by Mr. Wong (Eddie Murphy).
Norbit and Kate (Thandie Newton), his only friend, are inseparable until Kate is adopted by a family and moves away. As the years pass, Norbit gains another girlfriend by the name of Rasputia (Eddie Murphy), an oversized woman, who gives him protection and a family. She is no ordinary woman to say the least.
As Rasputia gets bigger, Norbit becomes more reserved until Kate returns to town with the plan to buy the Chinese orphanage and make it her own. She doesn’t return alone however, bringing her fiancé (Cuba Gooding, Jr.) with her.
Norbit isn’t about to lose the girl of his dreams twice, so along with his pimp friends (Eddie Griffin and Kat Williams), they plot his escape from the dreaded Rasputia with hopes of stopping Kate’s wedding.
Despite harsh reviews by some critics, there wasn’t a five-minute period when the crowd wasn’t roaring with laughter. Eddie Murphy is known for his witty multiple personalities in movies such as “Big Momma” and “The Nutty Professor.” In this movie, he plays the part of an obese woman who isn’t afraid of expressing herself both physically and mentally, a somewhat racist Asian man who considered Norbit like his own son, and the character of Norbit himself.
While Murphy took a risk in releasing such a comedy two months following his role in the acclaimed “Dreamgirls,” this famous comedian has proved everyone wrong.
“Norbit” and the film’s in-your-face multiple personalities will brighten any bad day.
Rachel Falcinelli can be reached at tua28068@temple.edu.
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