September 26, 2003
Duplex (released in the United Kingdom and Ireland as Our House) is a 2003 American black comedy film directed by Danny DeVito (who also narrated the film) and written by Larry Doyle. The film stars Ben Stiller and Drew Barrymore with Eileen Essell, Harvey Fierstein, Robert Wisdom, Justin Theroux and James Remar in supporting roles.
Duplex was released by Miramax Films on September 26, 2003. The film received mixed to negative reviews from critics and was a box office bomb, grossing $19.3 million against a $40 million budget.
Storyline
Young, New York couple Alex (Ben Stiller) and Nancy (Drew Barrymore) are sick of their tiny apartment in The City and are searching for their dream home.
They find a Brooklyn brownstone duplex that's perfect, except for the elderly tenant upstairs: Mrs. Connelly, an old Irish lady who lives on the rent-controlled top floor. Assuming she won't live long, they buy the house.
Mrs. Connelly complains about the plumbing; blasts her television at all hours; and rehearses her dancing and brass band; so, the couple is soon sleep deprived and exhausted.
A novelist, Alex is struggling to meet his latest deadline, or have his contract cancelled.
When she can't get Alex, Mrs. Connelly calls Nancy at work; so, she can't work either.
The dream is becoming a nightmare. They can't get her to move; their noise complaint is countered by Mrs. Connolly's harassment charge against them.
Exhausted and desperate they hire a hitman, which will cost everything they have, who finally arrives on Christmas Eve.
In a desperate fight, with a speargun, the building catches fire from a fireplace that was one of the building's main selling points.
But, Nancy and Alex can't leave the old lady to die in the fire and rescue her.
With no other options, they sell the house, only to find that Mrs. Connelly has passed away, in her sleep, as they leave.
In an epilogue, it turns out that this has been a long-running real estate scam. The realtor is Mrs. Connelly's son, and the police officer, his partner.
Mrs. Connelly fakes her own death so the mark won't return.
Alex and Nancy were their latest victims, amongst many.
Alex and Nancy relocate to the Bronx. Alex uses their unpleasant experience as inspiration for his next book entitled Duplex.
A final voice-over says that "Alex and Nancy's dream house may have been too good to be true, but did they live happily ever after? Well, read the book.".
Movie Trailer
- Duplex (2003) (Trailers)
Sound Effects Used
- Hollywoodedge, Fart 1 Medium Fart Clo PE138901
- Sound Ideas, COMPUTER, PRINTER - DOT MATRIX PRINTER: BIDIRECTIONAL PRINTING, SLOW, OFFICE
- Sound Ideas, HIT, CARTOON - BRAKE DRUM AND BULB HORN HIT (Heard in the opening when Alex is hit by a bed in the head.)
- Woody Woodpecker Laugh