Duplex

Rating:
Summary: Cautionary tale for young couples looking to buy first home
Review: I bought this film simply because I liked Drew Barrymore's hair on the cover. I like fringes, she looked cute with hers, and I seriously considered getting mine cut back in. But I won't. I've just finished growing it out.

I loved the cartoon start to this, although was unimpressed with Danny DeVito's narrative. Why did he need to do a narrative? Just because he directed it, but couldn't be bothered to actually get in front of the camera, doesn't mean he needs to reinforce to the viewers that he directed, by doing a narrative.

I actually liked Drew Barrymore in this movie as she's a terrific actress. Sometimes her hair can be a bit too brassy & platinum, but in this, it was the perfect shade. Ben Stiller's not bad - he's turning into Adam Sandler, and I often get the two muddled up. Plus, is it just me, or do they look really similar? Ben's character Alex is really sweet, when he gets teased about taking a nap during the day, simply because he got kept up the night before! Plus, Frank Hilliard from Mrs Doubtfire also appears as the estate agent!

I'm not keen on how all blurbs say Alex (Alan) and Nancy want to kill their upstairs neighbour (Eileen Essel - who any Ali G fans might just recognise from Indahouse) - it's a very gradual, and only comes about in the last part of the movie. The neighbour an Irish woman, who claims her husband died years ago, after 58 years marriage, looks positively ancient by this point. She plays her television very loud all night long, leaving Alex & Nancy with no sleep & no love life either, and she called Alex Alan, and then claims she doesn't forget names.

By the end of the movie, you will be fantasising about doing away with the sweet old lady too. Eileen is simply wonderful as the alternately appealing and excruciating tenant. She has the sweet old lady bit down pat to the point where you'll feel guilty for thinking about killing her yourself! Ben, Drew & Eileen have great chemistry, although there's some very crude scenes, including seeing an old woman get undressed and a vomit scene, that should have been left to the likes of American Pie standards.

The film ends on a difficult note - Danny DeVito doesn't seem too sure how to tie it all up, and it's not the most memorable ending of movies. There's also your now standard Hollywood twist in the tale which doesn't come together easily, but is glaringly obvious when you remember the movie.

I loved the Macaw (which is a parrot by the way), and it should have been included more in the movie, cos it caused some hilarious moments, simply just by being there.

I can imagine quite a few people won't enjoy this movie, but I enjoyed it in the couple of hours I had to spare before I had to go out into the cold and slip on the ice to get to work. Well worth getting if you like this kinda thing.

Rating:
Summary: DUPLEX
Review: Charming, inoffensive and generally amusing tale of frustration and urban angst. Ben Stiller and Drew Barrymore are highly convincing as the (mostly) innocent young couple who get more than they bargain for out of their first home in the shape of an elderly tenant upstairs with an uncanny talent for pushing their buttons. How far can the old woman go, and how long can Stiller and Barrymore hang on? Lots of funny moments topped off by a delicious and ever-mounting anxiety. Stiller is particularly great as the struggling writer.

Rating:
Summary: duplex
Review: Found this DVD entertaining, the elderly tenant had a way of coming off funny and had a way of antagonizing the owners in a sweet way. Very funny movie,

Rating:
Summary: Duplex
Review: ***
This was not a great movie, but unlike other reviewers I did find it really funny. Good performances by Ben Stiller and Drew Barrymore help.

I almost didn't rent this movie because the notes on the DVD jacket describe two young people who want to kill their elderly tenant. That idea was very offensive to me. Instead, the movie is about the frustration of dealing with this difficult tenant, to the point that the young couple wishes they could kill her, and almost go crazy trying not to---a very different thing. Everyone has probably felt frustration like this about one thing or another, and that's part of what makes the movie so funny---you can identify with things you've gone really nuts over. Again, it is NOT a movie about an evil young couple tormenting a poor old lady!

I found Duplex funny, entertaining, and not offensive in any way. Ben Stiller is a great comedian, and Drew Barrymore was perfect as his Pollyanna-like wife. It's worth the rental, or buying it for a reasonable price from Amazon.
***

Rating:
Summary: hehehe.....That whacky Stiller Guy!!!
Review: not a classic by any means but well worth it if you'd like to laugh for a couple of hours. If you really like it, you can give a friend your Widescreen or Full screen disc. (whichever you'd prefer) It comes with one of each. Cool Idea!

Rating:
Summary: Duplex (2003)
Review: Great cast takes a well worn idea and breathes new life into it. Plenty of laughs. You are cheering for Ben and Drew to run for their lives "out of there" by the end. A twist ending makes it all the more ironic. It could have been longer.

Rating:
Summary: BLAH...but ok...
Review: Yes there were some hilarious content...and the ending will make you go...HUH??? But this film had something to be desired, given the ensemble of the cast (Stiller, Barrymore), I thought that this was going to be one that I would be laughing out loud with throughout...this was not the case...it had a cute premise, but it dragged just a touch....

Rating:
Summary: not tairabley bad
Review: duplex was a romantic comedy with ben stiller and drew barrymorewhen they think they have a perfect house they find out that a little old lady lives upstars.this littel lady turns out to be evil and tries to kill them. this movie was ok but i thought it would be vary funny.but it turned out to be not that funny.but it was still a preaty good movie.you should defintly rent this before you buy it.

Rating:
Summary: My life on screen...
Review: But a lot more entertaining. I am also a writer who lives in New York and is cursed with an instrument-playing, surround-sound TV-blasting, 24/7 noise-making upstairs neighbor who makes my life a total misery. Only I have no possible way of getting rid of him...

If you have a neighbor like this, you'll be howling the whole time and pointing out the similarities to your own miserable situation. If you don't, consider yourself blessed and just enjoy a few good laughs at the expense at those of us who do. Oh, and the ending is not at all expected!!