Cable Guy - Die Nervensäge

Some people really hated the movie. I saw it, I'll note I saw it on video and frankly I loved it. I think this was the start of Carrey really coming out although it has a couple of crude jokes I could have done without. You really feel for Broderick who starts out having a slightly annoying friend and ends up dealing with a stalker! Somehow the stalker goes from being exceedingly annoying to outsiders gaining acceptance from everybody around his victim. He casts a spell having his victim believe that he is in danger of losing everything if he does not co-operate with his tomentor. Anyway, if you like a bit of light dark comedy and order a pizza, I think the movie is worth a watch.

Jim Carrey has only been better than this in two movies, "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind", and "Man on the Moon", but both were more or less dramatic roles. Aside from the classic "Dumb and Dumber", none of his comedy roles can even begin to compare to his superb, electric performance here. Most people I know don't really enjoy this, but that's because they can't really relate, or they don't want to. Carrey plays 'Chip Douglas' (which might be his real name, or it might not), a Cable Guy brought up on TV and movies. His performance works so well because he normally goes too far with his antics, making himself seem annoying on occasion, rather than funny. Here, he plays a lunatic, so there are no limits for him to adhere to, and where he would normally seem over the top (the Medieval Times sequence), he is genuinely hilarious.

Now, I might not be a cable guy, but I'd be lying if I said that I don't spew lines from random movies out of nowhere, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't have an obsession. Maybe it makes fellow fanatics a bit unsettled to see themselves compared to maniacs like Chip (which is probably why the critics assaulted this as well). Although this is by and large Carrey's movie, there is no doubt that Matthew Broderick, Jack Black, and Leslie Mann help elevate this film further with excellent performances. Ben Stiller has directed a few other films, but none of them even come close to matching this. He keeps a perfect balance between the dark and the funny, so "The Cable Guy" doesn't come across as too mean or sadistic. He also shows up in a running gag as a former child star from a cheesy old sitcom who shoots his own brother and goes to court, a trial whose verdict is highly anticipated by pretty much everyone. Owen Wilson has another great cameo as a cocky ass who takes Steven's (Broderick) girlfriend (Mann) on a date and gets assaulted by Chip when he goes to the washroom.

I have never seen a movie like "The Cable Guy", and chances are you haven't either. This is a great movie and one of my personal favorites. It's important you don't watch this expecting a cheery slapstick comedy. If you know what to expect, this will be a fun time.

8/10

This review is not coming from someone whose top ten films consist primarily of Farrelly Bros. films, nor do I have a particular liking for anyone involved in the film.

First of all, hats off to Jim Carrey. I read under the trivia section that his role wasn't originally intended for him, but be honest; can you see anyone else playing the cable guy? He was brilliant. He takes the film from what would have been a run-of-the-mill comedy, to levels of greatness, and anyone that thinks I'm being too kind either doesn't like Carrey (it was the film that made me do a complete turn around), or needs to see the film again.

The overall tone of the film is a bit of a mix, it gets darker as the story goes along, but the jokes never mollify. I mean, it's a stalker story with clever film and television references... It's really hard to pin down the identity of this film.

This ranks as Stiller's best directorial performance to date. Reality Bites and Zoolander are good, but not great. This film expresses a lot more of his prowess. I see him as a very capable film maker, he is just yet to make his mark with something more widely appreciated.

The Cable Guy is by no means a classic film, and admittedly, you wont see it on any AFI lists anytime soon, but there is no denying the quality effort that was put into this film by all of it's contributors. And there are many of them -- check out all of those cameos! Chip Douglas' (Carrey) contrived relationship with his customer Steven (Broderick) ranks as one of the most memorable in recent history. It has set a precedent in black comedies that has scarcely been touched since.

I would have seen this film at least 30 times by now and it still seems fresh, and this has lead me to believe that the film probably needs to be viewed more than once for it to completely appreciated. I only wish that there were more people out there that 'get' this gem.

This concludes our broadcast day. Click.

Matthew Broderick asked his girl to marry him and she asked him to move out. The eccentric guy who shows up to install cable in his new pad arrives just at the right time to become his friend. Only The Cable Guy (Jim Carrey) wants to be a little closer than Broderick is comfortable with...

The Cable Guy is a brave and daring tragi-comedy, a rare sort of movie where you're laughing one minute and scared the next.

I'm not sure if we'll ever get another chance to see Jim Carrey go this far out on a limb: director Ben Stiller has seemingly given him total carte blanche, resulting in a seemingly completely over-the-top characterisation, yet not so over the top that we can't get involved in the plot and take what his character does as really happening.

Notice the way that the cable guy often mimics moments from his favourite movies and works them into his controlling of the plot of this movie - or how he starts humming movie-music along to certain scenes, while the actual music of the movie mirrors the music the cable guy is creating. This will clue you into the other subtle elements which add towards this movie's satire of the effect TV has had on the modern psyche.

Its worth the price of rental alone to see Carrey's rendition of "Don't You Want Somebody to Love" in the famous karaoke scene.

After repeated viewings since its initial release, its one of the most memorable Carrey comedies, and one of the most memorable flicks of the 90's. 4/5.

Regardless of what people say, this movie has some very funny moments scattered throughout. When I first saw this movie, I will admit I didn't find it that funny. But it's one of those movies that grows on you with time. Even if you don't like it at first, give it some time. You have to accept this movie for what it is. A dark comedy aimed at poking fun of the lighter things in life. Jim Carrey obviously carries the movie with his infamous quirkiness, but Matthew Broderick holds his own as the anal retentive guy which he is great at playing. Whether you are talking about the Midevil Times restaurant scene or the karaoke scene, this movie is a gem. Highly recommended.