The story follows Norbit, a timid man who has been bullied his entire life, most notably by his wife, Rasputia. Trapped in an abusive marriage, Norbit finds a second chance at happiness when his childhood sweetheart, Kate (Thandiwe Newton), returns to town to save the orphanage where they both grew up. To win her back, Norbit must finally find the courage to stand up to Rasputia and her three intimidating brothers, the Latimores. Eddie Murphy : Norbit, Rasputia, and Mr. Wong. Thandiwe Newton : Kate Thomas, Norbit's childhood crush. Terry Crews : Big Black Jack Latimore, Rasputia’s boisterous brother. Cuba Gooding Jr. : Deion Hughes, Kate’s deceptive fiancé. Eddie Griffin & Katt Williams
True to his style established in The Nutty Professor and Coming to America , Eddie Murphy plays three distinct, major characters in the film: Norbit -2007-
Second, there is Kate Thomas, Norbit’s childhood sweetheart who returns to town to purchase the orphanage from under the nose of the corrupt owner. Kate represents Norbit’s salvation, but she is engaged to a devious man named Deion (Cuba Gooding Jr.), who is conspiring with Rasputia’s three brothers to turn the orphanage into a strip club. The story follows Norbit, a timid man who
Murphy performs opposite himself in dozens of scenes, requiring complex split-screen choreography, body doubles, and endless patience. Technically, the achievement is remarkable. Comedically, it’s a demolition derby. Eddie Murphy : Norbit, Rasputia, and Mr
In 2007, audiences laughed. In retrospect, the laughter curdles. Rasputia is not a character; she is a caricature weaponized for easy jokes. The film’s humor relies on the shock of seeing a slim, handsome Eddie Murphy “trapped” in this body, performing a minstrel show of femininity and size. The infamous bathtub scene, where a naked Rasputia crushes a flotation device and sends a tidal wave of water through the house, is technically impressive physical comedy. But it’s impossible to separate the craft from the cruelty. The film takes a vulnerable demographic—plus-size Black women—and turns them into a punchline for 100 minutes.
The central tragedy of Norbit’s life arrives in the form of Rasputia Latimore (Eddie Murphy in a full-body fat suit and heavy prosthetics). As children, Norbit is forcibly adopted by the Latimore family after his orphanage closes. Rasputia, a gigantic, loud, and aggressively sexual bully, claims Norbit as her "boo-boo kitty" for life. Fast-forward to adulthood: Norbit is miserably married to Rasputia, who spends her days terrorizing the neighborhood, cheating at bingo, and sexually harassing her husband. Norbit works a dead-end job at her brothers’ construction company, while secretly longing for his childhood sweetheart, Kate Thomas (Thandie Newton), who has returned to town as a sophisticated environmental engineer.