THE CABLE GUY
A film review by Bryan MacBurney
Copyright 1996 Bryan MacBurney
Jim Carrey Matthew Broderick
Well, CNN is *wrong* about this movie.1
And so is TIME for that matter.2
This "ill-conceived flick" as Carol Buckland calls it not a bad film and the "stupid pieties" that stick in Richard Schickel throat are much more a feature than a flaw. It's apparent this movie is going to struggle with the misfortune of people just plain not getting it. It's evident why not everyone will take to it, but taste is not art, as has been so eloquently said, and the bad taste some reviewers find in their mouth may be due more to their dental hygiene than any cinematic deficiencies.
The Cable Guy is a fine film and hits squarely its target as a dark comedy with a just-kidding wry smile.
Jim Carrey plays a whacked out cable guy named Chip whose desperation for a friend draws him inexorably to Steven (Matthew Broderick), a likable architect newly turfed out by his girlfriend after he had the audacity to propose to her. While Chip hooks up the cable in Steven's new apartment, he drops surprisingly sage advice about getting back the girl while at the same time weaseling into Steven's post hookup life by not taking a polite no for an answer.
While Steven thus armed makes great strides to reaquire his love's affections, Chip takes more direct action to eliminate Steve's competition. As the true nature of Chip's favours dawns on Steven, his sweet fortune turns sour then to poison when he demands that Chip gets out of his life.
But Chip is already locked into a Fatal Attraction and benevolence turns to malevolence as Chip seeks revenge to punish Steven's betrayal as a friend. Chip's plan is executed with the ease and confidence of an evil Ace Ventura and Steve is fired, thrown in jail and alienated from his family before making the bone chilling discovery that the life of the woman he loves is in the hands of his jealously insane "friend".
The film's action climax drives home the grave and revolutionary message
that
The movie redeems its outlandishness with tongue firmly in cheek but still teases us with a "just kidding... or am I?" overall mood.
Young children won't take to this film like they did to Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, and I'm sure more than a few adults will not find it to their tastes as well. Carrey's first Ace had me laughing out loud from start to finish, while his latest work evokes chuckles that only grow as they simmer in my belly. A different menu, but good food is still good food.
1.http://www.cnn.com/SHOWBIZ/9606/13/cable.guy/ 2.http://pathfinder.com/time/magazine/domestic/1996/960617/cinema.cableguy.html
posted courtesy of bryan_macburney@mindlink.bc.ca
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