DreamWorks Pictures
This week’s viewing choices on streaming platforms have taken a surprising turn, with “Norbit”, a comedy from the 2000s, surprisingly climbing the ranks to become one of Amazon Prime Video’s most-watched movies. This unexpected development is backed by data from FlixPatrol, a viewership data site that has placed the widely criticized Eddie Murphy film at the fifth position on its list of the 10 most-watched Prime Video movies in North America.
In “Norbit’s” defense, the viewing preferences of subscribers have been quite unusual this week, with Adam Sandler’s “The Longest Yard” and a couple of Christmas movies, “Almost Christmas” and “The Holiday,” also making their way into the upper ranks of Prime Video’s viewing list. It’s quite astonishing to see that “Norbit” is attracting more viewers than newer Prime Video originals like the action comedy “Brothers” starring Peter Dinklage and Josh Brolin, and the uniquely format-blending documentary “Megan Thee Stallion: In Her Own Words”. The reason behind this could be a simple fact that people tend to enjoy Eddie Murphy comedies, regardless of their critical reception.
The Downside of Norbit’s Comedy
DreamWorks Pictures
For those unfamiliar with “Norbit”, the film takes us back to a peculiar phase in American comedy – the year 2007. It was a time when quoting McLovin from “Superbad” or Michael Scott from “The Office” was considered the height of humor. The comedy scene was a blend of broad, grating humor and quirky, empathetic humor, with the latter exemplified by indie-styled movies like “Little Miss Sunshine” and “Juno”. During this period, many elements considered insensitive today were still being used for comedic effect, even though there were clear attempts by some artists and audiences to resist this brand of humor.
In the midst of this landscape, “Norbit” was released. The Eddie Murphy film, which was heavily criticized upon its release, saw the comedian and “Saturday Night Live” alum take on three different roles. These included the titular nerdy character, his overweight wife Rasputia, whose size and domineering control over her husband were played for laughs, and inexplicably, a Chinese man named Mr. Wong. Despite the offensive humor, the film managed to earn a meager 9% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Norbit’s Impact on Murphy’s Career
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Despite being intended as a comedy with heart, “Norbit” was heavily criticized for its crude humor. The Sydney Morning Herald’s George Palathingal noted that the film’s jokes were painfully predictable and revolved around every possible stereotype. The film was nominated for eight Razzies and is often cited as Murphy’s worst film. Interestingly, “Norbit” was released just a year after “Dreamgirls”, a high point in Murphy’s career that earned him a SAG award. In 2021, Murphy suggested that the negative reception of “Norbit” may have been a contributing factor to his hiatus from acting.
While the reason behind the sudden surge in viewership for “Norbit” on Prime Video remains unclear, the star-studded supporting cast, which includes Terry Crews, Thandiwe Newton, Cuba Gooding Jr, and Kristen Schaal, could be a potential draw. If you do decide to watch this film, which many consider to be the worst film of 2007, you might want to follow it up with something better. Fortunately, you can find one of Murphy’s best films, “Dolemite is My Name,” on Netflix.
Credit: www.slashfilm.com
