The Cable Guy (1996)

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

Writer:

Lou Holtz Jr.

Stars:

Jim Carrey, Matthew Broderick, Leslie Mann

3 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jim Carrey	...	The Cable Guy
Matthew Broderick	...	Steven M. Kovacs
Leslie Mann	...	Robin Harris
Jack Black	...	Rick
George Segal	...	Steven's Father
Diane Baker	...	Steven's Mother
Ben Stiller	...	Sam Sweet / Stan Sweet
Eric Roberts	...	Eric Roberts
Janeane Garofalo	...	Medieval Times Waitress
Andy Dick	...	Medieval Times Host
Harry O'Reilly	...	Steven's Boss
David Cross	...	Sales Manager
Amy Stiller	...	Steven's Secretary
Owen Wilson	...	Robin's Date
Keith Gibbs	...	Basketball Player

Storyline

Steven Kovak has been kicked out of his apartment by his girlfriend. Steven has a new apartment, and decides to slip the cable guy (Chip) $50 for free cable. Steven then fakes an interest in Chip's line of work. However Chip takes this to heart trying to become Steven's best bud. When Steven no longer wants to be Chips friend the man who can do it all goes on an all out assault to ruin Steven's life. In the backdrop is the delicate sub-plot of the trial of a former kid star for murdering his brother.

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Plot Keywords:

friend | cable guy | television | physical abuse | heavy rain | 

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Taglines:

There's No Such Thing as Free Cable

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for dark thematic elements and crude humor

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

14 June 1996 (USA)

Also Known As:

El insoportable

Filming Locations:

Buena Park, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$47,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£1,643,435 (UK) (19 July 1996)

Gross:

$60,154,431 (USA) (30 August 1996)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Corporation, Brillstein-Grey Entertainment, Licht/Mueller Film Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min

Sound Mix:

SDDS (8 channels) Dolby Digital

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Amy Stiller, Ben Stiller:  Steven's secretary.

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Goofs

At the karaoke party, Chip sings "Somebody to Love" by Jefferson Airplane, which he says was featured in Gimme Shelter, the documentary about The Rolling Stones concert at Altamont. Jefferson Airplane plays "The Other Side of This Life" in the movie, not "Somebody to Love."

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Quotes

Chip Douglas: Come on Stevie, time to leavey, It's the fun bus man!

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Crazy Credits

The Columbia logo at the beginning of the movie segues into static from Steven's cable TV.

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Connections

References Super Fly (1972)

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Soundtracks

"My Three Sons Theme"
Written by Frank De Vol
Courtesy of Dot Records

User Reviews

A Different Slant...

The Cable Guy has now all but been forgotten by the movie world. It was released when Jim Carrey was on his way to being the new A list comedian, and thus, was considered only a slightly funny version of 'Ace Venture'. or The Mask' Or whatever. Personally, I don't consider The Cable Guy a comedy at all. Sure, there are some side splitting moments - Carrey is hilarious alongside Matthew Broderick's by the numbers 'average Joe', but id suggest that anyone who was not taken in by this film to look at it a little differently...

This is a horror film. I swear!

For me, Chip Douglas does not come across to me as a harmless lisping clingy chump - HELL NO! The guy is a maniac. An obsessive, intelligent, controlling, stalking "Fatal Attraction" styled nutter!

Watch it again!

For me, this is Jim Carrey's career launching performance. He has a lisp right? after a while, you don't really notice it do you? Right. This is an incredibly difficult task for an actor - maintaining a speech impediment for an entire film, keeping it level, and not exaggerating it, its really something to take a look at. Carrey's character is sick, and very very creepy. With Broderick et al giving relatively standard performances, Carrey's performance is a stand out, and Ben Stiller should be proud of this film and what it lead to in terms of Jim Carrey's career.

Trust me, if you didn't like this, take another look, and prepare to be freaked out by a very not funny, very creepy Carrey performance...

8/10