If you’ve ever lived in a building where your ceiling is someone else’s floor—and you’ve heard every argument, kitchen mishap, and awkward hookup—you know the NYC charm of Welcome to 190 Lorimer. Set in a thin-walled Brooklyn condo bursting with personality, Dustin Knoop’s comedy captures the beautiful chaos that comes with city living.
In a Williamsburg, Brooklyn condo where the walls are paper-thin and lives are anything but private, seven residents’ personal dramas intersect in unexpected and comedic ways. Ian is a struggling real estate agent still living with his mother, who tries to boost his career with cheesy catchphrases. He is the listing agent for Gabe in 4B. During an open house gone wrong, Ian’s professional pride takes a hit when his rival John shows up to flaunt his success. Later, Ian goes on a first date with Ashley and tries to conceal his not-so-perfect life; they wake up in one of Ian’s other client’s apartment.
Elsewhere in the building, Sean in 4D and Samantha wake up in the afterglow of a hookup. Sean offers to help brand her business, but his day derails when he learns about a condo assessment to pay for new security cameras—installed just in time to catch someone stealing his package, which turns out to be a sex toy. That thief is a neighbor who does unboxing videos online. Meanwhile, residents Jennifer and Doug in 3A host a tense condo board meeting where several agendas unfold, including the hiring of a new doorman named Vlad and awkward attempts to reconnect with exes. The meeting is further complicated by Evan and his unhinged ex-girlfriend, Tracy, who still co-owns part of his apartment and makes an unexpected appearance at the meeting.
“…a comic tapestry of modern urban life, complete with romantic missteps, board politics, and the occasional stolen vibrator.”
In 2B, two Italian tourists, Kara and Lia, arrive as Airbnb guests and meet Jennifer, the board president. Their brief stay adds another layer to the building’s already chaotic ecosystem. Meanwhile, Julia in 2E returns home to her young son Aiden, who is settling into life after her divorce. Her estranged husband connects with them over a video call, arranging to pick Aiden up, highlighting the continuing complexities of shared custody. As these stories unfold within the walls of a single Brooklyn condo, they weave a comic tapestry of modern urban life, complete with romantic missteps, board politics, and the occasional stolen vibrator.
Having never been to New York City, I’ve seen more than my fair share of stories set in the Big Apple. Welcome to 190 Lorimer conjures the magic of young urban professionals trying to hit that big break or side hustle, fall in love or at least rebound from love lost, and try to connect with people who are different from us personality-wise. What’s expected is that nothing ever goes as expected.
For an indie production, filmmaker Dustin Knoop goes above and beyond, not only creating an everyday world from a single apartment building but also juggling the stories of almost a dozen characters without getting me lost. Knoop also got himself and a large cast of actors, who can act. It’s too easy for a dialogue-heavy film to feel like lines are delivered as if read off the script. Every line flows naturally with nary a cringeworthy delivery.
The film succeeds because the characters are relatable and tell a personal story that is real to all of us. While no one’s story truly goes off the rails, Welcome to 190 Lorimer is about the journey and the friends we meet in the end.
In Welcome to 190 Lorimer, writer/director Dustin Knoop proves that when it comes to neighborly drama, romance, and petty grievances, one apartment building is all you need for a great comedy. You’ll laugh, cringe, and maybe even consider installing a Ring cam just to spy on your neighbors for YouTube content.
"…What’s expected is that nothing ever goes as expected."
I got quite a kick out of this show! You always wonder what it’s like in an apartment in New York and these characters just add to the drama of it all. It was a lot of fun. I also loved seeing Brooklyn and the music that coincides with the film. I loved the film quality, the amusing segments and the sound quality which sometimes lets you down.
Oops, I didn’t mean the sound was not great at welcome to 190 Laura, I meant on other things that I have watched.
Actually a very funny and well produced production. What I really appreciate is the sound quality. Way better than most actual shows on the major networks. Well done!