Norbit: He's No Harlem Knight

Let me preface this review by saying that I am an Eddie Murphy fan. He is the most respected actor for me because he holds the title of having the highest grossing movie as an African -American lead with Beverly Hills Cop. Now that I got that out of the way, Norbit was probably one of the laziest productions he could have ever written with his brother.

As he said as Chandler Jarrell in the Golden Child, "He should arrested. He should be purged. He should be flogged. He doesn't deserve to walk amongst good clean people because he is a swine; he is a retch. He doesn't serve to live like others." Not because he stole from his brother Numspa, but from his fan club for paying over $30 million for tickets.

This is the only movie of Eddie Murphy that completely disappointed me. I knew that Norbit was a low self-esteem man who let people push him around to the point where they where controlling his life. However, to have his orphanage father, be reminiscent of Coming To America's barbershop scene, I expected the stomach pain laughter like his other films.

Rasputia made me mad on so many levels. First, she was overbearing. Is it me or does it seem to be a trend to depict strong African-American women to be unappealing but not just to white men even 'brothas.' Did she have to fat, ugly and have short hair? I know it was for comic relief but for once I would like to see a representation of my mother with class and it not be Cicley Tyson or Angela Bassett.

Thandie Netwon was too skinny. I don't know a 'sista' that aspires to that body shape unless they are in Hollywood but I would have preferred to see Tyra Banks or Taraji Henson be his child hood sweetheart. I did like the fact her character Kate took an interest in Norbit to make sure he had some faith that not all people are racists, bullies or just play mean.

When Norbit found that his wife Rasputia cheated on him with the hilarious Marlon Wayans (who by the way can really act but can't get a decent role because he isn't that good looking in Hollywood's eyes), I was really expecting now to see some funny turn-around scenes. I only laughed once...when Rasputia's brother punched some random extra in a church.