You cannot write about without addressing the elephant (or rather, the Rasputia) in the room. Upon release, the film was savaged by critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds a score of 9%. Roger Ebert famously gave it zero stars, writing that the film was "against the spirit of comedy."

Despite a "generally unfavorable" critical consensus, the film performed well financially:

Perhaps the most enduring trivia regarding is its alleged role in one of Hollywood’s biggest Oscar upsets. In 2007, Eddie Murphy was the clear frontrunner for the Best Supporting Actor Academy Award for his transformative, dramatic, and singing role in Dreamgirls .

Whether this theory is true or apocryphal, it has cemented place in pop culture history as the "Oscar killer." It highlights the rigid classism often present in film criticism and awards—the idea that a performer cannot be celebrated for high art if they are simultaneously participating in low art.

: A mild-mannered man, trapped in an abusive marriage with the domineering Rasputia, attempts to win back his childhood sweetheart, Kate, who has returned to their hometown.

By the winter of 2007, Eddie Murphy was riding a strange wave. Just three months earlier, critics had hailed his nuanced performance as James "Thunder" Early in Dreamgirls . He was the frontrunner for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Then came Norbit .

Additionally, Murphy’s portrayal of Mr. Wong drew accusations of "yellowface" and racist stereotyping. While Murphy had portrayed Asian characters in his stand-up days (such as in his iconic Raw special), doing so in a major 2007 studio release crossed a line for many critics who felt the character was an unnecessary and offensive inclusion in an already chaotic film.