The Cable Guy

Play trailer

2:21

The Cable Guy

PG-13,

1996,

1h 31m,

Comedy/

Mystery & Thriller/

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

The Cable Guy: Trailer 1

Now Playing

The Cable Guy: Official Clip - Cable Nightmare

Now Playing

The Cable Guy: Official Clip - Prison Visit

Now Playing

The Cable Guy: Official Clip - Satellite Fight

Now Playing

The Cable Guy: Official Clip - Porno Password

Now Playing

The Cable Guy: Official Clip - Cable Install Time

Now Playing

The Cable Guy: Official Clip - Welcome to Medieval Times

Now Playing

The Cable Guy: Official Clip - Roundball Warm-Up

Now Playing

The Cable Guy: Official Clip - Illegal Cable

Now Playing

View more videos

Watchlist

56%

85 Reviews

Tomatometer

51%

250,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

56%

Tomatometer

85 Reviews

51%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

Oddball cable installer Chip Douglas attempts to strike up a friendship with customer Steven M. Kovacs 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.

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

Jun 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

Mar 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)

Dec 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

Robert Denerstein

Scripps Howard News Service

Jun 29, 2026

2/4

Director Ben Stiller does slick work, but Carrey's character is more disturbing than lovable, hardly the right slant for a comedy.

Go to Full Review

Trace Thurman

Horror Queers Podcast

Jun 15, 2026

3/5

The Cable Guy certainly won't be for all tastes, but you've got to admire its audacity.

Go to Full Review

Danielle Solzman

Solzy at the Movies

Jun 14, 2026

3/5

The Cable Guy deserves credit for taking risks, even if the film’s dark sense of humor never quite connects.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Harry R

Mar 4, 2019

A very underrated Jim Carrey film that unfortunately does not get talked about as much as Dumb and Dumber, The Mask, Ace Ventura Pet Dedective, and Liar Liar but The Cable Guy really should get more credit. A dark comedy that Jim Carrey plays really well in and seeing Matthew Broderick annoyed throughout the film made me feel really bad for him

See more

Hermione R

Jan 28, 2019

Jim Carrey's most underrated film.

Leia W

Jan 25, 2019

I thought this film was very great

Poe R

Dec 31, 2018

A hilarious yet heartbreaking story powered mostly by a great performance from Jim Carrey. "The Cable Guy" can prove to be a sufficient comedy for those in need of a laugh, or a sufficient drama for those in need of... whatever people who enjoy dramas are in need of.

See more

Albus P

Nov 6, 2018

This film was almost good.

George W

Nov 5, 2018

The Cable Guy begins by introducing us to Steven, who has just been kicked out the apartment he shared with his girlfriend. In setting up his new bachelor pad, Steven needs his cable connected. The guy who arrives (late, of course) to do the job seems a little off- the-wall, but he does what he's supposed to, and, when he throws in some free premium channels, who is Steven to complain? Unfortunately, the Cable Guy is in desperate need of a friend, and he has chosen Steven as the object of his unhealthy fixation. Suddenly, in the Cable Guy's mind, he and Steven are best buddies. Steven, however, has a different perspective, but his attempts to rid himself of this unwanted interloper lead to disaster. This is one creepy film, whether intentional or not.

See more

Read all reviews

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

Now Playing

The Cable Guy: Official Clip - Prison Visit

2:06

Now Playing

The Cable Guy: Official Clip - Satellite Fight

1:11

Now Playing

The Cable Guy: Official Clip - Porno Password

2:01

Now Playing

The Cable Guy: Official Clip - Cable Install Time

2:10

Now Playing

The Cable Guy: Official Clip - Welcome to Medieval Times

2:13

Now Playing

The Cable Guy: Official Clip - Roundball Warm-Up

0:58

Now Playing

The Cable Guy: Official Clip - Illegal Cable

1:01

Now Playing

View more videos

Junior

37%

22%

Junior

Watchlist

Evolution

44%

48%

Evolution

Watchlist

Godzilla

20%

28%

Godzilla

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Godzilla

Gremlins 2: The New Batch

71%

59%

Gremlins 2: The New Batch

Watchlist

Volcano

48%

32%

Volcano

Watchlist

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

Now Playing

View more videos

View more photos

Synopsis

Oddball cable installer Chip Douglas attempts to strike up a friendship with customer Steven M. Kovacs 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

Join The Newsletter

Join The Newsletter

Cookie Settings