The Cable Guy

Play trailer

2:21

The Cable Guy

PG-13

1996

1h 31m

Comedy

Mystery & Thriller

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

57%

Tomatometer

81 Reviews

51%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

Oddball cable installer Chip Douglas (Jim Carrey) attempts to strike up a friendship with customer Steven Kovacs (Matthew Broderick) by offering him premium channels at no cost. When Steven rebuffs Chip's frequent need for companionship, Chip goes from a mildly eccentric acquaintance to a full-fledged psycho stalker. Though it's increasingly apparent to Steven that the cable guy is dangerous, convincing his friends, family and the authorities of that is another matter entirely.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

The Cable Guy's dark flashes of thought-provoking, subversive wit are often -- but not always -- enough to counter its frustratingly uneven storytelling approach.

Read Critics Reviews

Patrick Z. McGavin

Chicago Reader

06/14/2022

2/4

...on the whole The Cable Guy is about as subversive a mainstream comedy as you’ll find...

Go to Full Review

Dave Kehr

New York Daily News

03/11/2019

3/4

The Cable Guy is a gutsy move on Carrey's part, suggesting a willingness to grow just where commercial good sense would say to stand pat.

Go to Full Review

Ryan Gilbey

Independent (UK)

12/12/2018

It barely matters that The Cable Guy fails [to satirize TV], because it is crammed with other pleasures, not least Carrey, who lets us glimpse the human being behind the sociopath.

Go to Full Review

Justin Brown

Medium Popcorn

03/23/2025

4/5

This is so crazy and nutty but it makes me laugh so much. Jim Carrey's out of his mind in this.

Go to Full Review

Brandon Collins

Medium Popcorn

03/23/2025

4/5

I had a lot fun rewatching this. Jim Carrey's so insane but it's darkly hilarious. I wish we could've seen what Stiller would have done with the role, but I still laugh constantly when this is on.

Go to Full Review

Sheila Reid

Women in the Life

05/31/2022

You'll be surprised when you find yourself laughing out loud.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

RS 9

@RT14246164 Dec 5

The real value of this movie is that all its elements are critics to the entertainment society in which we live, and if you see it this way, you can find many interesting elements that bring a powerful message at the end. Suggested!

See more

Thiago B

@RT84504788 Nov 30

The film does not rely on traditional comedy; it is a comedy that does not feel forced. The situations the main character is placed in are genuinely funny, and even though some are absurd, it never feels like it is trying too hard to make us laugh. I thought Ben Stiller would have a bigger role in the film. He appears silently and leaves quietly. I just feel that Ben Stiller's subplot was largely irrelevant throughout the movie; his appearance was literally just for a joke at the end that isn't even funny. To me, it was wasted potential.

See more

BOOm P

@RT11736987 Nov 25

This movie is his top 5 works, and is increasingly relevant and prescient to our present days tech addiction and alienation. It hilarious, scary, and surprisingly sad. Perfthection

See more

Logan G.

@SequelsArentAlwaysBad12 Nov 12

The Cable Guy is a surprisingly dark, psychological movie, but still has Carey’s usual weird and silly antics.

See more

Lucas J.

@LukeJones135 Nov 6

Loved this one Jim Carey is always a riot

See more

D V

@RT33467439 Oct 31

The classic sketch comedy moments more than make up for the story line faults. Is it childish at times? Yes. Is it dark? Yes. This is peak Jim Carrey. The fact this is scored so low, yet Zoolander is scored high does baffle me.

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Ben Stiller

Director

Jim Carrey

Cable Guy

Matthew Broderick

Steven M. Kovacs

Leslie Mann

Robin Harris

Jack Black

Rick

George Segal

Steven's Father

The Cable Guy: Official Clip - Cable Nightmare

2:12

The Cable Guy: Official Clip - Prison Visit

2:06

The Cable Guy: Official Clip - Satellite Fight

1:11

The Cable Guy: Official Clip - Porno Password

2:01

The Cable Guy: Official Clip - Cable Install Time

2:10

The Cable Guy: Official Clip - Welcome to Medieval Times

2:13

The Cable Guy: Official Clip - Roundball Warm-Up

0:58

The Cable Guy: Official Clip - Illegal Cable

1:01

View more videos

Multiplicity

45%

49%

Multiplicity

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Multiplicity

Can't Hardly Wait

42%

63%

Can't Hardly Wait

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Can't Hardly Wait

Blue Streak

35%

64%

Blue Streak

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Blue Streak

Armed and Dangerous

9%

39%

Armed and Dangerous

Watchlist

City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly's Gold

12%

31%

City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly's Gold

Watchlist

TRAILER

for City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly's Gold

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Adam Pally’s Five Favorite Films

Weekly Ketchup: Is X-Force Fox’s New Franchise?

Cannes 2009: The Tomato Report – Almodovar’s Broken Embraces a Comfortable Favourite

The Cable Guy: Trailer 1

2:21

View more videos

View more photos

Synopsis

Oddball cable installer Chip Douglas (Jim Carrey) attempts to strike up a friendship with customer Steven Kovacs (Matthew Broderick) by offering him premium channels at no cost. When Steven rebuffs Chip's frequent need for companionship, Chip goes from a mildly eccentric acquaintance to a full-fledged psycho stalker. Though it's increasingly apparent to Steven that the cable guy is dangerous, convincing his friends, family and the authorities of that is another matter entirely.

Director: Ben Stiller
Producer: Andrew Licht, Jeffrey A. Mueller, Judd Apatow
Screenwriter: Lou Holtz Jr.
Production Co: Columbia Pictures Corporation
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Comedy, Mystery & Thriller, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 16, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA): $60.2M
Runtime: 1h 31m
Sound Mix: Surround

Most Popular at Home Now