The Cable Guy

Rating:
Summary: The Cable Guy(1996)****
Review: When Steven Kavacs(Matthew Broderick) starts to have some cable problems, he calls his local cable comapany to come over and have a look. After lisped cable guy suposidly named Chip Douglas(Jim Carrey)comes to to his house take a look at it, he doesnt want to leave Steven alone. He thinks they are best friends. But what Steven doesnt know is that he is a deeply disturbed man who has been alone since childhood, and just wants a friend. Jim Carrey is hilarious in this movie, definetly see it if you are a fan of him.

-Watch for the histerically funny karioke scene, and the scene where there at the medieval dinner show.

Rating:
Summary: Premium Cable
Review: After serving up nothing but laughs in his first few films, Jim Carrey did something a little different in 1996's The Cable Guy, he took on a much darker persona to play a tragic figure. The public did at large didn't know quite what to make of it, preferring his usual over the top antics, however, I have always thought The Cable Guy is hugely under appreciated.

The day "Chip Douglas" (Carrey), cable intaller, rang just jilted Steven Kovack's (Matthew Broderick) doorbell, little did he know his life would never be the same. Raised on television sitcoms, the cable guy wants his life to mirror television. And when he meets Steven, he sees his chance for some serious male bonding. But Chip's idea of friendship-which includes physical assalt, a game of 'Porno Password' and a medieval joust-may be hazardous to Steven's health. Chip worms his way into all aspects of Steve's life. From his estranged relationship with former girlfriend Robin (Leslie Mann), to his job, and even meeting Mom (Diane Baker) and Dad (George Segal).

Director Ben Stiller made a wise choice in casting Carrey, who's very effective at letting his darker side show, as required by the off balance of Lou Holtz Jr.'s script. The film does have plenty of funny moments as well. The entire sequence at Medieval Times is a howler--made even better, thanks to Janeane Garofalo as the waitress and Andy Dick as the Medieval Times host. Fans of the original Star Trek series will also enjoy how Carrey pays tribute to the Amok Time episode Broderick is perfect as the everyman slowly being overtaken by The Cable Guy. Look also for another funnyman Jack Black, as a pal of Steven's. The film also finds time to be a TV lovers dream with plenty of references. Stiller even finds a way to poke fun at a well known murder case and trial.

The DVD has no extras on it. I find this disapponting. After finding somewhat of an audience, thanks to cable and home video, it's time for a special edition upgrade.

Now that we know Carrey is going to take on both drama and comedy, it's time to re-examine The Cable Guy.

Rating:
Summary: The Cable Guy (1996)
Review: The Cable Guy is hilarious. This has got to be one of Jim Carrey's best. The story is of Chip Douglas (Jim Carrey), a con man who pretends to be a cable repair man and intoxicates the life of Steven Kovacs (Matthew Broderick). All things go terribly wrong though, and Kovacs makes all attempts to maintain the life he has left.

A lil' trivia for you.
The role of Chip Douglas was originally planned for Chris Farley.

Rating:
Summary: Critics don't know jack
Review: This is one of Jim Carrey's finest performances, and probably his greatest "pre-Man on The Moon era" film. The critics didn't like it, though, and there's a reason why. It's because Jim was paid 20 million dollars to play this part, and it's not a very good reason, at that. If Jim hadn't been the first person to earn so much for one movie, somebody else would have come along. Probably that jackal Adam Sandler. Besides, that's chicken feed compared to what some actors make today.

Carrey plays a slightly deranged, extremely perverted cable television installer, who becomes obsessed with his clients. One in particular, a bachelor (Matthew Broderick), gets pushed to the edge of his own sanity when The Cable Guy won't leave him alone. The film's comedy gets darker, and more sinister throughout as we see Carrey's slow but sure spiral into madness.

This is an exceptional parody of stalker films in general, in the twisted traditions of such films as Psycho, Cape Fear, Fatal Attraction, and Play Misty For Me. Here we see a different side of Jim Carrey. Those who crave a break from such obnoxious, over-the-top characters as Lloyd Christmas, and Ace Ventura should pop in The Cable Guy. Trust me! Once you look past the bad reviews and hollyweird's undying contempt for this film, you should see a quite fine performance out of Jim. (...)

Rating:
Summary: JIM CARREY'S BEST AND MOST UNDERRATED MOVIE
Review: A CABLE GUY [JIM CARREY] BECOMES OBSESSED WITH BEING AN ARCHITECT'S [MATTHEW BRODERICK] FRIEND. THIS IS QUITE DIFFERENT FROM THE OTHER JIM CARREY MOVIES THAT CAME BEFORE IT. IT'S VERY FUNNY AND IT HAS CLEVER REFERENCES TO TV SHOWS AS WELL. AND THE ACTING IS EVEN GOOD. FOR SOME STUPID REASON, THIS MOVIE TURNED OUT TO BE A DISSAPOINTMENT IN THEATRES. ANYONE WHO SAYS THEY HATED THIS MOVIE IS PROBABLY UPSET WITH THE FACT THAT JIM CARREY IS DOING SOMETHING DIFFERENT. BUT, IF YOU LIKE COMEDY FILMS, GIVE THIS ONE A TRY. AND BELIEVE ME, THIS WAS JIM CARREY'S BEST MOVIE. AND MOST OF THE MOVIES HE DID AFTER THIS WERE INFERIOR.

Rating:
Summary: Carey's Darkest Humor So Far
Review: Ben Stiller's film on social alienation and psychotic possessive-obsessive behavior. A very dark comedy not too different from Steve Martin's earlier film, 'The Lonely Guy' with perhaps a little more erotic innuendo. A film enjoyed probably by those who really have an appreciation for satire and dark humor.

Carrey plays a lonely cable guy who has no life outside of his routine job. After installing cable for a man who just broke up with his girlfriend (Matthew Broderick), he becomes obessessed in having him as a friend at any cost. Broderick's character is clearly weary of the cable weirdo but at first tries to be polite, almost pitying him for having such a pathetic existence. Things start getting too close for comfort until Carey's character goes completely mad. One of the best scenes is when they're fighting a duel in a medieval show circus and Carrey is madly singing the fighting music from the original Star Trek series; analogizing their duel to one between Spock and Kirk where they'rer fighting with fancy pike-axes. Hillarious!

Not a comedy for everyone. I would recommend it only to those who aren't excessively homophobic or too prudish for such a theme and plot.

Rating:
Summary: Highly Underrated Film
Review: This movie often gets a bad rap. Probably in part because it was Jim Carrey's first $20 million paycheck, so the expectations were high. Jim Carrey is at his comedic best as a lonely cable guy who is looking for a friend, and Matthew Broderick soon becomes the (unfortunate) object of his friendship. With appearances by Jack Black, director Ben Stiller and his friend Owen Wilson, this film is one that I watch over and over again. The scene in the Gym ("don't want to pull a hammy") and the trip to Medievil Times are highlights in a film full of quoteable scenes. One of Carrey's best, and that is saying something!