Kicking off our Hall of Fame series of reviews is 1996 black comedy The Cable Guy, starring Jim Carrey and Matthew Broderick.
To lump The Cable Guy into any particular genre would do no justice whatsoever to the weird, wonderful piece of storytelling that it is.
A quarter of a century after its release, it remains every bit as funny, disturbing, and quietly intelligent as ever, and has long since cemented its place as a cult classic.
The Cable Guy is a magnetic sort of movie; no matter your inclination, it’ll draw you in. It’s got an engaging plot, equal parts comedy and drama, but at its core, there’s a vein of subtle satire.
The movie carried a darker tone than much of Carrey’s previous work, but it still featured his unique brand of borderline lunacy, and the juxtaposition of the two was enough to put some of its audience off.
What makes The Cable Guy great is the line it walks: it’s a comedy throughout, but the vaguely creepy atmosphere never relents, and even when Carrey’s cracking us up, he’s still creeping us out.
Really, that should just serve as further evidence of the actor’s lasting talent. We’ve seen him prove himself in any genre he tries his hand at, but way back in 1996, he quietly and confidently proved his ability to inject subtle nuances into his performance that transcend the more rigid constructs of cinema.
Despite good performances from Matthew Broderick and supporting cast members like Jack Black and Leslie Mann – not to mention Ben Stiller’s direction – The Cable Guy is, and always will be, that creepy Jim Carrey movie.
It’s a movie that many of us have grown up with, and it’s still every bit as funny, unsettling and entertaining as it was in 1996. If you’ve never seen it, watch it, and if you have, watch it again. You won’t be disappointed.
Rating: 85%
Summary: It’s weird, it’s funny, and it’s just a little creepy. The Cable Guy is one of Carrey’s less famous ’90s outings, but it’s one of his best.