Duplex 🎥 2003 Movie Info

Plot Summary

Young, New York couple Alex and Nancy are sick of their tiny apartment, in The City; and, are searching for their Dream Home. They find a Brooklyn brownstone duplex that’s perfect, except for the elderly tenant upstairs: Mrs. Connelly, an old Irish lady who lives on the rent-controlled top floor. Assuming she won’t live long, they buy the house. Mrs. Connelly complains about the plumbing; blasts her television at all hours; and, rehearses her dancing and brass band; so, the couple is soon sleep deprived and exhausted. A novelist, Alex is struggling to meet his latest deadline; or, have his contract cancelled.

When she can’t get Alex, Mrs. Connelly calls Nancy at work; so, she can’t work either. The Dream is becoming a Nightmare. They can’t get her to move; their noise complaint is countered by Mrs. Connolly’s harassment charge against them. Exhausted and desperate they hire a hitman, which will cost everything they have; and, who finally arrives on Christmas Eve. In a desperate fight, with a speargun, the building catches fire, from one of a fireplace, which was one of the building’s main selling points. But, Nancy and Alex can’t leave the old lady to die, in the fire; and, rescue her. With no other options, they sell the house; only to find that Mrs. Connelly has passed away, in her sleep, as they leave.

In an Epilogue, it turns out that this has been a long-running Real Estate Scam.The Realtor is Mrs. Connelly’s son, and the Police Officer, his Partner. Mrs. Connelly fakes her own death so the mark won’t return . Alex and Nancy were their latest victims, amongst many. Alex and Nancy relocated to The Bronx.Alex used their unpleasant experience as inspiration for his next book entitled Duplex. A final voice-over says that “Alex and Nancy’s dream house may have been too good to be true.

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