Main Cast: Andy Dick, Janeane Garofalo, Eric Roberts, Ben Stiller, Jim Carrey, Matthew Broderick, Leslie Mann, Jack Black, George Segal, Diane Baker
Release Year: 1996
Country: US
Run Time: 95 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG13
Plot
Originally planned as a silly vehicle for Chris Farley, in the hands of director Ben Stiller and star Jim Carrey, The Cable Guy became an opportunity for Carrey to flex some of his darker comedic muscles as stalker Chip Douglas. Matthew Broderick plays Steven, an average Joe who is forlorn over his recent breakup with girlfriend Robin (Leslie Mann). When he moves into a new apartment, Steven comes in contact with Chip, who shows up to hook up the cable. Before he knows it, and whether he likes it or not, Steven has a new best-friend in the obnoxious and clingy Chip. However, Steven soon learns that obnoxious is a walk in the park compared to Chip's behavior when Steven tells him he doesn't want to be his pal anymore. What's worse, no one -- including Robin or his family -- believes Steven when he accuses the seemingly harmless Chip of being a malevolent menace. George Segal and Jack Black also star along with Stiller, who plays twins loosely-based on the Menendez brothers. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
Review
A vastly underappreciated film and the target of much critical scorn, Ben Stiller's The Cable Guy might have been better understood were it not both Jim Carrey's first $20 million payday and a major departure from the lighthearted outings that brought him huge box-office success. Carrey is brilliant as a lonely cable installer who overstays his welcome, pathologically latching onto customers to breed companionship from brief encounters. But the movie wouldn't be such a compelling study of the complexity of ending an unwanted friendship were it not for the subtle performance by Matthew Broderick, who balances out the hyperactive Carrey and struggles with how to handle this enthusiastic pest. With a savvy media critic like Stiller at the helm, The Cable Guy is actually more of a wicked satire of popular culture than a Jim Carrey vehicle. Lou Holtz's screenplay is a succession of dynamite set pieces: a testosterone-laden basketball game, a creepy game of "Porno Password" at a family dinner, a gonzo karaoke jam, and a duel with real weapons at a Medieval Times theme restaurant, which is the film's most memorable scene. The key is that each represents the increasingly unbalanced Carrey's attempt to mimic something he's seen on TV, which serves as his only behavioral guideline and standard for how his life should be. Stiller's own turn as a famous child actor involved in a televised murder trial lends backbone to the film's biting satirical thread. A supporting cast that includes Jack Black, George Segal, Leslie Mann, and Andy Dick adds humor and depth to the dark commentary, and Stiller's inventive camerawork elevates the film further. The Cable Guy may one day earn the reputation of an overlooked gem in the rich careers of both Carrey and Stiller. ~ Derek Armstrong, All Movie Guide
Aki Aleong - Karaoke Party Guest; Jeremy Applegate - Medieval Times Serf; David Bowe - Helicopter Paramedic; Blake Boyd - Steven's Brother-in-Law; Lydell M. Cheshier - Jail Inmate; David Cross - Sales Manager; Kyle Gass - Couch Potato; Paul Greco - Raul; Kathy Griffin - Cable Boy's Mother; Annabelle Gurwitch - Steven's Sister-in-Law; Donna Hardy - Karaoke Party Guest; Tommy Hinkley - Basketball Player; Conrad Janis - Father "Double Trouble"; Lloyd Kino - Karaoke Party Guest; Cynthia Mason - Karaoke Party Guest; Christopher Michael - Arresting Officer; Jeff Michalski - Basketball Player; Joel Murray - Basketball Player; Charles Napier - Arresting Officer; Harry O'Reilly - Steven's Boss; Ahmad Reese - Jail Inmate; Julian Reyes - Bar Patron; Steven Scott - Stan at 8 years; Amy Stiller - Steven's Secretary; Mark Thompson - Newsroom Reporter; Leonard Turner - Sam Sweet Judge; Sean Whalen - Karaoke Party Guest; Frank Davis - Bar Patron; Jeff Kahn - Basketball Player; Eric Roberts - Himself; Ben Stiller - Sam Sweet; James O'Connell - Bathroom Attendant; Marty Zagon - Karaoke Party Guest; Liza D'Agostino - Newsroom Researcher; Andy Dick - Medieval Host; Janeane Garofalo - Malinda, the serving wench; Suli McCullough - Basketball Player; Michael Rivkin - Karaoke Party Guest; Owen Wilson - Robin's Date; Andrew Shaifer - Basketball Player; Emilio Rivera - Jail Inmate; Shawn Michael Howard - Basketball Player; John O'Donohue - Prison Guard; Bob Odenkirk - Steven's Brother; Thomas Scott - Sam at 8 years; Robert "Bobby Z" Zajonc - Medivac Pilot; Jason Larimore - Jail Inmate; Cynthia Lamontagne - Restaurant Hostess; Harper Roisman - Karaoke Party Guest; Sandra Thigpen - Karaoke Party Guest; Carlo Allen - Sam Sweet Court Clerk; Barbara Babbin - Bar Patron; Adam Beasley - Nuclear Kid; Bill Beasley - Nuclear Dad; Christine Beasley - Nuclear Mom; Devon Beasley - Nuclear Kid; Adam Consolo - Medieval Time Serf; Christine Devine - Anchor Woman; Marion Dugan - Robin's Neighbour; Staci Flood - Karaoke Video Dancer; Michael Fossat - Medieval Time Serf; Keith Gibbs - Basketball Player; Julie Hayden - Steven's Sister; Douglas Robert Jackson - Bathroom Patron; Kennedy Kabasares - Medieval Time Serf; Rikki Klieman - Herself; Misa Koprova - Heather; Mary Lee - Karaoke Video Dancer; Sara Lowell - Karaoke Party Guest; Robert L. Rasner - Medieval Time Serf; Raydeen Revilla - Karaoke Video Dancer; Charles Knox Robinson III - Steven's Lawyer; Robert Simels - Himself; Tabitha Soren - Herself; Cameron Starman - Cable Boy; Wendy Walsh - Reporter Outside Courtroom; Darlene Worley - Karaoke Video Dancer
Credit
Jeff Knipp - Art Director, Juel Bestrop - Casting, William S. Beasley - Co-producer, Erica Phillips - Costume Designer, Stuart Hagen - First Assistant Director, Frank Davis - First Assistant Director, Nilo Otero - First Assistant Director, Ben Stiller - Director, Steve Weisberg - Editor, Bernie Brillstein - Executive Producer, Brad Grey - Executive Producer, John Ottman - Composer (Music Score), John Ottman - Songwriter, Jerry Cantrell - Songwriter, Sharon Seymour - Production Designer, Robert Brinkmann - Cinematographer, Andrew Licht - Producer, Jeffrey A. Mueller - Producer, Judd Apatow - Producer, Maggie Martin - Set Designer, Jason Weil - Set Designer, Nelson Stoll - Sound/Sound Designer, Lou Holtz Jr. - Screenwriter, Tom Perry - Re-Recording Mixer
The soundtrack to Jim Carrey's black comedy The Cable Guy is a typically uneven set of alternative hard rock. None of this material has appeared on albums or singles before and, unfortunately, much of this does sound like leftovers or rejects, particularly offerings by the Toadies, $10,000 Gold Chain and Silverchair. However, Jerry Cantrell's contribution rocks as hard as any Alice in Chains track, Porno for Pyros' Lou Reed ("Satellite of Love") cover is affectionate, and Jim Carrey's over-the-top rendition of "Somebody to Love" is very funny. In fact, it's the best moment of the album. Come to think of it, it was the best part of the movie, as well. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
Cypress Hill (Performer), Cypress Hill (?), Cracker (Performer), Cracker (?), Porno for Pyros (Performer), Porno for Pyros (?), Toadies (Performer), Toadies (?), Jerry Cantrell (Bass), Jerry Cantrell (Guitar), Jerry Cantrell (Vocals), Jerry Cantrell (Producer), Jerry Cantrell (Performer), Mike Denneen (Producer), Mike Denneen (Engineer), Mike Denneen (Mixing), Brett Eliason (Producer), Brett Eliason (Engineer), Brett Eliason (Mixing), Perry Farrell (Vocals), Perry Farrell (Vocals (Background)), Perry Farrell (Producer), Perry Farrell (Assistant Engineer), Perry Farrell (Mixing), Steve Fitzmaurice (Producer), Steve Fitzmaurice (Engineer), Steve Fitzmaurice (Mixing), Brian B-Sly Foxworthy (Assistant Engineer), Ben Grosse (Mixing), Richard Hasal (Overdubs), Darrel Herbert (Guitar), Dennis Herring (Producer), David Hildner (Guitar), David Hildner (Vocals), David Hildner (Performer), Thomas "Snake" Johnson (Engineer), Thomas "Snake" Johnson (Mixing), Sean Kinney (Drums), Billy Kinsley (Assistant Engineer), Nick Launay (Producer), Nick Launay (Engineer), Nick Launay (Mixing), Paul Leary (Producer), Todd Lewis (Vocals), David Lowery (Guitar), David Lowery (Vocals), David Lowery (Producer), Stephen Marcussen (Mastering), Mike McCready (Guitar), Muggs (Producer), Stephen Perkins (Drums), Charlie Quintana (Drums), Lesley Rankine (Vocals), Mark Reznicek (Drums), Jason Roberts (Engineer), Jason Roberts (Mixing), Ruby (Performer), Ruby (?), Zander Schloss (Guitar), Stuart Sullivan (Engineer), Bob Thomson (Bass), Lisa Umbarger (Bass), David Vaught (Engineer), David Vaught (Mixing), Mark Walk (Bass), Mark Walk (Drums), Mark Walk (Keyboards), Mark Walk (Producer), Mark Walk (Engineer), Mark Walk (Mixing), Mike Watt (Bass), Toby Wright (Producer), Toby Wright (Engineer), Toby Wright (Mixing), Filter (Performer), Filter (?), Silverchair (Producer), Silverchair (Performer), Bob Rupe (Bass), Mari Ann Braeden (Bass), Mari Ann Braeden (Vocals (Background)), Brad Haehnel (Assistant Engineer), Brian Liesegang (Producer), Brian Liesegang (Engineer), John Morand (Overdubs), Richard Patrick (Producer), Richard Patrick (Engineer), Ty Willman (Vocals), Jim Carrey (Vocals), Jim Carrey (Voices), Jim Carrey (Performer), Johnny Hickman (Guitar), Darrell Peters (Assistant Engineer), Darrell Peters (Mixing Assistant), Expanding Man (Performer), Expanding Man (?), Primitive Radio Gods (Performer), Primitive Radio Gods (?), Greg Fidelman (Assistant Engineer), Peter DiStefano (Guitar), Peter DiStefano (Vocals (Background)), Richard Marr (Assistant Engineer), Roberto Toledo (Assistant Engineer), Skidd Mills (Assistant Engineer), Doug Erb (Design), Jim Mitchell (Producer), Jim Mitchell (Engineer), Jim Mitchell (Mixing), Mike Snyder (Overdubs), Judd Apatow (Executive Producer), Mia Apatow (?), Mia Apatow (Music Coordinator), Tim Dijulio (Guitar), Eddie Fagin (Bass), Princess Freese (Drums), William Guerra (Guitar), William Guerra (Vocals (Background)), Christopher Hancock (Drums), Damon Intrabartolo (Conductor), Csaba Petrocz (Engineer), Floyd Reitsman (Assistant Engineer), Scott Crane (Assistant Engineer), Matt Silva (Assistant Engineer), Ben Stiller (Executive Producer), Dave Wanamaker (Guitar), Mary Weeks (?), Mary Weeks (Music Coordinator), Chris Friel (Drums), Daniel Johns (Guitar), Daniel Johns (Vocals), Aaron Lippert (Vocals), Peter Armata (Bass), Michael Bauer (Assistant Engineer), Ben Gillies (Drums), John Ottman (Producer), John Ottman (Performer), Chris O'Connor (Producer), Ten Thousand Dollar Gold Chain (Performer), Mark Yashida (Keyboards), David Bryant (Assistant Engineer), David Bryant (Mixing Assistant)
A TV-obsessed cable installer, who gives his name as Ernie "Chip" Douglas (Jim Carrey), installs Steven Kovacs' (Matthew Broderick) cable television service after Steven moves out of the apartment he shared with his girlfriend Robin (Leslie Mann). After he illegally gives Steven free pay channels, Chip believes he and Steven have struck up a friendship. Chip begins to bombard Steven with calls and follows him around, his mood frequently swinging between manic and depressive. Chip shows his affection in odd ways, such as arranging a duel between the two and giving his new pal a (stolen) massive entertainment system. Despite this, Steven comes to like his new pal. However, Steven's patience is exhausted after he learns that a beautiful woman he had sex with was actually a prostitute hired by Chip. Steven expels Chip from his life, causing the latter man to snap. Chip resorts to stalking Steven and Robin to get the attention he feels he deserves.
First, Chip has the police arrest Steven at work for having possession of the stolen entertainment system, but Steven gets out on bail. The aftermath of this incident prompts Steven's close friend Rick (Jack Black), who has had a deep suspicion of Chip from the beginning, to look into Chip's background. Chip later threatens to blackmail Steven by showing Robin a picture he took of Steven with the prostitute while having dinner at Steven's parents house, but fails after Steven punches Chip in the face in front of everyone else in the house after Chip hints quietly in Steven's ear via playing a game called "Porno Password" that he has slept with Robin. The next day, Chip leaks a video of Steven with Robin with him insulting his boss to all of the computers at his office. Steven ends up getting fired as a result. After returning home, Rick calls Steven and tells him he found evidence of Chip's past. Rick says that Chip uses aliases to conceal his identity and has been previously fired from the cable company for stalking his customers. Rick insists that Steven should lock himself up in his house to avoid Chip at all costs. That night, Steven gets another phone call from Chip, who says he is going 'out' with Robin, but does not mention where.
Chip takes Robin up to the massive TV satellite transmitter where he often "hangs out," taking her hostage. Steven hears about Chip's whereabouts from Robin's neighbor. He drives up to the satellite and brawls with Chip, eventually getting the better of him. Chip then becomes remorseful, lamenting his inability to be a good friend to Steven. While the much-publicized trial of an accused murderer and former child star (played by director Ben Stiller) is about to come to a conclusion, Chip ends up diving off of a part of the satellite's massive antenna and lands heavily on a smaller spire which is responsible for sending the signal to the nation's television sets, causing everybody's TV to blackout just before the trial's verdict is announced. Chip survives his fall possibily damaging and injuring his back, and he calms down, separated from Steven and Robin. Soon after, Chip is carried away to a medical helecopter, before he boards, Steven asks him what his real name is, to which Chip jokingly responds "Ricky Ricardo". As he is air-lifted to a hospital, a paramedic comforts him; Chip sees the paramedic as his new friend, and as the credits are about to roll, he flashes the camera a devious smile.
The Cable Guy is regarded as having a darker tone than most of Carrey's previous work, because he plays the antagonist, a stalker, and in a movie that pointed out class differences and possibly poked fun at blue collar workers (a significant portion of his fan base at that point). Audiences had mixed reactions to this change of character for Carrey and film critics gave mixed reviews. The movie scored 50% on Rotten Tomatoes,[2] giving it a "rotten" score. The film was also noted for its similarities to the Australian telemovie The Plumber (1979), which was written and directed by Peter Weir, who would later direct Carrey in The Truman Show (1998).
Box office
The film grossed $19,806,226 on its opening weekend. It grossed a total $60,240,295 in the domestic market, and $42,585,501 outside the U.S, making a total of $102,825,796 worldwide gross. Despite the perception that the movie was a flop, it made a profit having a budget of $47 million.[3]
Cantrell's "Leave Me Alone" served as the soundtrack's promotional vehicle and had a music video. This featured various footage from Cable Guy in a dark manner typical of Cantrell's style. It also had Jim Carrey's haunting face reaching out of a television screen at the observing Cantrell. While the album as a whole was not well received, Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic noted that "Leave Me Alone" positively "rocks as hard as any Alice in Chains track."
When Jim Carrey is singing "Dont you want somebody to love" he makes reference to the Rolling Stones/Jefferson Airplane gig at Altamont in 1969.
In the 13th episode of season 2 titled "Proud Dick" of 3rd Rock from the Sun, protagonist Dick ridicules the film by saying, "Should Jim Carrey apologize for 'The Cable Guy'?! Well, perhaps."
A line in the Beastie Boys song Ch-Check It Out is "You look upset, yo calm down / You look like cable guy dunked off of your crown"
In one scene Ren and Stimpy from The Ren & Stimpy Show appear on Ernie Douglas' T.V.
Jack Black and Kyle Gass appear briefly in the film. Jack Black plays a role as Rick, Steven's friend who helps uncover Chip's identity, and Gass being a couch potato who in the end when the power is cut off when Ernie Douglas attempts suicide. Later, he reads a book.
On the album The Unraveling from chicago punk rock band Rise Against the "Alive and Well" intro dialogue ("Are You Ready to Rawk?") is one of Jack Black's lines in the movie.
In one of the final scenes, Jim Carrey correctly predicts that we will be able to have Internet, phone and TV provided by cable systems. He also predicted the ability to play video games online, saying that "You'll be able to play Mortal Kombat with your friend in Vietnam."
