Duplex

SYNOPSIS

It's hard to believe that a comedy from a writer of The Simpsons (Larry Doyle) and director Danny DeVito could be such a dreary laughter-free zone. This ham-fisted slapstick farce is as much a test of patience for the viewer as elderly Irish neighbour Eileen Essell is for Ben Stiller and Drew Barrymore - the couple find that Essell's overbearing upstairs tenant comes with their new Brooklyn residence. Soon the dotty pensioner is driving them crazy with her blaring TV, time-consuming requests and annoying habits. This nightmarish assault on their tolerance and good humour - and the fact the old lady lives in rent-controlled security - eventually pushes Stiller and Barrymore into hiring hitman James Remar to solve their problem. Unfortunately, even Stiller's genius comic timing can't compensate for the cartoon tastelessness or clumsy dark tone of this wildly uneven real-estate horror story.