#thecableguy

If all you've heard about The Cable Guy is that it nearly ruined Jim Carey’s career, you've dismissed it as a bad movie. You'd be mistaken. It is off-putting to see the comedic actor in a darker film. That's what makes it interesting. You’ve seen romantic comedies, horror-comedies, dramedies, and action comedies... but have you ever seen a thriller comedy?

Steven (Matthew Broderick) proposes to his girlfriend (Leslie Mann as Robin) only to be rejected. Now all alone, he decides cable will keep him busy. Befriending Ernie “Chip” Douglas (Jim Carrey), the cable guy who comes to install it proves both a blessing and a mistake.

You must invite strangers into your house to fix the plumbing, furnace, internet or other things once in a while. When these specialists come in, you always feel the need to impress them. You clean up the house, make sure all of the information they might need is handy and clear your schedule to accommodate them, only for the person you're paying to act as though you're an idiot wasting THEIR time even if they're the one showing up late and leave as soon as there's a chance the problem's been resolved. What if the opposite happened? What if you accidentally brought in someone needy who wasn’t in a hurry to leave? In The Cable Guy the premise goes on further. Strange circumstances turn Steven and Chip into friends... for as long as Chip proves himself to be useful. When Steven thinks he can “break up” with Chip and let him down easy, things go horribly wrong. If you were living it, this scenario would be a nightmare. As an outsider looking in, it's funny.

Most amusing is that Chip is so socially awkward you can’t really tell if he is doing everything out of malice or because he doesn’t see what he's doing wrong, at least at first. Jim Carrey keeps you guessing by being over-the-top. He balances the funny and creepy well. The casting of Broderick as the everyman and Carrey as the wild one is a great choice.

Subtler aspects of the film are also enjoyable. It comments on the way television brings people together but also keeps us apart. The way the film's characters go on about what they'd be willing to do for free cable is a little prophetic.

The Cable Guy is a pleasant surprise. The blend of dark twists and laughs might've been off-putting upon initial release but give it a second shot. It all comes together nicely in the end by staying true to itself. 20 years after its release, it's about time The Cable Guy gets the recognition it deserves. (On DVD, December 31, 2014)

The Cable Guy (1996)

The Cable Guy