Thandiwe Newton as Nyah Nordoff Hall in M:I:2
There is a definite dearth of comedy in theaters these days, but that doesn't mean people need to flock towards Norbit at home. Released in 2007, it remains one of the worst movies that the genre has ever produced, and a glaring example of star Eddie Murphy's fascination for playing multiple characters in the same project.
He did this previously in Coming to America and The Nutty Professor, but Norbit took things to an unhealthy level. In the recent Netflix documentary on his life and career, Murphy spoke about his love for practical make-up and the movies of Peter Sellers, which, he said, drew him to something like Norbit. He also alluded to the long-running theory that the film's poor critical reception cost him an Academy Award, which he was hotly touted to win at the time, for his supporting performance in Dreamgirls. According to FlixPatrol, Norbit was among the most-watched movies on the domestic Paramount+ charts this week. The movie was released in February 2007, at the peak of Oscars voting season. Murphy had been nominated for Dreamgirls, which was widely hailed as a welcome change of pace for the actor. Ultimately, Alan Arkin ended up winning in the Best Supporting Actor category, for his performance in Little Miss Sunshine. Norbit's poor reception was partially blamed. Also featuring Thandiwe Newton, Eddie Griffin, and Cuba Gooding Jr., the movie continues to sit at a terrible 9% score on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, where the critics' consensus reads,"Coming off his Oscar-nominated performance in Dreamgirls, the talented-but-inconsistent Eddie Murphy plays three roles in Norbit, a cruel, crass, stereotype-filled comedy that's more depressing than funny." Eddie Murphy Will Return as One of His Most Iconic Characters In response to the film's poor reviews, director Brian Robbins said in an interview in 2007,"Eddie Murphy plays three amazingly different characters brilliantly. How could you not praise that? No offense to Alan Arkin, but he couldn't do what Eddie did in Norbit." Having made around $160 million globally against a reported budget of $60 million, Norbit has been widely criticized for its perceived stereotypical portrayal of Black characters, especially women. However, it earned an Oscar nomination in the Best Makeup category. Murphy stepped off the gas for some years following the film's release, but returned with an acclaimed performance in Dolemite Is My Name. He'll return as the fan-favorite character Donkey in the upcoming Shrek 5, which is set for a 2027 release. Subscribe to our newsletter for smarter film coverage Get deeper context on films like Norbit and career arcs like Eddie Murphy's by subscribing to our newsletter - curated film coverage and informed analysis that explains why some movies land and others falter, and how they fit into broader cinema conversations. Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime. You can watch Norbit at home if you must, and stay tuned to Collider for more updates. Norbit Like PG-13 Comedy Release Date February 8, 2007 Runtime 102 Minutes Director Brian Robbins Cast See All
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