The Cable Guy

Name: The Cable Guy
Genre: Drama, Thriller, Comedy
Released: June 14, 1996
Duration: 96 min
Rating: 56
Cast: Andy Dick, Ben Stiller, Diane Baker, Eric Roberts, George Segal

1996

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 28 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 111 Ratings

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8.1	User Score Universal acclaim based on 111 Ratings

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The Cable Guy

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Movie Details & Credits

Columbia Pictures | Release Date: June 14, 1996 | PG-13

Starring: Andy Dick, Ben Stiller, Diane Baker, Eric Roberts, George Segal, Jack Black, Janeane Garofalo, Jim Carrey, Leslie Mann, Matthew Broderick

Summary: A lonely and disturbed cable guy raised on television just wants a new friend, but his target, a designer, rejects him, with bad consequences.

Director: Ben Stiller

Genre(s): Drama, Thriller, Comedy

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 96 min

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Critic Reviews

Jay Boyar

Whether Carrey's fans will like it or not, the film is easily his best crafted piece of work to date. [14 June 1996, p.22]

Steve Persall

Is Carrey funny? Of course, because Stiller and the script allow him to be funny, at the expense of tension. [14 June 1996, p.3]

Chris Cabin

The director, who intermittently shows up on Steven’s television as Stan and Sam Sweet, a hybrid of O.J. Simpson and the Menendez brothers, shoots all of this with verve and fluidity to spare, though he succeeds most commendably in framing and editing his star’s physical antics. Read full review

Empire Neil Jeffries

The mix of light comedy and really quite dark themes proved too much for many viewers, but this is worth a look for Broderick's performance and Carrey's obsessive touches. Read full review

Peter Travers

Carrey knocks himself out trying to make The Cable Guy different, then neglects the quiet, telling moments that would make it real. Read full review

Staff (Not Credited)

Carrey’s character lacks the empathy or poignance to command ongoing interest, and Broderick’s role strains one’s patience because he’s hopelessly dimwitted and slow to react in any way vaguely resembling human behavior. Read full review

Peter Stack

The Cable Guy doesn't know when to pull the plug. Much of the film plays like a personal boob tube with Carrey trapped inside, determined to act his way out in a mugging freak show. He's a disturbing mixture of psychopath and pathetically misguided lonely soul. Read full review

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User Reviews

AWESOM-0

Jul 1, 2020

This is such an underrated movie that was probably ahead of it's time. Jim Carrey kills this role and there are so many memorable scenes.

12 of 13 users found this helpful121

eva3si0n

Jul 27, 2022

The Cable Guy is a great comedy with elements of drama. Definitely one of Jim Carrey's best roles. A good cast, funny and ridiculous scenes that will remain in memory for a long time. A memorable ending, which is rare for comedies. Most comedies involving Kerry operated on the idiocy of whatThe Cable Guy is a great comedy with elements of drama. Definitely one of Jim Carrey's best roles. A good cast, funny and ridiculous scenes that will remain in memory for a long time. A memorable ending, which is rare for comedies. Most comedies involving Kerry operated on the idiocy of what was happening. But The Cable Guy much deeper film that actually talks about serious things in life, just covers up with a smile… Expand

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

Xenophobe114

Jun 25, 2021

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2 of 2 users found this helpful20

Aversion68

May 3, 2021

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2 of 2 users found this helpful20

Rind

Apr 22, 2021

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3 of 3 users found this helpful30

Appendage7

Jan 15, 2020

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. In the film, there is a subplot involving the Sam Sweet trial, where Sam Sweet (Ben Stiller) is accused of murdering his twin brother Stan (also Ben Stiller). Although it is not confirmed nor revealed in the film, two scenes in the film hint that The Cable Guy may have killed Stan Sweet and framed Sam. When The Cable Guy is installing Steven's cable, The Cable Guy stumbles upon a newsstory of the trial and comments "I hope they fry this bastard". In the 911 scene, the voice on the recording is not Ben Stiller's, but Jim Carrey's. If so, The Cable Guy may have been a fan of Double Trouble (1992), and Sam may had been one of the customers The Cable Guy stalked. When Sam rejected him, The Cable Guy may have shot and killed Stan as revenge, then impersonated Sam's voice when he made the 911 call, framing Sam for the crime. However, this is only a theory… Expand

7 of 7 users found this helpful70

amheretojudge

Jun 22, 2019

Stiller shouldn't have worried about the viewers, the character gets unchecked, more importantly Carrey isn't directed.

The Cable Guy Stiller has good intentions. He treats his lead as a comic book hero. Unfortunately, he forgets to craft the world in a fantasy land. Now, the director BenStiller shouldn't have worried about the viewers, the character gets unchecked, more importantly Carrey isn't directed.

The Cable Guy

Stiller has good intentions. He treats his lead as a comic book hero. Unfortunately, he forgets to craft the world in a fantasy land. Now, the director Ben Stiller intends it to be in contrast to each other, the character and the world that doesn't accept or eyes him. This was his window for the laughs. And that is where even the script cheats him. There is this obsession of grounding these characters in a more pragmatic way. Which creates the ultimate tug of war that leaves the film hanging in the air empty handed.

The other issue is how much time is spent upon building up the antics and the moments that drives those antics. A lot of cinematography too is directed towards the punch line of a joke. The scenarios are set separately for them, like waiting for Jim Carrey's reaction or the procedure of working hard on something that is about to be mutilated by someone else, the film thrives for such elements and as a result adds up extra irrelevant ten minutes on screen. So why is this that the film has aged well culturally?

First of all, it deals with the social rigmarole that everyone goes through. And something that we all can connect instantly especially the track it follows, not only is it catchy but the film grows how it was promised to be. And center of this affection is led by Carrey's eccentric performance. He embodies the character so gleefully that it is almost as if he has been waiting to play a kooky personality as such his whole life. To be frank, it is a juicy role. Any character would love to play The Cable Guy, he has got a wide range that marginally hovers around being funny and wrong, there is a fine line to walk here.… Expand

1 of 24 users found this helpful123

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84	#84 Best Movie of 1996
25	#25 Most Discussed Movie of 1996
85	#85 Most Shared Movie of 1996