The Man in 3B 2015

Darryl Graham [Lamman Rucker] moves into an apartment complex and meets his new neighbors: Connie [Brely Evans] and Avery [Anthony Montgomery], who are navigating a troubled marriage; Slim [Christian Keyes] and Krystal [Nafessa Williams], who is Avery’s daughter; Ben [James Black] and his son Benny [Robert Ri’chard]; and a circle of gossiping women, including Ms. Mamie [Marla Gibbs]. As Benny helps Darryl settle in, the two forge a quick friendship, setting a tone of budding trust in the building.

Connie, who initially dismisses the gossip that Darryl is the most attractive man they’ve ever seen, makes a bit of a spectacle when introducing herself to him. She later runs into Darryl while she’s at the park attempting to get back in shape to save her marriage, and Darryl offers to be her personal trainer, sparking a connection that complicates the building’s delicate web of relationships.

Avery is furious when a promised promotion goes to the owner’s incompetent son. Drunk and disillusioned, he contemplates suicide, but is stopped by a wealthy stranger named Cain [Billy Dee Williams], who shares that he once considered suicide at the same bridge. Cain offers Avery a job and explains a philosophy: leave the old life and its problems behind at the bridge, a mindset Avery finds strangely compelling.

In the meantime, Darryl and Krystal have sex, revealing they had previously been involved. Krystal, however, later balks when Slim proposes to her, adding strain to the group’s already tense dynamics.

Benny offers Darryl counsel and maturity beyond his years, which resonates with the older man. As they talk, Benny discovers On the Down Low, a non-fiction book about closeted gay African-American men, and the moment unsettles him. Under Cain’s influence, Avery embraces a more decadent path and becomes involved in an armed robbery. After spending time with Cain, Avery declares he wants a divorce, driving Connie to seek solace in Darryl and begin a new relationship. Their growing bond is interrupted when police arrive to question the residents and search Connie’s apartment for information about Avery and Cain.

Krystal shows unwanted interest in Darryl again, insinuating an affair, which Darryl rejects. Slim catches Krystal coming on to him, and she accuses Darryl of an attempted rape in a tense moment. Benny’s own feelings become tangled when he makes a pass at Darryl, who clarifies he is straight and was only trying to understand his gay brother’s struggles by reading On the Down Low. Ben, in denial about his son’s sexuality, accuses Darryl of trying to corrupt Benny. Amid these tensions, Avery learns of Darryl’s relationship with Connie, and Darryl’s life is rocked when he is found dead in his apartment after an arson.

Detectives Thomas [DB Woodside] and Anderson [Kellita Smith] begin questioning each occupant to untangle the night’s events. Evidence eventually points to Ben [James Black], who confesses to the murder, mistakenly assuming Benny is the killer. The investigation deepens as the police discover Avery had been seen around the complex before Darryl’s death, and they press Connie for details, while Krystal reveals that her mother died mysteriously in a fire. Krystal, who blames Connie for her mother’s death, is stunned when authorities reveal evidence tying her father to the murders of both her mother and Darryl. She strikes a plea deal to avoid jail time for aiding her father’s escape and agrees to work with the police to set a trap.

Three months pass, and Connie leaves the apartment complex, giving Benny Darryl’s brother’s number after Benny reconciles with his now-freed father. In Jamaica, Connie reunites with Darryl, who is revealed to be alive. She recollects the day of Darryl’s faked death: after Cain abandons her, Avery returns to the apartment to rob Connie. When Avery threatens to kill Darryl, Connie kills him and helps Darryl make it look like Avery killed him. She then leads the police to Avery as a suspect and helps him impersonate Avery by sending incriminating texts to Krystal, a trap Avery ultimately ignores, sealing his fate.

In the end, the community’s fragile balance shifts as Connie steps away from the building, Benny grows closer to his father, and Darryl remains alive, returning to a life shaped by the choices made within the walls of that apartment complex.