As a follow up to hits Ace Ventura and The Mask, this black comedy curio bewildered Carrey's fans and failed at the box office. But its nervy sheen and strung-out comedy set pieces work well.
Comment
07/27/09
The Cable Guy (1996)
50
%
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work 
Reviews Counted:52
Fresh:26
Rotten:26
Average Rating:5.4/10
Runtime: 1 hr 36 mins
Genre: Comedies
Synopsis: When Steven Kovacs orders cable TV for his apartment, he has no idea how much he'll regret it. That's because the installer sent to his home is Chip Douglas, a lonely, lisping, parasitic geek, who... [More]
Starring: Jim Carrey, Matthew Broderick, Leslie Mann, George Segal
Director: Ben Stiller
Reviews for The Cable Guy
Top CriticStiller's film ranks as an honourable failure.
06/24/06
Top CriticThe 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.
01/01/00
Top CriticThe writer and director can't keep pace with the dark places Carrey takes the script.
11/14/09
The Cable Guy is certainly a cautionary tale, but not about the dangers of TV.
08/20/09
It's a fairly interesting effort -- much more ambitious than most Carrey vehicles.
07/28/09
Aiming, perhaps, for a neat double helix of black humor and prankishness, they've ended up with a pretty ugly granny knot.
07/27/09
Top CriticIn all, about a third of the film (most of it contained in three extended sequences) is audaciously funny and genuinely disturbing. The rest will sorely test the devotion of Carrey's fans.
07/27/09
While some of its antic set pieces are genuinely funny, this fuzzy-focus outing is hopelessly disconnected and ultimately unsatisfying.
03/26/09
Top Critican underrated flick
05/02/08
Consistently funny (in an intensely uncomfortable way).
02/03/08
A misunderstood and misdirected movie.
06/02/06
The film brilliantly constructs awkward situations that neither character can find ways to get out of and deftly plays with the bizarre nature of human relationships. What makes two people click, and what happens when only one clicks?
05/26/06
A hilarious black comedy that proved too dark and too smart for its star's fan base.
01/23/06
No review available.
07/29/05
No review available.
06/30/05
The film maintains a dark edge throughout, even with its happy ending.
04/09/05
No review available.
01/19/05
Plays as a '-from-hell' thriller with a few funny moments instead of a funny comedy with dark overtones.
01/08/05
Sure comedy isn't pretty all the time, but in 'The Cable Guy,' comedy is actually ugly. (published 6-14-96)
01/02/05
Latest News for The Cable Guy
May 20, 2009:
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Pedro Almodovar is a firm favourite in Cannes, so it's no surprise to see his new film Broken Embraces receiving largely positive reviews from the assembled critics. The... More...
August 30, 2007:
Video Exclusive: Seth Rogen and Judd Apatow talk Knocked Up, Superbad and Walk Hard
And the pair nab their Certified Fresh award for... well, just about everything at the moment. More...
September 01, 2005:
Carrey and Stiller to Team Up as "Used Guys"
Jim Carrey and Ben Stiller will team up to play "Used Guys" for director Jay Roach, says Variety. It's a high-concept comedy about two obsolete pleasure clones who... More...
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