I got The Cable Guy on DVD for $5 at Wal-Mart when I was in Florida. I had meant to write something on it, so here it is.

I really had been meaning to pick this movie up on DVD. I actually enjoyed it, despite its many criticisms given by the public. I hadn’t seen it since like before high school… so that’s like over 8 years ago. I also had the soundtrack, which I think totally rocks. Too bad it’s been scratched up to oblivion. I wish I had another copy…

ANYWAY. For those who don’t know, The Cable Guy is basically about one unfortunate fellow named Steven Kovacs (played by Matthew Broderick) who pays for illegal cable installed by the cable guy, Chip Douglas (Jim Carrey). Chip interprets this whole interaction as the beginning of a close, tight friendship and from then on tries to insert himself directly into Steven’s life. I totally love Jim Carrey’s really dark role in this movie. He starts off innocently enough as just some lonely schmuck who just wants to hang out. But soon he goes into full stalker mode; and we get some of the craziest scenes I’ve ever seen Carrey do. Some of my choice ones are: Chip and Steven battling it out in a Medieval Times, Chip slam dunking off of Jack Black’s back and shattering the board, Chip playing porno password with Steven and his mom, and Chip beating up Steven’s girlfriend’s date (played by Owen Wilson) in the men’s room.

Chip’s character clearly has to be insane. First of all, his name isn’t really Chip, but he uses various names of popular television characters. And while at first he might seem like he has the hook up (at the beginning, he seems cool for giving Steven good relationship advice, hooking him up with a very expensive media entertainment center, and all around just trying to have fun); but as soon as Steven strongly pushes him away, Chip quickly turns the tables and has Steven fired from his job, arrested for theft (the media center turned out to be stolen), and alienated from his family. Just goes to show the extremities one can go to in a situation where one will spoil you rotten for your attention to totally ruining your life when treated like crap.

And I hadn’t known it all those years ago, but this movie actually features a good handful of cameos from actors that have been pretty hot in recent years including Ben Stiller (who also directed it) and Kyle Gass (the other member of Tenacious D). And one particular thing about the movie that really gets me is that Judd Apatow is tagged as one of the producers (and apparently also wrote some of the scenes in the film). So don’t get me started on how much of a fan I am of him.

Probably THE best scene in the whole movie.

It had me cracking up not only at Carrey’s wild expressions but also at the utter crazy situations that Steven is put in. A lot of the jokes are a bit subtle, and I can’t imagine how I could have picked them up when I was in like 6th grade, but they’re hilarious. So, $5 bucks for a pretty awesome movie. A kick ass deal, if ya ask me.

Tags: Judd Apatow, Movies, YouTube