The Cable Guy.....

seaner

had this recorded on my Sky box and decided to watch it last night . Hadn't seen it since it originally came out in 96 and OMG its sooooooooooooo funny.


How did this great film bomb??

Also, didn't even know Ben Stiller directed it.

"Hey Steve I'm on a pay phone, so if you're there pick up, pick up, pick up, pick up, pick up, pick up, pick up, pick up, well OK, call me back. "

:D

Vokes

It didn't bomb at all, it made over twice its money back.

Would've had even more profit if they didn't have to pay Carrey a 20 gazillion dollar paycheck!

seaner

ok it didn't bomb, but what I mean is....why did people have such a problem with it?
It got mixed reviews from critics, people didn't exactly warm to the dark themes it displays, HELL, even homer simpson hates it!

But I'm just wondering (aloud) why?

I thinkts its a great film.

Vokes

Yeh, a lot of people would have gone to this film back in '96 expecting Ace Ventura Carrey or Dumb & Dumber Carrey ....but got something unexpected - a darker and twisted Carrey which probably put some people off.

Agreed, a great film.

seaner

yeah i guess so. pity that it still has a bit of a stigma attached to it...even IMDB don't rate it.
I'm glad TV3 showed it recently, otherwise I wouldn't have got to see it again! I liked it so much I went out and bought a copy of it for my DVD collection.

"Chip Douglas: [on answering machine] I was just blow drying my hair, thought I heard the phone ring. Ah... has that ever happened to you? Anyway... call me, we'll talk about it. "

Laserface

legend of a film

"I just wanna hang out....NO BIG DEAL!!!!!"

i still get great mileage out of that

MisterAnarchy

Its is a great film,its one of the best comedies of the 90's.
Its probably a little bit too dark for some peoples tastes but I was baffled when it came out as to such a mooted reception it received.
A classic.

Retr0gamer

Really awful film. The only redeeming feature is the take on midnight express which made me laugh unlike the rest of the film.

kaizersoze1980

my fave part....."thanks for the boost, i never would have made it without you!"

Frank O. Pinion

I just rewatched this again for the first time in years. I've always loved it, but it's even better than I remember. It went from a Top 20 film for '96, to a Top 5 film, for me. Jim Carrey is incredible is here.

Steven: You know, my brother is a speech therapist.
Chip Douglas: Tho?

Look at this future-predicting quote from 1996:

Chip Douglas: The future is now! Soon every American home will integrate their television, phone and computer. You'll be able to visit the Louvre on one channel, or watch female wrestling on another. You can do your shopping at home, or play Mortal Kombat with a friend from Vietnam. There's no end to the possibilities!

The cast is absolutely nuts...directed by Ben Stiller, written by Judd Apatow, starring Jim Carrey, Matthew Broderick, Jack Black, Owen Wilson, David Cross (Tobias Fünke), Bob Odenkirk (Saul Goodman), Andy Dick, Kyle Gass (the other half of Tenacious D), Janeane Garofalo, Leslie Mann (Apatow's now wife, they met on this film), and even Ben Stiller himself playing twins.

It's currently on Netflix.

razorblunt

I was young enough when it came out but I seem to recall the trailer really mis-selling the trailer as a slapstick comedy like Dumb & Dumber.

nix

Aye its one of my fav comedies, highly quotable to this day :pac:

Dos thus have thou a mug of ale for me and me mate, for he hath been pitched in battle for a fortnight and has the king's thirst for the frosty brew dos thou might have for thus!

take everything

Love that film.
So many great moments.

It's a very funny and quite sad film.

The "somebody to love" karaoke scene is powerful. Very sad and funny.

Even small things like his Hannibal Lecter impression at the medieval thing is hilarious. I wonder if the chicken skin over the face was improvised by Carrey. Broderick seemed to be cracking up at it.

Great slapstick as usual from Carrey in parts. Walking away from the door etc.
But as I say quite a sad, dark film.

Must watch it again actually.

take everything

nix wrote: »

Aye its one of my fav comedies, highly quotable to this day :pac:

Dos thus have thou a mug of ale for me and me mate, for he hath been pitched in battle for a fortnight and has the king's thirst for the frosty brew dos thou might have for thus!

I love Janeane Garofalo's world weary wench.

Inviere

nix wrote: »

Aye its one of my fav comedies, highly quotable to this day :pac:

Dos thus have thou a mug of ale for me and me mate, for he hath been pitched in battle for a fortnight and has the king's thirst for the frosty brew dos thou might have for thus!

Absolutely love that bit, the face on the staff member when he says all that

take everything

Actually totally forgot the Owen Wilson scene. He can play a really good jerk.

Love the random references Carrey makes in the restroom fight.

And how he's dressed for it.

Basq

It's an underrated classic without doubt..

" You could be fined up to 5,000 dollars and spend six months in a correctional facilily!"

pixelburp

Zombie thread!

Random film to bring up again, always seemed like the maligned, black sheep in Carrey's CV; it came out while he was at the height of his comedic powers, right? Liar Liar, The Mask etc. so easy to imagine how audiences didn't take to its darker, sadder themes. Anti-vax conspiracies notwithstanding, he's mostly known for dramatic roles these days, might be a good film to get a new lease of life.

mloc123

Gonna re-watch it tonight... saw it 20yrs ago and not since

Ipso

The porno password scene is great.

Joe_ Public

Great film but easy enough to see why critics were a bit iffy about it coming directly after Ace Ventura, Dumb & Dumber, The Mask, all good films but lacking the depth and complexity of Cable Guy.

A few underrated gems in the Carrey list imo. Including The Majestic and Man on the moon which totally bombed for reasons that baffle me.

Basq

Ipso wrote: »

The porno password scene is great.

"It's just skin Steven!"

Zwillinge

I'm really glad this film is still doing the rounds


I do remember it being a favourite Re-Run on TV3 when they first started out and had few films :pac:


When I went to USA/Canada for first time and seen they had a medieval times I may have insisted going just cause of this film



With the way the internet and online dating and all that has become - I think this film is still very relevant to "making friends" or meeting new people, as not everyone is as they first seem. Possibly ahead of its time