The elderly Chinese man who raised Norbit.
Critically, Norbit was not well-received, often criticized for its reliance on gross-out humor and stereotypes. However, its lasting legacy is its place in the canon of Eddie Murphy’s character-driven comedies.
In the years following its release, internet culture and meme platforms have sparked a significant reappraisal of Norbit . Quotes like "How you doin'?" and iconic scenes—such as Rasputia descending a water park slide—have found a permanent home in the digital lexicon.
“Norbit,” she’d rasp, not looking at him. “You look at my new thigh tattoo yet?” Norbit
The film's legacy is often tied to the theory that its release negatively impacted Eddie Murphy’s chances of winning the Academy Award for Dreamgirls . While Murphy has dismissed these claims , critical reception was overwhelmingly negative, with many reviewers attacking the film's "predictable crude, sexist, and racist humour".
Norbit stood over her, breathing hard. He wasn’t angry. He was just… finished.
Note: This article refers to the 2007 comedy film "Norbit". It is not to be confused with Norbit ASA (OB:NORBT), the Norwegian technology company specializing in maritime and connectivity solutions, which reported strong Q2 2025 results . The elderly Chinese man who raised Norbit
Before he could answer, Razzle’s purple Ford F-350 roared onto the gravel lot, blasting death metal. She hit the brakes, sending a flock of herons scattering into the sky. She stomped out, pointed a glittery pink fingernail at Norbit, and then at Kate.
Norbit stands as a monument to a specific era of studio-funded, star-driven comedies. It represents both the peak of modern prosthetic makeup capabilities and the limitations of narrative humor built entirely on physical exaggeration. For Eddie Murphy, the film marked the end of an era of playing highly transformed multi-character roles, steering his career toward family films and eventually a celebrated return to stand-up and prestige comedy projects in the late 2010s. If you'd like to explore this topic further,
Norbit: A Comprehensive Look at the 2007 Comedy Phenomenon Released in 2007, Norbit is a high-concept comedy film that, while widely panned by critics, solidified Eddie Murphy's reputation as a master of prosthetics and character acting. Directed by Brian Robbins, the film tells a chaotic story of love, bullying, and finding one’s voice, centered around the timid, eponymous character, Norbit Albert Rice. The Plot: A Story of Survival In the years following its release, internet culture
worldwide. Over time, it has developed a polarized reputation:
For those who may need a refresher, "Norbit" tells the story of Norbit Wise (played by Eddie Murphy), a mild-mannered and awkward accountant who lives in the projects with his friends and adoptive family, Rasputia (played by Eddie Murphy), a brutish and overbearing woman, and her three children. Norbit's life is turned upside down when his childhood sweetheart, Nora (played by Thandie Newton), returns to town with her two children, and Norbit finds himself torn between his old flame and his current, albeit unhappy, marriage.
Norbit is a story of a shy, luckless soul trapped by his circumstances. The plot follows the titular character, Norbit Albert Rice (Eddie Murphy), a kind-hearted but timid man living in the small town of Boiling Springs, Tennessee. Abandoned as a baby at a Chinese restaurant and orphanage, he grows up in the care of the gruff yet kind-hearted owner, Mr. Wong (also Murphy).
When the chaos settled, Razzle sat on the floor, covered in flour, missing one sequined slipper, and—for the first time in her life—speechless.
More than 15 years after its release, the cultural conversation around Norbit continues. In recent years, Murphy has defended the film, arguing in interviews that it’s funnier than its reputation suggests and that the hatred directed at it was excessive. He pointed to its box office success as evidence of its popularity with real audiences.