DUPLEX

US, 2003, 91 minutes, Colour.
Drew Barrymore, Ben Stiller, Eileen Essel, Harvey Feierstein, James Remar, Justin Theroux, Amber Valetta, Maya Rudolph, Wallace Shawn, Swoosie Kurtz, Robert Wisdom. Narrated by Danny de Vito.
Directed by Danny de Vito.

For regular comedy fans, we have become used to Ben Stiller being put upon - extremely - both physically and psychologically. He survived There's Something About Mary, confronted Robert de Niro in Meet the Parents, was one of the Royal Tennenbaums, experienced mayhem in Along Came Polly. Now he is persecuted and harrassed by the little old Irish lady, the neighbour from hell from upstairs. (Just as well he got to do some comedy and heroics in Starsky and Hutch.)

It's a pity the film is not better. It could have been a little sharper. The premise and premises are familiar: a New York apartment that looks as if it has everything, especially as boosted by estate agent, Harvey Feierstein. When the eager but unwitting Stiller and Drew Barrymore move in, full of compassion for Mrs Connolly who lives upstairs (Eileen Essel), they discover too late that she is full of complaints, jobs to be done and acts in such a murderable way that that is the temptation they fall back on. But, this is a comedy directed by Danny de Vito (who was in a similar vein way back with Throw Mama from the Train), so there are no murders, just a whole lot of near misses.

It's an easy night out. Drew Barrymore throws on the charm, so does Ben Stiller but he comes across better as suffering. It's the kind of film they might have enjoyed watching in their house except for the noise that Mrs Connolly's set was making upstairs.
1. A black comedy? New York living? Nasty neighbours? Ambitions for young couples? Double dealing estate agents? Hired killers?
2. Criticism that the film was being mean-spirited? True or not? Or the nature of the parody and black comedy?
3. The housing situation in New York City, old buildings, apartments, ownership and tenancy? Legislation favouring the tenants?
4. Ben Stiller and his style of comedy, victim? Drew Barrymore and a sweet touch? Direction by Danny De Vito?
5. Alex and Nancy and their hopes, Kenneth as the smooth agent, showing them around, his double talk about Mrs. Connolly, going to visit her, her being ill? The couple being charmed, buying the duplex?
6. Alex, his writing, usually in Starbucks, trying to write at home, Mrs. Connolly and her complaints, her continual impositions, his listening to her, cleaning up, taking garbage out, going to the pharmacy…? His need to take naps? Nancy and her work, cheerful, her boss hounding her, Tara and her friendship?
7. The reality of the duplex and Mrs. Connolly? Irish and her stories? The loud television? the music? The couple unable to sleep? The continued harassment? Deciding to defy Mrs. Connolly but unable to? Her controlling them, always imposing, the phone call to the office, leading to Nancy’s putting the wrong photos in a magazine, her being fired? Alex seeing them, his reaction?
8. Discussions about having a baby, Mrs. Connolly looking in the window at this sexual behaviour, her comments?
9. The decision to try to get rid of her, the plan with the water, the roof falling in, her not falling? The television with the claping device? Alex in the apartment, hiding outside the window? His following Mrs. Connolly around her apartment? The fire and the destruction, the policeman buying the expensive equipment and large TV?
10. Going to see Kenneth, smooth talk and his warning them about the sale? Losing money?
11. The inspector, his taking Mrs. Connolly’s side, the roof falling in, the answering back and his warnings? Particularly unpleasant to the couple?
12. The party, Coop and his writing, his easy success, his girlfriend? The book reading? Alex’s envy? Tearing up Coop’s book?
13. The literary agent, the meal, the demands of the deadline, Alex and his writing, going to Starbucks, the bar, with his computer, finishing his novel? Mrs. Connolly and the problem, her throwing his computer into the fire, its going on the road, being run over? The agent and her ruthless firing him?
14. The hired killer, going to see him, the costs? Getting into the house? Mrs. Connolly being home instead of with the band, and the previous noise of the choir and the band practicing? The killer and his trying to do the job, Mrs. Connolly and her fierce resistance, his being wounded, escaping?
15. The couple, going up to Mrs. Connolly, her sitting in the chair dead, the police inspector and his decision?
16. Alex and Nancy, with Kenneth, selling the duplex, the incoming couple?
17. The irony of Mrs. Connolly, Kenneth and the police inspector having the meal together, the scam and their getting in the new couple, the various commissions for haunting the owners?