The Cable Guy (1996) Reviews

• Sorely underrated, and a personal favourite.

  The-Gent2003-07-06

  This review is not coming from someone whose top ten films consist primarily of Farrelly Bros. films, nor do I have a particular liking for anyone involved in the film. First of all, hats off to Jim Carrey. I read under the trivia section that his role wasn't originally intended for him, but be honest; can you see anyone else playing the cable guy? He was brilliant. He takes the film from what would have been a run-of-the-mill comedy, to levels of greatness, and anyone that thinks I'm being too kind either doesn't like Carrey (it was the film that made me do a complete turn around), or needs to see the film again. The overall tone of the film is a bit of a mix, it gets darker as the story goes along, but the jokes never mollify. I mean, it's a stalker story with clever film and television references... It's really hard to pin down the identity of this film. This ranks as Stiller's best directorial performance to date. Reality Bites and Zoolander are good, but not great. This film expresses a lot more of his prowess. I see him as a very capable film maker, he is just yet to make his mark with something more widely appreciated. The Cable Guy is by no means a classic film, and admittedly, you wont see it on any AFI lists anytime soon, but there is no denying the quality effort that was put into this film by all of it's contributors. And there are many of them -- check out all of those cameos! Chip Douglas' (Carrey) contrived relationship with his customer Steven (Broderick) ranks as one of the most memorable in recent history. It has set a precedent in black comedies that has scarcely been touched since. I would have seen this film at least 30 times by now and it still seems fresh, and this has lead me to believe that the film probably needs to be viewed more than once for it to completely appreciated. I only wish that there were more people out there that 'get' this gem. This concludes our broadcast day. Click.

  More

• Hidden Comedy

  baehr762004-11-19

  Regardless of what people say, this movie has some very funny moments scattered throughout. When I first saw this movie, I will admit I didn't find it that funny. But it's one of those movies that grows on you with time. Even if you don't like it at first, give it some time. You have to accept this movie for what it is. A dark comedy aimed at poking fun of the lighter things in life. Jim Carrey obviously carries the movie with his infamous quirkiness, but Matthew Broderick holds his own as the anal retentive guy which he is great at playing. Whether you are talking about the Midevil Times restaurant scene or the karaoke scene, this movie is a gem. Highly recommended.

  More

• watch it again. highly underrated

  mr_maximus-12004-10-02

  the most astonishing thing about the cable guy is that it simply wasn't liked by critics! however, this was to be expected given the way it was promoted. Not just another Jim Carrey "stupid humour" movie as it was unfortuanately promoted as, the cable guy was an entirely different genre; a comedy so dark it bordered on horror/thriller. and it is utterly brilliant. to watch this movie a second time is highly recommended, as is an open mind to the dark web that Ben Stiller weaves masterfully. The actors fill their roles extremely well; Broderick perhaps a little underwhelming, but Carrey's astonishingly dark and eerie portrayal of his character carries the film. the cameos are brilliant, and show the respect the movie received by those who read the script, with many top actors willing to appear for only short roles. in the vein of other Stiller comedies that must not be taken at face value, such as the classic Zoolander, this film genuinely needs a repeat viewing. and try to forget Carrey was ever Ace Ventura before you watch the movie. naysayers will be converted! full marks!

  More

• One of Carrey's Best Performances

  darkjosh2000-08-29

  When first released, Cable Guy was such an unusual departure for Jim Carrey and his usual slapstick, manic, goofy comedies that people just didn't understand it or like it. When word of Carrey's enormous $20 million paycheck for this film spread, hopes were high that Cable Guy would be smothered in Carrey's slice of hilarious dementia to the extreme. Carrey certainly brought an air of craziness to Chip Douglas, a lonely, TV-addicted, and creepy cable installer who befriends the unwilling Matthew Broderick (here, looking just nervous and bewildered for the entire film). But something was missing from this Carrey vehicle from the others: he was not all fun and games. In fact, he was downright funny weird, not funny haha. So here lies one of the major problems people have with this film: it veers from dark comedy into darkness, period. Carrey isn't making an ass of himself in every scene. No. Instead, Carrey's Chip Douglas is an obsessive, extreme, two-faced sociopath. The result? What would be Jim Carrey's best performance to date, surpassed only by his Truman Burbank in The Truman Show. Sure, it's got a story that's been done to death: normal guy meets psycho and is stalked. But oh, what fun it is to see Jim drag Matthew Broderick into such uncomfortable situations as playing Porno Password with his parents (Carrey whispering "Nipple" into Broderick's ear is absolute brilliance). Cable Guy is definitely not for fans who want to see Jim Carrey do what created his career; that is, silly, goofy, and flailing comedy. However, avid fans of black comedies will love seeing Carrey's first step in his evolution as a gifted, serious, and undeniably interesting actor. 8 out of 10.

  More

• A Different Slant...

  Stevieheuge2004-07-25

  The Cable Guy has now all but been forgotten by the movie world. It was released when Jim Carrey was on his way to being the new A list comedian, and thus, was considered only a slightly funny version of 'Ace Venture'. or The Mask' Or whatever. Personally, I don't consider The Cable Guy a comedy at all. Sure, there are some side splitting moments - Carrey is hilarious alongside Matthew Broderick's by the numbers 'average Joe', but id suggest that anyone who was not taken in by this film to look at it a little differently... This is a horror film. I swear! For me, Chip Douglas does not come across to me as a harmless lisping clingy chump - HELL NO! The guy is a maniac. An obsessive, intelligent, controlling, stalking "Fatal Attraction" styled nutter! Watch it again! For me, this is Jim Carrey's career launching performance. He has a lisp right? after a while, you don't really notice it do you? Right. This is an incredibly difficult task for an actor - maintaining a speech impediment for an entire film, keeping it level, and not exaggerating it, its really something to take a look at. Carrey's character is sick, and very very creepy. With Broderick et al giving relatively standard performances, Carrey's performance is a stand out, and Ben Stiller should be proud of this film and what it lead to in terms of Jim Carrey's career. Trust me, if you didn't like this, take another look, and prepare to be freaked out by a very not funny, very creepy Carrey performance... 8/10

  More