Duplex (2003)

Introduction
"Duplex" is a dark comedy movie directed by Danny DeVito and released in 2003. The movie script was written by Larry Doyle, based on a story by Doyle and John Hamburg. The movie stars Ben Stiller and Drew Barrymore as a young couple, Alex and Nancy, who move into a beautiful brownstone duplex in Brooklyn, only to find themselves engaged in a war of attrition with their elderly upstairs next-door neighbor.

Plot
The film starts with Alex, a novelist, and Nancy, a magazine editor, looking for a brand-new house in New York. After numerous unsuccessful efforts, they finally discover a gorgeous Brooklyn brownstone, which looks like a dream become a reality. The primary catch is that the upstairs apartment is inhabited by a rent-controlled occupant - a senior lady named Mrs. Connelly, played by Eileen Essell.

Alex and Nancy originally have no problem with Mrs. Connelly, as they naively anticipate her to vacate eventually. Nevertheless, as time goes on, they start to understand that their senior neighbor is a lot more difficult than they at first expected. Mrs. Connelly constantly interrupts their lives with loud television volumes, intrusive requests, and inconsiderate behavior.

As the young couple begins to feel overloaded by their intrusive next-door neighbor, they start to create various schemes to either require her to vacate and even to trigger her unintentional death. However, each of their attempts to rid themselves of Mrs. Connelly goes hilariously awry.

Escalating Tensions
The film skillfully catches the claustrophobic nature of residing in New York City, where people are frequently in close quarters and required to deal with tough next-door neighbors. The audience can notice the building frustration of Alex and Nancy as they slowly lose control over their lives due to Mrs. Connelly's unrelenting disturbance.

As the young couple's lives end up being more chaotic, they frantically attempt one plan after another to eliminate their senior next-door neighbor from the image. These efforts include whatever from cutting the power to her apartment to trying to sabotage her narrow staircase, hoping she will suffer a deadly fall. Despite their best efforts, none of their plans succeed, and their desperation only grows.

Uncovering the Truth
In the final act of the film, Alex and Nancy find that Mrs. Connelly has actually been deceiving them the whole time. She reveals that her spouse left the brownstone to her in his will with the terms that she might live rent-free for the rest of her life. The only catch was that she would lose the home if she ever moved away.

Equipped with this brand-new knowledge, Alex and Nancy recognize that their elderly neighbor was deliberately making their lives miserable to require them out of the duplex. In a paradoxical twist of fate, Mrs. Connelly ultimately passes away in a freak mishap, leaving the young couple to think that their issues are finally over.

Conclusion
The movie concludes with the discovery that Mrs. Connelly was, in fact, a professional actress hired by a computing real estate designer. The designer's strategy was to have her drive Alex and Nancy out of their apartment or condo, permitting him to buy the valuable property at a deal cost. In a final twist, the young couple learns that they have ended up being the subjects of a successful book recording their escalating conflict with Mrs. Connelly.

"Duplex" is a wickedly funny and dark expedition of the lengths individuals will go to in order to protect their own interests. The film is filled with over-the-top circumstances, eccentric humor, and excellent performances from lead actors Ben Stiller, Drew Barrymore, and Eileen Essell. While the film received mixed reviews upon release, it has actually become rather of a cult favorite among fans of dark comedy and eccentric characters.

Top Cast