The Cable Guy ★★½ 1996 (PG-13) Carrey's first $20 million paycheck finds cable subscriber Broderick in for a comedic nightmare when he accepts the offer of free movie channels. The overeager installer (Carrey, naturally) turns his life upside down. A little darker humor than Carrey fans may be used to, and don't expect any bodily ventriloquism. Carrey (did we mention he's in it?) gets to act with real life people. Director Stiller does a nice job of reining in his more manic impulses when necessary. Broderick holds his own as the reluctant pal. Original scripter Holtz won a Writer's Guild arbitration for sole writing credit from producer-writer Judd Apatow. 95m/C VHS, DVD, 8mm. Jim Carrey, Matthew Broderick, Leslie Mann, George Segal, Diane Baker, Jack Black, Janeane Garofalo, Andy Dick, Charles Napier, Ben Stiller, Bob Odenkirk, David Cross, Owen C. Wilson, Joel Murray, Kathy Griffin, Sean M. Whalen, Annabelle Gurwitch, Conrad Janis, Alex D. Linz;
Director:
Ben Stiller;
Writer:
Judd Apatow, Lou Holtz Jr.;
Writer:
Robert Brinkmann;
Cameo:
John Ottman. MTV Movie Awards '97: Villain (Carrey), Comedic Perf. (Carrey).
