Bowfinger's better

Perhaps not since "Ishtar" has a six-letter, one-word movie title been the butt of so many late-night TV jokes as "Norbit," the early 2007 release starring Eddie Murphy in multiple roles. Late last winter, it seemed like "Norbit" had gotten mention in David Letterman's Top Ten night after night for weeks.
There is much LCD (lowest common denominator) humor in this film, for sure. Eddie Murphy, as "Norbit," is married to a woman, Rasputia (also Murphy), whom is guessed by one water-park worker to weigh more than 300 pounds. Rasputia counters that she doesn't weigh an ounce over 175.
For the record, I think the water-park worker's guess is closer.
Whereas, Norbit appears as though he may not even be breaking 150.
The humor is predictable. What might happen, at a playground, if Norbit were to push his twice-his-size bride forward on a swingset? Will he get out of the way in time?
And, really, we understand that Rasputia is a heavy woman after seeing her run over Norbit during holiday-themed* marital relations and breaking the bed twice. *He wears a Santa beard at one point.
Did we need to see the same scene four or five times, set at different times of the year (including on Lincoln's Birthday, apparently, when Norbit is shown wearing a different beard)?
Will this win an Oscar? It would have as much chance at that as you might have at seeing puppy-dog-like Cuba Gooding, Jr., play a deceitful villain.
Oh, wait - we've got that in "Norbit."
As much as you won't want to spend too much time looking at Rasputia in a two-piece swimsuit, or a rear view (upper half only) as she prepares for a bubble bath, "Norbit" may well pick up at least a nomination for Best Makeup when the next Academy Awards roll around.
When I rented the DVD this week, I didn't have the time to watch the disc's feature on the makeup process that was involved. It could actually be worth another rental.