TheEddie Murphy-ledNorbit,which was slammed by critics, finds a successful second chance on streaming 17 years later.Starring Murphy in several rolesand Thandiwe Newton, the movie followed the titular mild-mannered man scheming to end up with his childhood sweetheart Kate (Newton) while being married to Rasputia. Originally released in 2007,Norbitopened to negative reviews from critics, receiving a dismal 9% on Rotten Tomatoes, and a muted response from audiences, but made a respectable $159 million against its $60 million budget and garnered an Oscar nomination for Best Achievement in Makeup.
Now streaming onPrime Video,Norbithas found new life asit’s No. 7 on the streamer’s Top 10 list of movies in the USat the time of writing. Leading the list is the Mark Wahlberg-led sci-fi thrillerInfiniteand followed by the Spanish zombie thrillerApocalypse Z: The Beginning of the Endat No. 2, Kate Beckinsale’sCanary Blackat No. 3, the documentaryMegan Thee Stallion: In Her Wordsat No. 4, Peter Dinklage and Josh Brolin’sBrothersat No. 5 and John Krasinski’sIFat No. 6.
Coming in behind Murphy’s comedy on the streamer’s Top 10 movies isan interesting mix of genres. At No. 8 is a fellow comedy, the Adam Sandler-led remake ofThe Longest Yard, as well as the 2022 viral hit horror movieTerrifier 2at No. 9 and Dev Patel’s acclaimed action-thrillerMonkey Manat No. 10.
What This Means For Norbit
Though 2007 proved to be a generally good year for movies, with everything from David Fincher’s true-crime mystery thrillerZodiacto the Coen brothers' adaptation ofNo Country for Old Menand Tim Burton’sSweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street,Murphy’sNorbitwas something of an odd outlier. Despite its modest critical success, the movie came amid his live-action struggles, save for the prior year’sDreamgirls, which netted him a Golden Globe win and broke away from the poorly reviewedAdventures of Pluto Nash,Daddy Day CareandThe Haunted Mansion.
Its newfound success on Prime Videomight be a sign that today’s demographic of streamers are craving comedies that are a bit more crass. A movie likeMurphy’sNorbitwould probablyhave a bit of trouble getting made today because of its heavy reliance on stereotypes, but its No. 8 spot on the top ten list proves that there’s an audience for it.
10 Best Eddie Murphy Movies, Ranked
Eddie Murphy has been one of the best comedic actors of his generation ever since he broke out in the 1980s, and he has an impressive list of credits.
That being said, the other possible reason forNorbit’s newfound streaming success isMurphy’s own recent resurgence in popularity with audiences. Having initially begun with his Golden Globe-nominated turn inDolemite is My Name, the star recently found his biggest hit yet withBeverly Hills Cop: Axel F, the long-awaited fourth installment in the action-comedy franchise that quickly became a hit on Netflix. Betweentalks of aBeverly Hills Cop 5and his upcoming return inShrek 5, it’s understandable why some would be looking to Murphy’s past.
Our Take On Norbit’s New Success
Norbitmay be difficult to watch because of its stereotype-based comedy. Even Murphy in impeccable costume and makeup is barely enough to elicit a few laughs, if at all. When it was released,the critical reception ofNorbitwas so bad that it even garnered eight nominations for Razzie Awards, also known as The Golden Raspberry Awards, satirical awards that recognize the year’s worst movies, including Worst Picture.
The success ofrecent movies likeThe Whale, which performed admirably at the Oscars, including netting Brendan Fraser his first win, has made jokes about obesity in film harder to digest. However,Norbit’sNo. 7 spot on Prime Video proves that the appetite for such jokes and movies hasn’t disappeared completely, or that audiences are at least more forgiving of them when delivered by Murphy.
Norbit
Cast
Norbit is a comedy film directed by Brian Robbins, featuring Eddie Murphy in multiple roles, including the mild-mannered Norbit. The story follows Norbit as he navigates his engagement to an overbearing partner while meeting his ideal match. The film showcases his comedic journey toward finding true love.
