After seeing Duplex a few days ago, I've been thinking on and off about what exactly "rent control" is. What's mentioned in the movie is that the tenant can't be evicted, and she pays a rental price that must have been set decades ago and now cannot change. I always get a bit suspicious when I hear about privileges without responsibility or vice versa, and this sounds like irresponsible privileges to me.
Responsibilities without privilege makes you a fall guy: someone to take the brunt of the damage when something goes wrong. You had no power to avoid the problem, but it was your responsibility. Privileges without responsibility makes you a baby who can only sit and cry "gimme" and never has to give anything back. Any time these situations come up, there's trouble.
As for the movie, I laughed. Frankly, though, some parts were frustrating. At about three points in the movie the old lady's life was literally in her landlords' hands. If they had done nothing, they'd have everything they wanted (plus a massive tidal wave of guilt, I guess).
2/5 - wait for it on TV
Mokalus of Borg
PS - There seems to be an opinion that rent control is economically unsound, too.
PPS - I'm sure it feels good for the tenants, though.
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