Duplex

Alex Rose and Nancy Kendricks are a newly married couple who believe they’ve found the perfect house for starting their life together. The dream quickly becomes a test when the upstairs neighbor turns out to be Mrs. Connelly, a seemingly sweet elderly woman whose quiet routines bloom into disruptive habits. What begins as a few odd interruptions, unannounced visits, peculiar demands, and a relentless insistence on keeping tabs, mushrooms into a full on war of boundaries and sanity. The couple tries to negotiate peace without wrecking their new home or their relationship, and the situation nudges them into witty, escalating confrontations that mix sharp dialogue with physical humor. Stiller and Barrymore anchor the comedy with believable chemistry.

Directed by Danny DeVito from a screenplay by Larry Doyle, Duplex pairs Ben Stiller and Drew Barrymore in a comedy rooted in ordinary domestic life. Shot with a practical, close set feel, the film relies on quick quips and timing as tension builds. The 2003 release leans into brisk, character driven humor.

Duplex earned about 19.32 million worldwide against a 40 million budget, making it a modest performer in theaters. Its box office performance raised questions about audience appetite for housebound farce in the post 9/11 landscape, despite a top notch cast.

Duplex remains a footnote in early 2000s comedies, yet the idea of a fragile home life disrupted by a pushy upstairs neighbor continues to surface in later jokes about close quarter living. Essell's Mrs Connelly is often remembered for her distinct, eccentric presence and the way a quiet building becomes a battleground.

Critics split on the humor, praising the actors chemistry while noting the setup relies on familiar slapstick and exasperation rather than sharp social satire. Some reviews applauded the brisk pacing and compact premise, while others found the jokes repetitive. The film broaches themes of privacy, compromise, and marriage challenged by a surprising neighbor.