To some people, movies are more than a passion. They are a way of life. For me, movies are not only one of my favorite hobbies, but I feel that all films express a certain reflection of the individual watching them. They say that you can tell a lot from a person by the way they act, talk, walk. I believe you can also tell a lot about a person from the sort of movies they like.

And I think that for Chip Douglas (Jim Carrey),movies and television are more than disposable entertainment. They are his entire life. He is consumed by film to such an extent that he creates multiple personas based on TV personalities. Many critics bashed Carrey's performance for being too sadistic. I think it's perfect because it's daring and hugely different than his other movies, and accurately reflects the mindset of a troubled individual who has grown up on his TV, rather than actually experiencing true life. Not many movies are like "The Cable Guy," and most of them don't have the guts to make a statement so bold and striking.

In "The Cable Guy" Carrey is the title character, his real name supposedly Chip Douglas, but towards the end we're not really sure what's true and false anymore. Chip works for a cable company and offers to hook up new apartment tenant Steven (Matthew Broderick) up with illegal cable. All Douglas asks for in return is a friendship, which Steven reluctantly agrees to. But what he doesn't realize is that Chip is an obsessive monster -- bred on films as a child and unable to separate celluloid from reality, he pursues a "Fatal Attraction" route and begins to stalk Steven. This is one of those movies, like "What About Bob?", where the hero is apparently the only one who realizes how crazy the "bad guy" is. Richard Dreyfuss went nuts trying to convince his family of Bill Murray's insanity in "Bob." In "The Cable Guy," Matthew Broderick has a tough time trying to expose Chip's sadistic side.

I am not Carrey's biggest fan. But I have to admit that over time the comedian has grown on me. And when I see him in "Dumb and Dumber" I can't picture anyone else taking on the role. Here he is in another role where I can see no one else portraying his character, and yet he still hasn't convinced me that he's a great talent. Strange.

I think Carrey's comedy is distinct and the reason his films have become more well-received over the years is because he has invented a certain area of modern-day comedy and thrived in that cubby hole for quite some time. I believe that humor is not existent; it is invented. Different forms of humor come and go. Right now, Adam Sandler and Jim Carrey are two of the highest-paid comedians the world, and yet in fifty years, where will they be?

Comedy is constantly changing. Humor is invented and re-invented to the point that what was once funny no longer is. That is why so many comedies from various eras of American history seem so outdated by today's standards. We are living in a world of Jim Carreys, Adam Sandlers, and Mike Myers. Although they still receive jobs, Steve Martin, Eddie Murphy, Bill Murray, and especially Dan Aykroyd -- some of the most popular comedians of the '80s -- have found themselves all stuck in ruts, filming kiddie movies for Disney and -- some of them (especially Murray and Aykroyd) -- departing comedy to pursue more serious careers in an area of film that will never become outdated: drama (for Murray, it is "Lost in Translation"; Aykroyd is less lucky with projects such as "Pearl Harbor," which might as well be classified as comedy).

The movie was directed by Ben Stiller, who carefully balances the neurotic against the sweet. The movie has its fair share of cameos, and in a great sequence Owen Wilson stars as a confident jerk who takes out Steven's girlfriend on a date. The Cable Guy finds out and, thinking he's doing Steven a favor, assaults Wilson in the bathroom of a fancy restaurant.

Perhaps the reason so many critics disliked "The Cable Guy" when it was released in 1996 was because they found themselves relating to Carrey's character. Maybe not. All I know is that it is one of the most daring and surprising comedies of the '90s -- not especially great but very unique and entertaining. I relate to its main character because we both love movies. My obsession is much calmer than Chip's. But the film does have a good eye for spotting good areas of satire. Yes, it's often rather dark and absurd. But isn't that the point?

4/5.

I love this movie so much! So cute how Leslie Mann and Judd Apatow fell in love during the filming. In the prime of Jim Carrey with quirkiness that is glorious throughout. Regardless of being a movie buff this should be enjoyable for most anyone, warms my heart and makes me smile. Perfectly wild entertainment that never ceases to amaze me!

"The Cable Guy" is a Jim Carrey film which did reasonably well at the box office but was a bit of a letdown after his more successful prior films. After seeing it, I think I can understand, as the story is quite dark...and Carrey's performance is anything but subtle.

Steven (Matthew Broderick) recently broke up with his girlfriend and has just gotten himself an apartment. Naturally, he needs to have the cable set up but doesn't realize that the man who arrived to do this (Jim Carrey) is anything but normal...and is also possibly very dangerous. At first, Steven and the cable guy hit it off and become friends...but soon this cable guy shows that he just ain't right. And, throughout the film, Carrey's character makes Steven miserable and destroys his life....a clear case of schadenfreude where the audience enjoys watching Steven being tortured by this ultra-weird stalker.

I found this film enjoyable but frustrating. I liked the script and thought Matthew Broderick was excellent in the lead...and I did enjoy seeing him being put through the ringer! But I also felt that Carrey's performance was WAY over the top...even for Jim Carrey. A bit of subtlety would have improved the movie considerably and his HUGE salary for the project seems, in hindsight, ill-spent.