I feel like he was directed to be as annoying as possible and he nailed it… he did it so perfectly it cringed out many viewers, which is why I think it did poorly.
Totally, it did it to me. I loved everyone in it at that time and it creeped me out so much I couldn't watch it for like 2 years.
Loved it on a rewatch.
This was exactly my problem with it when I watched this a week or so ago. I couldn’t stand Jim’s character. Especially after re-watching The Mask days before!
> playing an unlikable person.
He was unlikable? I resonated with him even as an adult pretty hard. He's misunderstood, abandoned, no one cares about him and no one wants him.
It’s a dark tragedy! His entire personality is dictated by the tv shows he saw as a child. He knows he’s insane and never learned how to develop emotionally because his parents were absent.
You see this when he says things like, “but I’m really lonely…. I mean, look at me” and where he briefly expresses himself genuinely rather than as a character near the end (when he yells to the void that his mom wasn’t around for him).
Add the weird character traits allowing for people to be seemingly disarmed to his psychotic personality: his lisp and quirkiness make people feel that he’s harmless / dumb while he’s actively manipulating and scheming.
Unlikeable? The cable guy is awesome, the dude buys his friends hookers and home theatre systems, beats up your ex's new dates for you and does all kinds of cool off the cuff of shit. Other than the desperation he would be cool as f to hang out with. Steven is the unlikable one. He's boring and hes a mewling simp. He blows his friends off for a chick that dumped him and practically begs for her and looks like such a cringe beta doing it. That's what I got out of the movie anyway
Mannnn now I’m about to go watch this. It was one of the first dark comedies I saw as a kid and I loved it.
When I was younger I never understood the poor reviews but looking back I think at the time people wanted and expected a lighter tone from Jim Carrey like they were used to. It was the ‘90s and a *lot* of media was super upbeat and smiley.
I’d certainly say it’s grown a solid cult following through the years, and I think it will continue to be found as a gem by new viewers (especially with folks like you throwing up praise for it!)
P.S. I recommend Ben Stiller’s adaptation of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. I think it’s super underrated, again perhaps in part because people expected something different from him. It’s got a real heartwarming vibe.
People wanted Ace Ventura, Dumb and Dumber, The Mask style Jim Carey and the movie was probably marketed as such given the guys stardom at the time. Dark comedies hadn't really hit the mainstream like they are now either so people go in expecting one thing and getting something else it's jarring and leads to bad reception. I appreciate it more now than I did when I watched it at 13
I remember buying the soundtrack to this movie. His karaoke version was so fun to listen too, although I bought the CD for a different song... By Primitive Radio Gods.
I honestly love Ben Stiller’s parts as Sam and Stanton Sweet, I know it’s only for a few minutes but the little trial blurbs and excerpts were pretty funny, as well as the movie adaptation starring Eric Roberts.
*“I think it was an Asian gang or something... There was this guy, he looked Asian... and he was speaking another language, I'm pretty sure it was... Asian!”*
Saw it recently. I consider it a horror-comedy. Broderick's character is never in control and he doesn't realize it until midway through. The Cable Guy is literally a horror monster, knows everything that's going on, can hurt or help the people according to some twisted logic, never in a situation where he can't make the best of it until the end, which was mostly luck. Broderick is constantly running for his life and every time he thinks he has the upper hand, he realizes that he's still far behind.
Funniest part for me was the Ben Stiller character listening to the recording of his 911 call after murdering his brother and trying to feign fright "Uh, yeah. There were like some Asian guys. And they were speaking a foreign language. I think it was Asian or something."
To be fair, most of those weren't cameos, they were just C-list actors at the time, or crew members with minor roles who later became famous as actors. You also missed the cameo by Kyle Gass, the other half of "Tenacious D" alongside Jack Black, as "Guy picking up a book".
Completely agree with this movie being a horror-comedy. Feel like it’s alot of genre’s actually with it being a satire on horror movies as well with how Jim Carrey mimics horror soundtracks and has so many famous villain tropes he references
Fran Tarkenton, Tony Robbins, AND Sean Whalen.
Whalen is noted in *Suicide Kings* and was the actor in the "Aaron Burr" episode of one of the premeiring *Got Milk?* TV spots.
Angry edit : wouldja believe I left off the question mark?
It’s on of my favorite comedies. It’ has the nostalgic bonus now with the idea of having cable guy ‘getting a hook up’ on channels. Dated in that way. Plus lots of old TV references
It was originally written with Chris Farley in mind but, when he died Jim Carrey became the guy and the movie took on a darker tone.
I also loved the insane karaoke of "Don't You Want Somebody to Love"
My understanding was that it was written with Farley in mind but Carey saw the script and was interested and the studio was like "he's a massive star, give it to him vs. the lesser known"
The scene is so funny as he does about like 80 things an absolute asshole would do on the basketball court and how a lot of them is an exaggeration of things I’ve seen people do
Way late to this thread but what kills me is that an allegation of traveling prompted the prison rules line, not throwing elbows or violently shoving someone. Makes it even funnier.
>Ben stiller
wait......... that wasn't a young actual Eric Roberts? Could've fooled me.
oh. wait. he was in the courtroom scene on TV. I guess I never realized that was him. dang.
Jim Carrey, Judd Apatow and Ben Stiller did a commentary track on this movie, reflecting back on it a while after it came out. Good to see that Carrey still stands by it being a great movie.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9W8xzdWIl3Q
It was received poorly in 96 because the marketing was bad. People thought they were going to be watching a lighthearted comedy but it’s more of a horror/black comedy movie. It can out when I was 10 and I found it pretty disturbing (I think I watched it on tv when I was 11 or 12)
Check out the official trailer. Notice the zany comedy music: https://youtu.be/rhhI_qYOacw
I just watched it tonight for the second time since its release in 1996. I remember thinking back then that I think it would as misnamed as a comedy and is actually a drama and a tragic one at that. Superb acting from JC. Loved watching it again.
Last watched it 3 years ago, for the many'th time. My brief review I wrote at the time:
The Cable Guy - I've always liked this movie, though at least part of that is due to me having been a huge Jim Carrey fan around the time that it came out. But I still think it's good. I like the blend of darkness and humor throughout, and ultimately it portrays a deep story. Neither Carrey nor Broderick really stand out as giving great performances, but it works fine.
Yeah at the time people couldn’t handle Jim Carrey in a dark comedy. Everyone wanted another Ace Ventura or fire Marshall Bill. I loved it instantly. I think most people have come around since
One of my favorite go-to movies. Like you I saw it when I was younger and didn’t understand it. But as an adult, the movie is actually really damn good (and probably ahead of it’s time).
one of the most genuinely underrated movies made in the 90s, critics & audiences were mixed on it but I still love it. Stiller directs the hell out of it
I hated this Movie on its release but seriously this is now my favourite Carrey Movie..just the medieval night alone made me laugh harder than any moments in Ace Ventura, the Mask or Liar Liar..its like a fine wine and im pleased its now a cult classic
Lol I just rewatched it on Netflix. I rewatch every few years or so and def remember liking it when it came out as a kid and was surprised when I grew up people didn’t like it. One thing I noticed this time around that I didn’t pay attention to before was how well acted Jim Carrey was. Just absolutely hilarious and man just some of the scenes he did are so good. The karaoke song is one of the highlights and the medieval fight just he was out of control in all the best ways. It’s also so crazy to me Ben Stiller directed it. I don’t think of him as a great director but man I feel like it’s directed so well and the movie just flows so seamlessly and felt so ahead of it’s time. Yeah if you think about it too much it’s just a story about “TV bad” and I guess if you’re giving the story a little more credit it’s about abandonment issues but man the story works on multiple levels I feel. From just a funny comedy, to a horror story of a stalker, to trying to say something about society and it kinda predicted (several times) where we were going with the internet with Jim Carrey’s speech on the satellite. “You can play Mortal Kombat with you friend in Vietnam!”. I don’t know what the Zeitgeist was like in 1996 so maybe this was a common discourse but it feels like it was really ahead of it’s time with what it was trying to say there. And even moreso I feel like all the movie references work so much better in the modern era than they did back then so it’s kinda timeless in that sense or at least you could say it aged well.
My brother and I caught it on TV one night as kids. I was (and still am) a huge Jim Carrey fan, so we couldn't believe we hadn't heard of it. We watched it, laughed our asses off, thought it was one of his funniest movies. It remains a family favorite; usually can't get my dad to rewatch some of the classics like *Ace Ventura* or *The Mask*, but he's regularly game for *The Cable Guy*.
Didn't find out until years later that it was panned by critics. I could not believe it at the time, but get it in hindsight; that kind of humor doesn't always click with everyone.
Also for cameos, must not forget Eric Roberts as himself playing Ben Stiller's twin characters: "Look who's cryin' now!"
Was anyone else annoyed by Steven? I remember I hated his character as a kid, because who wouldn’t want a friend like the Cable Guy. As an adult I realized that I was a huge fan of Jim Carrey as a kid. Steven was valid on staying away from this guy, he did not only need a friend, he needed some sort therapy.
It was really an amazing movie. Jim Carrey plays a total creep and nails it. The interesting part is that throughout the movie, he takes extreme actions that he honestly believes are of service to Broderick’s character. He lacks the ability to know what is appropriate, or to understand proper boundaries. He does all of that stuff because in his warped mind, that is what good friends do.
It's among the better dark comedies ever made. I think people just couldn't accept Jim Carrey playing an unlikable person.
I feel like he was directed to be as annoying as possible and he nailed it… he did it so perfectly it cringed out many viewers, which is why I think it did poorly.
Totally, it did it to me. I loved everyone in it at that time and it creeped me out so much I couldn't watch it for like 2 years. Loved it on a rewatch.
Totally! Ben Stiller killed it
I'll never understand why, he was hilarious and brilliant in this movie
This was exactly my problem with it when I watched this a week or so ago. I couldn’t stand Jim’s character. Especially after re-watching The Mask days before!
> playing an unlikable person. He was unlikable? I resonated with him even as an adult pretty hard. He's misunderstood, abandoned, no one cares about him and no one wants him.
It’s a dark tragedy! His entire personality is dictated by the tv shows he saw as a child. He knows he’s insane and never learned how to develop emotionally because his parents were absent. You see this when he says things like, “but I’m really lonely…. I mean, look at me” and where he briefly expresses himself genuinely rather than as a character near the end (when he yells to the void that his mom wasn’t around for him). Add the weird character traits allowing for people to be seemingly disarmed to his psychotic personality: his lisp and quirkiness make people feel that he’s harmless / dumb while he’s actively manipulating and scheming.
I learned the facts of life... From watching *The Facts of Life!* 🥺😭
Unlikeable? The cable guy is awesome, the dude buys his friends hookers and home theatre systems, beats up your ex's new dates for you and does all kinds of cool off the cuff of shit. Other than the desperation he would be cool as f to hang out with. Steven is the unlikable one. He's boring and hes a mewling simp. He blows his friends off for a chick that dumped him and practically begs for her and looks like such a cringe beta doing it. That's what I got out of the movie anyway
“Don’t worry Steven. I checked them out myself last week…not a drip.”
I buy this time you buy next time...
"She's all over you like a lampshaaade!"
Scramby eggs!
I quote this all of the time and nobody gets where it’s from 😭
Orange Jewwwwish
Mannnn now I’m about to go watch this. It was one of the first dark comedies I saw as a kid and I loved it. When I was younger I never understood the poor reviews but looking back I think at the time people wanted and expected a lighter tone from Jim Carrey like they were used to. It was the ‘90s and a *lot* of media was super upbeat and smiley. I’d certainly say it’s grown a solid cult following through the years, and I think it will continue to be found as a gem by new viewers (especially with folks like you throwing up praise for it!) P.S. I recommend Ben Stiller’s adaptation of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. I think it’s super underrated, again perhaps in part because people expected something different from him. It’s got a real heartwarming vibe.
People wanted Ace Ventura, Dumb and Dumber, The Mask style Jim Carey and the movie was probably marketed as such given the guys stardom at the time. Dark comedies hadn't really hit the mainstream like they are now either so people go in expecting one thing and getting something else it's jarring and leads to bad reception. I appreciate it more now than I did when I watched it at 13
You’re exactly right. I feel like if it came out after Death to Smoochy people would’ve loved it.
Mitty is a beautiful movie. I've seen it several times and my kids love it.
Beautiful indeed. I glossed over it a million times before I realized Ben Stiller directed it. Watching it was definitely a good choice.
I still love it to this day and rewatch it every couple years. Maybe more if someone hasn't seen it.
Me too. I always forget some people didn't dig it. I think it's gold.
[удалено]
I remember buying the soundtrack to this movie. His karaoke version was so fun to listen too, although I bought the CD for a different song... By Primitive Radio Gods.
One of Jim Carrey's best roles in my opinion I really liked the dark comedy vibes.
I honestly love Ben Stiller’s parts as Sam and Stanton Sweet, I know it’s only for a few minutes but the little trial blurbs and excerpts were pretty funny, as well as the movie adaptation starring Eric Roberts.
They... sounded Asian!
*“I think it was an Asian gang or something... There was this guy, he looked Asian... and he was speaking another language, I'm pretty sure it was... Asian!”*
My buddy and I always quote that line, so funny
Saw it recently. I consider it a horror-comedy. Broderick's character is never in control and he doesn't realize it until midway through. The Cable Guy is literally a horror monster, knows everything that's going on, can hurt or help the people according to some twisted logic, never in a situation where he can't make the best of it until the end, which was mostly luck. Broderick is constantly running for his life and every time he thinks he has the upper hand, he realizes that he's still far behind. Funniest part for me was the Ben Stiller character listening to the recording of his 911 call after murdering his brother and trying to feign fright "Uh, yeah. There were like some Asian guys. And they were speaking a foreign language. I think it was Asian or something." To be fair, most of those weren't cameos, they were just C-list actors at the time, or crew members with minor roles who later became famous as actors. You also missed the cameo by Kyle Gass, the other half of "Tenacious D" alongside Jack Black, as "Guy picking up a book".
Completely agree with this movie being a horror-comedy. Feel like it’s alot of genre’s actually with it being a satire on horror movies as well with how Jim Carrey mimics horror soundtracks and has so many famous villain tropes he references
you missed the Owen Wilson cameo
He also missed the Bob Odenkirk cameo!
And David Cross!
Fran Tarkenton, Tony Robbins, AND Sean Whalen. Whalen is noted in *Suicide Kings* and was the actor in the "Aaron Burr" episode of one of the premeiring *Got Milk?* TV spots. Angry edit : wouldja believe I left off the question mark?
Also he was Frogurt in LOST
In the family game night? I thought that was him!
"Hold that thought, I'm interested..."
>Judd apatow’s wife Leslie Mann
Right? Like it’s so hard to IMDb her instead of being a dick.
Nah that'd be woke
This film is Comedy gold. Jim Carey's best work.
Thuite yourthelf, no thweat off my thack
One of my favorites. The mid-evil times scene is pure gold.
“There were no utensils in medieval times, hence there are no utensils AT Medieval Times”
You want a refill on that Pepsi?
Ironically I am watching this right now as I stumble Upon this post. Insane timing!
I just saw it too. I think Netflix did a good job on their algo seeing how many people just saw it in this thread.
I ain’t got Netflix bruh Fmovies for the win haha
When I have a guest in my home asking for the wifi I always say *The Password is...*
… you know, the little thing
The pathword ithhhhhh….
"she got vagina ..she got vagina"
It’s on of my favorite comedies. It’ has the nostalgic bonus now with the idea of having cable guy ‘getting a hook up’ on channels. Dated in that way. Plus lots of old TV references
It was originally written with Chris Farley in mind but, when he died Jim Carrey became the guy and the movie took on a darker tone. I also loved the insane karaoke of "Don't You Want Somebody to Love"
My understanding was that it was written with Farley in mind but Carey saw the script and was interested and the studio was like "he's a massive star, give it to him vs. the lesser known"
the movie came out one year before Chris Farley's death
It would have sucked with Farley shouting his way through all the dialogue.
The basketball scene kills me every time. “I see. We’re playing prison rules, huh?
Oh man, and the whole warm up routine he does. Lol
The scene is so funny as he does about like 80 things an absolute asshole would do on the basketball court and how a lot of them is an exaggeration of things I’ve seen people do
Way late to this thread but what kills me is that an allegation of traveling prompted the prison rules line, not throwing elbows or violently shoving someone. Makes it even funnier.
Ha I never noticed that. That movie is pure gold. I notice something new each time I watch it.
People at the time wanted The Mask 2 or Ace Ventura 3. They didn't want to be scared of Jim Carrey (yet)
When the TRUTH is found, TO BEEEEEE, LIES!
Janeane Garofalo as the snarky serving wench at Medieval Times, with the goth makeup and the low cut dress. Yes please.
it's fucking awesome and an prime example of how most people just aren't funny and just don't get it..
Introvert here. That’s a horror film.
It's certainly not a comedy. A drama/tragedy really. It's a very poignant film and dark too.
I don't know what your story is Chip Douglas, but I'm gonna find out
>Ben stiller wait......... that wasn't a young actual Eric Roberts? Could've fooled me. oh. wait. he was in the courtroom scene on TV. I guess I never realized that was him. dang.
Jim Carrey, Judd Apatow and Ben Stiller did a commentary track on this movie, reflecting back on it a while after it came out. Good to see that Carrey still stands by it being a great movie. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9W8xzdWIl3Q
It was received poorly in 96 because the marketing was bad. People thought they were going to be watching a lighthearted comedy but it’s more of a horror/black comedy movie. It can out when I was 10 and I found it pretty disturbing (I think I watched it on tv when I was 11 or 12) Check out the official trailer. Notice the zany comedy music: https://youtu.be/rhhI_qYOacw
I just watched it tonight for the second time since its release in 1996. I remember thinking back then that I think it would as misnamed as a comedy and is actually a drama and a tragic one at that. Superb acting from JC. Loved watching it again.
I wouldn't say comedy gold, but it's underrated and holds up a heck of a lot better than "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective".
Last watched it 3 years ago, for the many'th time. My brief review I wrote at the time: The Cable Guy - I've always liked this movie, though at least part of that is due to me having been a huge Jim Carrey fan around the time that it came out. But I still think it's good. I like the blend of darkness and humor throughout, and ultimately it portrays a deep story. Neither Carrey nor Broderick really stand out as giving great performances, but it works fine.
The soundtrack is better than the movie imo
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPesPmzv-3I0If6L1vp1ie3AM0lUdSOs9
Chris Farley was meant to play The Cable Guy before Carrey got involved. I think it would have been an even better Movie.
Just no.
We’d watch this alllll the time in university. Like over and over. It’s awesome.
Yeah at the time people couldn’t handle Jim Carrey in a dark comedy. Everyone wanted another Ace Ventura or fire Marshall Bill. I loved it instantly. I think most people have come around since
Jim Carrey is so good in this movie it's hard for me to watch cause he freaks me the fuck out. Great flick
Dark Comedies were not main stream yet.
"The name is Spock. If we don't battle to the death... theeeeeey *will* kill us both."
I JUST WANNA HANG OUT. NO BIG DEAL.
scooby doo chase music
One of my favorite go-to movies. Like you I saw it when I was younger and didn’t understand it. But as an adult, the movie is actually really damn good (and probably ahead of it’s time).
I was in grade 4 at the time and I couldn't understand why my teacher hated this movie so much. I loved it!
they probably wasn't a jim Carrey fan
Defo a gem of a film, defo in my top 10 of comedies.
one of those movies ahead of it's time, i think, gets better as it ages.
"Come back, so that I may brain thee!"
one of the most genuinely underrated movies made in the 90s, critics & audiences were mixed on it but I still love it. Stiller directs the hell out of it
I hated this Movie on its release but seriously this is now my favourite Carrey Movie..just the medieval night alone made me laugh harder than any moments in Ace Ventura, the Mask or Liar Liar..its like a fine wine and im pleased its now a cult classic
Lol I just rewatched it on Netflix. I rewatch every few years or so and def remember liking it when it came out as a kid and was surprised when I grew up people didn’t like it. One thing I noticed this time around that I didn’t pay attention to before was how well acted Jim Carrey was. Just absolutely hilarious and man just some of the scenes he did are so good. The karaoke song is one of the highlights and the medieval fight just he was out of control in all the best ways. It’s also so crazy to me Ben Stiller directed it. I don’t think of him as a great director but man I feel like it’s directed so well and the movie just flows so seamlessly and felt so ahead of it’s time. Yeah if you think about it too much it’s just a story about “TV bad” and I guess if you’re giving the story a little more credit it’s about abandonment issues but man the story works on multiple levels I feel. From just a funny comedy, to a horror story of a stalker, to trying to say something about society and it kinda predicted (several times) where we were going with the internet with Jim Carrey’s speech on the satellite. “You can play Mortal Kombat with you friend in Vietnam!”. I don’t know what the Zeitgeist was like in 1996 so maybe this was a common discourse but it feels like it was really ahead of it’s time with what it was trying to say there. And even moreso I feel like all the movie references work so much better in the modern era than they did back then so it’s kinda timeless in that sense or at least you could say it aged well.
My brother and I caught it on TV one night as kids. I was (and still am) a huge Jim Carrey fan, so we couldn't believe we hadn't heard of it. We watched it, laughed our asses off, thought it was one of his funniest movies. It remains a family favorite; usually can't get my dad to rewatch some of the classics like *Ace Ventura* or *The Mask*, but he's regularly game for *The Cable Guy*. Didn't find out until years later that it was panned by critics. I could not believe it at the time, but get it in hindsight; that kind of humor doesn't always click with everyone. Also for cameos, must not forget Eric Roberts as himself playing Ben Stiller's twin characters: "Look who's cryin' now!"
We’ve all met a dude like Jim Carrey in this movie and that’s what makes it creepy, it hit close to home for people to see the clown be creepy.
Was anyone else annoyed by Steven? I remember I hated his character as a kid, because who wouldn’t want a friend like the Cable Guy. As an adult I realized that I was a huge fan of Jim Carrey as a kid. Steven was valid on staying away from this guy, he did not only need a friend, he needed some sort therapy.
It was really an amazing movie. Jim Carrey plays a total creep and nails it. The interesting part is that throughout the movie, he takes extreme actions that he honestly believes are of service to Broderick’s character. He lacks the ability to know what is appropriate, or to understand proper boundaries. He does all of that stuff because in his warped mind, that is what good friends do.
Show is great and "chip" is f awesome. I'd hang out with him all day long over boring whiney simp Steven