Opening

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100% A Hijacking Jun 21
66% Unfinished Song Jun 21
100% The Attack Jun 21
—— The Haunting of Helena Jun 21

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Coming Soon

—— How To Make Money Selling Drugs Jun 26
—— White House Down Jun 28
—— The Heat Jun 28
56% I'm So Excited! Jun 28

The Cable Guy (1996)

tomatometer

19

Average Rating: 4/10
Critic Reviews: 16
Fresh: 3 | Rotten: 13

No consensus yet.

audience

50

liked it
Average Rating: 2.8/5
User Ratings: 446,071

My Rating

Movie Info

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

PG-13,

Comedy

Judd Apatow

Aug 8, 2000

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Watch It Now

Cast

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All Critics (56) | Top Critics (16) | Fresh (30) | Rotten (26) | DVD (7)

It's a fairly interesting effort -- much more ambitious than most Carrey vehicles.

July 28, 2009 Full Review Source: Chicago Reader
Chicago Reader
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Aiming, perhaps, for a neat double helix of black humor and prankishness, they've ended up with a pretty ugly granny knot.

July 27, 2009 Full Review Source: TIME Magazine
TIME Magazine
Top Critic IconTop Critic

While some of its antic set pieces are genuinely funny, this fuzzy-focus outing is hopelessly disconnected and ultimately unsatisfying.

March 26, 2009 Full Review Source: Variety
Variety
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Stiller's film ranks as an honourable failure.

June 24, 2006 Full Review Source: Time Out
Time Out
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Much of it plays like a personal boob tube with Carrey trapped inside, determined to act his way out in a freak show of mugging. He's a disturbing mixture of psychopath and lonely soul. Here, as always, a little Carrey goes a long way.

June 18, 2002 Full Review Source: San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco Chronicle
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Carrey runs riot, and Stiller won't stop him.

May 12, 2001
Rolling Stone
Top Critic IconTop Critic

A twisted comedy about TV addiction. Teens OK.

December 18, 2010 Full Review Source: Common Sense Media
Common Sense Media

One of the most underrated comedies of all time.

September 8, 2010 Full Review Source: Three Movie Buffs | Comments (5)
Three Movie Buffs

The writer and director can't keep pace with the dark places Carrey takes the script.

November 14, 2009 Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Ozus' World Movie Reviews

The Cable Guy is certainly a cautionary tale, but not about the dangers of TV.

August 20, 2009 Full Review Source: City Pages, Minneapolis/St. Paul

In all, about a third of the film (most of it contained in three extended sequences) is audaciously funny and genuinely disturbing. The rest will sorely test the devotion of Carrey's fans.

July 27, 2009 Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide
TV Guide's Movie Guide

As a follow up to hits Ace Ventura and The Mask, this black comedy curio bewildered Carrey's fans and failed at the box office. But its nervy sheen and strung-out comedy set pieces work well.

July 27, 2009 Full Review Source: Film4
Film4

an underrated flick

May 2, 2008

Consistently funny (in an intensely uncomfortable way).

February 3, 2008 Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com
eFilmCritic.com

A misunderstood and misdirected movie.

June 2, 2006 Full Review Source: JoBlo's Movie Emporium
JoBlo's Movie Emporium

The film brilliantly constructs awkward situations that neither character can find ways to get out of and deftly plays with the bizarre nature of human relationships. What makes two people click, and what happens when only one clicks?

May 26, 2006 Full Review Source: Combustible Celluloid
Combustible Celluloid

A hilarious black comedy that proved too dark and too smart for its star's fan base.

January 23, 2006 | Comments (9)
Fantastica Daily

The film maintains a dark edge throughout, even with its happy ending.

April 9, 2005 Full Review Source: Reeling Reviews
Reeling Reviews

Plays as a '-from-hell' thriller with a few funny moments instead of a funny comedy with dark overtones.

January 8, 2005 Full Review Source: TheMovieReport.com
TheMovieReport.com

Sure comedy isn't pretty all the time, but in 'The Cable Guy,' comedy is actually ugly. (published 6-14-96)

January 2, 2005 Full Review

Not really successful, but too strange to quite dismiss.

March 29, 2004
Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

Twisted, but sometimes deliciously so!

July 20, 2003
Movie Mom at Yahoo! Movies

Audience Reviews for The Cable Guy

24/01/2013 (Quickflix, PS3)
April 23, 2007
EightThirty

Super Reviewer

A big hit and miss, yet it's a pretty good cult film. Confusing and not amazing during the first watch. However the second time, it was funnier and certain lines became more recognised. Lets face it, this is for Jim Carrey fans. 'The Cable Guy' is not as iconic as 'Ace Ventura'. It isn't as touching as 'The Truman Show', but you either watch it or you don't, you love it or hate it.
August 11, 2012
Samuel Riley
Samuel Riley

Super Reviewer

    1. Chip Douglas the Cable Guy: Right into the buckle. That's gotta hurt, Gene!
    – Submitted by russell b (2 months ago)
    1. Chip Douglas the Cable Guy: I learned the facts of life - from watching "The Facts of Life."
    – Submitted by russell b (2 months ago)
    1. Chip Douglas the Cable Guy: That's your sweet spot, right there.
    – Submitted by Ben O (8 months ago)
    1. Chip Douglas the Cable Guy: Everything was going so well, why are you ding this Stephen? I made you breakfast and we were eating... The scramby eggs!
    – Submitted by Haleigh M (10 months ago)
    1. Chip Douglas the Cable Guy: I JUST WANNA HANG OUT! NO BIG DEAL!
    – Submitted by Rob N (10 months ago)
    1. Chip Douglas the Cable Guy: You could be fined up to 5,000 dollars and spend six months in a correctional facilily!
    – Submitted by Megan L (11 months ago)

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Underrated 44 days ago 0

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Latest News on The Cable Guy

October 21, 2011:
Fox Buys The Mountain for Ben Stiller
Stiller's attached to direct a horror story based on Edith Wharton's "Summer."
May 20, 2009:
Cannes 2009: The Tomato Report ? Almodovar's Broken Embraces a Comfortable Favourite
Pedro Almodovar is a firm favourite in Cannes, so it's no surprise to see his new film Broken...
August 30, 2007:
Video Exclusive: Seth Rogen and Judd Apatow talk Knocked Up, Superbad and Walk Hard
And the pair nab their Certified Fresh award for... well, just about everything at the moment.

Foreign Titles

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