Why a 2003 black comedy about a nightmare tenant became a box office bomb
In short: When a young couple buys their dream Brooklyn brownstone, they expect a quiet life. Instead, they inherit a rent-controlled tenant who turns their existence into a living hell. This 2003 dark comedy explores the lengths to which desperate homeowners will go, but critics found the premise lacked the necessary bite.
Directed by Danny DeVito and written by Larry Doyle, Duplex follows Alex and Nancy, a New York couple who purchase a beautiful duplex, only to find themselves tormented by Mrs. Connelly, an elderly tenant living on the top floor. What begins as a search for a perfect home quickly devolves into a series of increasingly absurd murder attempts. From leaking pipes to hiring a hitman, the couple tries everything to remove their nuisance, only to be constantly outmaneuvered by the seemingly sweet old lady.
The film, which also saw release as Our House in the United Kingdom and Ireland, struggled to find its footing with audiences and critics. While the premise promised a dark, comedic look at real estate desperation, reviewers like Roger Ebert noted that the film suffered from a lack of plausibility. The audience could not identify with the protagonists' extreme reactions, and the comedic timing of the murder plots failed to land. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 35% approval rating, with critics frequently comparing it unfavorably to earlier dark comedies.
Beyond the critical reception, the film was a commercial failure. Produced on a $40 million budget, it grossed only $19.3 million worldwide. The production history itself was turbulent; while Ben Stiller and Drew Barrymore were attached as early as November 2000, the director's chair saw a change in 2001 when Greg Mottola departed and Danny DeVito stepped in. Ultimately, the film concludes with a twist: the entire ordeal was a long-running real estate scam, with Mrs. Connelly and her cohorts targeting marks for profit. The couple relocates to the Bronx, where Alex turns their traumatic experience into his next book, titled Duplex.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Duplex (film)
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