Le gars du câble

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.

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

One among the best performances by Jim Carrey. The only thing I couldn't figure out is why the movie has such a low rating. The story may not be too deep or anything, but it is pretty good. This is one among the best comedy thrillers I've seen. Don't let the low ratings fool you. It's definitely worth watching.

Plus, movies directed by Ben Stiller are almost always unique.

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

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.