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- 1996
- PG-13
- Columbia Pictures
- 1 h 36 m
- 1996
- PG-13
- Columbia Pictures
- 1 h 36 m
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.
Directed By: Ben Stiller
Written By: Lou Holtz Jr.
- 1996
- PG-13
- Columbia Pictures
- 1 h 36 m
- 1996
- PG-13
- Columbia Pictures
- 1 h 36 m
The Cable Guy
56
8.0
Where to Watch
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.
Directed By: Ben Stiller
Written By: Lou Holtz Jr.
Where to Watch
Top Cast
Metascore
Mixed or Average
Based on 28 Critic Reviews
56
50% Positive
14 Reviews
14 Reviews
46% Mixed
13 Reviews
13 Reviews
4% Negative
1 Review
1 Review
Metascore
Mixed or Average
Based on 28 Critic Reviews
56
50% Positive
14 Reviews
14 Reviews
46% Mixed
13 Reviews
13 Reviews
4% Negative
1 Review
1 Review
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]
To watch Carrey leering with joy at the prospect of making respectable people guess dirty words, and Broderick trying to avoid the whole thing, is to enjoy their best comic synergy.
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 110 User Ratings
8.0
75% Positive
83 Ratings
83 Ratings
22% Mixed
24 Ratings
24 Ratings
3% Negative
3 Ratings
3 Ratings
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 110 User Ratings
8.0
75% Positive
83 Ratings
83 Ratings
22% Mixed
24 Ratings
24 Ratings
3% Negative
3 Ratings
3 Ratings
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 what was happening. But The Cable Guy much deeper film that actually talks about serious things in life, just covers up with a smile
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This just might be the most underrated movie ever! Don't get me wrong, it has its flaws but as a kid I heard nothing but negativity surrounding this movie when it came out but watching it from start to finish as an adult is highly recommend it!
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Poor Ben Stiller can't distill the darkness, slapstick and fantasy into a consistent directorial tone, but the leads' expert give-and-take make the movie far from unbearable. [14 June 1996, p.1D]
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.
A grating and sinister comedy on the dangers of television. This mean-spirited marriage of cautionary tale and thriller-satire follows the increasingly vicious antics of a deranged cable installer who stalks a preferred customer.
Carrey knocks himself out trying to make The Cable Guy different, then neglects the quiet, telling moments that would make it real.
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.
[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]
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This is one of the most tonally inconsistent movies I've ever seen. Is it a drama? a comedy? a thriller with some horror elements in it? Something inbetween all that, although I'm not even sure, if Chip, The Cable Guy, is even a human or a superhuman being of some sort. I have no idea what to take away from this movie, should I not trust my cable guy? Should I not trust strangers in general? I don't know, but I'll definitely not go through the effort and find it out. If you're a fan of Jim Carrey then maybe this one will be for you, otherwise I don't really know what to take away from it.
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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 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.
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Production Company
Columbia Pictures,
Brillstein-Grey Entertainment,
Licht/Mueller Film Corporation
Release Date Jun 14, 1996
Duration 1 h 36 m
Rating PG-13
Tagline Once you let him into your house, you'll never get him out of your life!
Awards
MTV Movie + TV Awards
• 2 Wins & 3 Nominations
Kids' Choice Awards, USA
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
The Stinkers Bad Movie Awards
• 1 Nomination
