When recently single Steven moves into his new apartment, cable guy Chip comes to hook him up—and doesn't let go. Initially, Chip is just overzealous in his desire to be Steven's pal, but when Steven tries to end the 'friendship', Chip shows his dark side. He begins stalking Steven, who's left to fend for himself because no one else can believe Chip's capable of such behaviour.
Similar titles
Reviews
Well ,I opened my movie vault today and came across the cable guy on DVD ,Jim Carrey has to be the funniest man in the world ,when life makes me mad Jim's there to make me laugh ....thanks Jim Carrey love you
Directed by Ben Stiller, "The Cable Guy" is a great vehicle for the talents of Jim Carrey, who plays the titular character aka Chip Douglas. Matthew Broderick plays Steven, who is moving into a new apartment after his girlfriend asks him to move out of the apartment they shared. On the day he moves, he waits hours for the cable guy to show up, which he finally does, but Steven gets a lot more than he bargained for as Chip proves to be intrusive, obnoxious, insinuating, and parasitic--yet sometimes lovable. Jim Carrey's performance is a tour de force, displaying the wide range of his acting talents. Some of this is due to a good script, but Carrey undoubtedly riffs in some scenes.Broderick does a fine job as the reasonable man who lacks the tools to deal with a force of nature like Chip. Like putty in the hands of a master manipulator, Steven slowly loses control over his life."The Cable Guy" is an homage to the many films about stalkers, especially those who imagine themselves to be spurned friends.The film contains many references to television shows and movies (even in its casting)--an element of enjoyment for viewers who like to spot them.Thanks to excellent editing, the final version of the film walks the line between darker elements and a lighter, comedic tone very successfully.
The reason this movie did not do as well or Carrey was slammed was because he came off the very kiddie friendly Ace Ventura, Dumb and Dumber, Batman and The Mask. Now that will start anyone's career off to a blazing start! What was Jim's audience expecting? More silly comedy. Parents take their kids to The Cable Guy (title fits a dumb silly JC comedy) and wonder what is going on here! This is a movie for today's kids, not back in 96. That is why this movie holds up so well. It is an adult dark comedy.Matthew Broderick was as usual boring, but that complimented Carrey. The supporting cast was great. A lot of up and coming stars. Comedies are really a string of scenes like a SNL episode that at the end hope to make any sense. There are few really good comedy movies. The Cable Guy has all the good scenes and ties it together pretty well.Beneath the surface is a lot of depth about a very lonely guy trying to connect because he was abandoned as a kid and TV was the world he knew. This rings true for many. He felt empowered with his "special customers" and overcompensated, but deep down just wanted a buddy. I think this movie is much more honest than many would admit!
Directed by Ben Stiller and released in 1996, "The Cable Guy" stars Jim Carrey as an oddball cable guy obsessed with establishing a relationship with a customer (Matthew Broderick). Leslie Mann and Jack Black play the girlfriend and friend of the latter. There are numerous small roles and cameos by the likes of George Segal, Diane Baker, Eric Roberts and Owen Wilson. If you can imagine Ace Ventura as a demented cable guy trying too hard to be friends with Ferris Bueller in his late 20s you'd have a pretty good idea of this movie. It was barely moderately successful at the box office likely because Carrey's character has a sinister side and becomes increasingly unlikable or unbearable as the story progresses. The first half is great with numerous laugh-out-loud sequences, like the basketball game, while the second half is merely amusing in a black comedy/parody way. It helps that Broderick and Mann are such likable protagonists. I'm giving "The Cable Guy" a solid grade because I laughed a lot in the first half and the rest of it I found entertaining even though Carrey's character is annoying and somewhat scary. No matter how you slice it, the movie gives you a good time for an hour and a half. The film runs 96 minutes and was shot in Culver City, Buena Park, Long Beach and Pasadena, California.GRADE: B
