Parents' Guide to

Duplex

By Nell Minow, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Gets old fast, and the pay-off disappoints.

Movie PG-13 2003 90 minutes
Duplex Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 15+

Based on 3 parent reviews

RichManGold
RichManGold Adult
December 21, 2020
age 14+

This title has:

Too much sex
Mom0f4
Mom0f4 Adult
March 14, 2020
age 18+

Smut

This movie was awful and highly innapropriate. The sex stuff was too crude and too many images of smut than what is warned

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much sex
See all 3 parent reviews

What's the Story?

DUPLEX is a cartoonish black comedy about a young couple driven to financial ruin and finally to plotting murder by their elderly tenant. Alex (Ben Stiller) and Nancy (Drew Barrymore) think they've found their dream house, a spacious duplex in Brooklyn with three fireplaces. At first, their upstairs tenant, Mrs. Connelly (Eileen Essel), seems like a sweet old lady with a lilting Irish accent. They also figure that she's so old, she won't be around long. But after they move in, she constantly interrupts Alex, who is trying to finish writing a book, to ask for help or complain about a problem with the apartment. Her television blasts all night at full volume. And she seems to be determinedly healthy.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (3):
Kids say (4):

As in director Danny DeVito's other comedies, Throw Mama From the Train, The War of the Roses, and Death to Smoochy, the dark humor stems from watching nasty people torture each other. Co-screenwriter Larry Doyle's background writing for cartoons may be the reason this feels like it was written for Sylvester and Tweetie-Pie. Except with less heart.

There are some funny moments as Alex and Nancy helplessly try to set some boundaries but get caught up in yet another excruciating errand for Mrs. Connelly, and when their schemes to get her out of the house backfire. Barrymore is refreshingly without any movie star vanity and seems to relish the chance to look silly. But with no one to root for, it all gets tired quickly, even at less than 90 minutes running time, and the pay-off is not worth the wait.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how they have handled difficult people and situations.

Movie Details

  • In theaters: September 26, 2003
  • On DVD or streaming: March 2, 2004
  • Cast: Ben Stiller, Drew Barrymore, Harvey Fierstein
  • Director: Danny DeVito
  • Inclusion Information: Bisexual actors
  • Studio: Miramax
  • Genre: Comedy
  • Run time: 90 minutes
  • MPAA rating: PG-13
  • MPAA explanation: sexual content, language and some violence
  • Last updated: June 2, 2023

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