Jim Carrey has only been better than this in two movies, "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind", and "Man on the Moon", but both were more or less dramatic roles. Aside from the classic "Dumb and Dumber", none of his comedy roles can even begin to compare to his superb, electric performance here. Most people I know don't really enjoy this, but that's because they can't really relate, or they don't want to. Carrey plays 'Chip Douglas' (which might be his real name, or it might not), a Cable Guy brought up on TV and movies. His performance works so well because he normally goes too far with his antics, making himself seem annoying on occasion, rather than funny. Here, he plays a lunatic, so there are no limits for him to adhere to, and where he would normally seem over the top (the Medieval Times sequence), he is genuinely hilarious.
Now, I might not be a cable guy, but I'd be lying if I said that I don't spew lines from random movies out of nowhere, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't have an obsession. Maybe it makes fellow fanatics a bit unsettled to see themselves compared to maniacs like Chip (which is probably why the critics assaulted this as well). Although this is by and large Carrey's movie, there is no doubt that Matthew Broderick, Jack Black, and Leslie Mann help elevate this film further with excellent performances. Ben Stiller has directed a few other films, but none of them even come close to matching this. He keeps a perfect balance between the dark and the funny, so "The Cable Guy" doesn't come across as too mean or sadistic. He also shows up in a running gag as a former child star from a cheesy old sitcom who shoots his own brother and goes to court, a trial whose verdict is highly anticipated by pretty much everyone. Owen Wilson has another great cameo as a cocky ass who takes Steven's (Broderick) girlfriend (Mann) on a date and gets assaulted by Chip when he goes to the washroom.
I have never seen a movie like "The Cable Guy", and chances are you haven't either. This is a great movie and one of my personal favorites. It's important you don't watch this expecting a cheery slapstick comedy. If you know what to expect, this will be a fun time.
8/10
