Review of The Cable Guy (1996) by Korinn G — 20 Jan 2013

Jim Carey plays a neglected Cable Guy and is about as annoying as a car alarm going off at 3.00 am. But that is the part he is playing and it would be hard to imagine any other actor in his role. For Carey fans The Cable Guy is right up there with the best. As Chip Douglas he is superb and genuinely makes the audience feel sorry for him. There are many memorable scenes that make me chuckle just thinking about them. The attack in the wash room "squi-bob", the nightmare-come-dreamscape sequence, the basketball game, the Karaoke jam (who knew Carey could sing) and my favourite of the movie, the scene at Medieval Times. For me this is the best and funniest part of the movie. Carey looks brilliant as a knight ... if a little like the main character from Dragon's Lair (a popular 80's arcade classic).

Cable Guy was Ben Stiller first big budget director's debut and I feel any short comings on quality can come down to this and his lack of experience at the time i.e. continuity and mase-en-scene. Although many ideas he has brought to the mix are just brilliant.

I have watched this movie many times and do find it funny, if a little uncomfortable in places. I like the constant sub-storey of television and how it influences people. For Chip he feels a connection with TV as his mother was never around, makes references like "the babysitter" and consider television a friend. For the character of Steven (played by Matthew Broderick) he reaches for the phone to buy a self-help package following a TV advert when he is at a low point. Talking of Broderick, I am not a lover of him and for me he is poor and unconvincing.

The Cable Guy is not a great movie, it looks and feels low-budget, it seems sparse, bland and poorly put together but is a success in other ways. It sets out to be a light-hearted funny movie, that entertains the viewer, has a message and showcases Jim Carey's "rubber-faced" over-the-top comedy skills. On all of these fronts it delivers.