Netflix Fans Can’t Get Enough of Critically Panned Eddie Murphy Film ‘Norbit’

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Despite being widely considered a low point in Eddie Murphy‘s career, the movie Norbit is surprisingly popular on streaming services. It’s been rediscovered by viewers on Netflix and, as of today, is ranked as the 10th most popular movie globally on the platform. That’s quite a feat considering its current 9% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Eddie Murphy has a couple of poorly reviewed movies – The Adventures of Pluto Nash and A Thousand Words both received 0% ratings – but Norbit is the film most often blamed for a downturn in his career. Surprisingly, almost 20 years after its release, Murphy claimed Norbit wasn’t actually that bad. Maybe some fans took him seriously, as the movie is currently seeing a resurgence on Netflix. But is Norbit really worth another look?

Even though Norbit was widely considered a bad movie, it’s rare for a film with such poor reviews to receive an Academy Award nomination, which it did.

How Did ‘Norbit’ Land an Academy Award Nomination?

When people think of the movie Norbit, the Academy Awards probably aren’t the first thing that comes to mind. Surprisingly, though, Paramount Pictures did submit the 2007 comedy for consideration, and it actually received a nomination. While it was only for Best Makeup – a category that has seen nominations for poorly-received films like Click and Suicide Squad – many critics still found the idea of Norbit clips appearing at the Oscars rather embarrassing.

Okay, so did Norbit really deserve that Oscar nomination for makeup? Honestly, when I revisited it, I was impressed. Legends Rick Baker and Kazu Hiro were behind the prosthetics, and Eddie Murphy played three different characters, two of which needed a ton of makeup. It wasn’t quite the magic they created in The Nutty Professor – that one won the Oscar, remember? – but looking back, the makeup effects hold up and actually add a lot to the film’s comedy. It’s a noticeable and effective part of what makes Norbit funny.

‘Norbit’ May Have Cost Eddie Murphy a Best Actor Oscar

I remember when Eddie Murphy was nominated for an Oscar for Dreamgirls – everyone thought he was going to win! He’d already taken home the Golden Globe, and it felt like his first Oscar was finally within reach. It was so frustrating to hear some people suggest that his later role in Norbit might have somehow hurt his chances that year, even though Norbit did get some recognition from the Academy itself. It just didn’t seem fair, especially since he was a clear frontrunner!

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The recent release of the comedy Norbit may have negatively impacted Academy members’ opinions. While audiences didn’t completely reject the film, critics heavily panned it, with many finding it unfunny and accusing the star of simply rehashing old material from films like Coming to America and The Nutty Professor. Though he played multiple characters, Norbit didn’t receive the same positive reviews. Critic Luke Sader of The Hollywood Reporter even described it as “racially insensitive, politically incorrect, and excessively crude.” Interestingly, many reviews of Norbit on Rotten Tomatoes drew comparisons to the musical drama Dreamgirls, highlighting a stark contrast between the two films.

After losing to Alan Arkin from Little Miss Sunshine, Eddie Murphy left the awards show clearly upset. He largely avoided talking about Norbit and spent years quietly working on smaller films. Then, he made a comeback with Dolemite Is My Name. Now, he’s a celebrated Hollywood icon known for his iconic comedic roles. While Norbit has found a new audience on Netflix, it still receives criticism from some viewers.

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2026-02-19 21:35