Synopsis :
A TV-obsessed cable installer, who gives his name as Ernie “Chip” Douglas (Jim Carrey), installs Steven Kovacs’ (Matthew Broderick) cable television service after Steven moves out of the apartment he shared with his girlfriend Robin (Leslie Mann). After he illegally gives Steven free pay channels, Chip believes he and Steven have struck up a friendship. Chip begins to bombard Steven with calls and follows him around, his mood frequently swinging between manic and depressive. Chip shows his affection in odd ways, such as arranging a duel between the two and giving his new pal a (stolen) massive entertainment system. Despite this, Steven comes to like his new pal. However, Steven’s patience is exhausted after he learns that a beautiful women he had sex with was actually a prostitute hired by Chip. Steven expels Chip from his life, causing the latter man to snap. Chip resorts to stalking Steven and Robin to get the attention he feels he deserves.
First, Chip has the police arrest Steven at work for having possession of the stolen entertainment system, but Steven gets out on bail. The aftermath of this incident prompts Steven’s close friend Rick (Jack Black), who has had a deep suspicion of Chip from the beginning, to look into Chip’s background. Chip later threatens to blackmail Steven by showing Robin a picture he took of Steven with the prostitute while having dinner at Steven’s parents house, but fails after Steven punches Chip in the face in front of everyone else in the house after Chip whispers in Steven’s ear that has slept with Robin. The next day, Chip leaks a video of Steven with Robin with him insulting his boss to all of the computers at his office. Steven ends up getting fired as a result. After returning home, Rick calls Steven and tells him he found evidence of Chip’s past. Rick says that Chip uses aliases to conceal his identity and has been previously fired from the cable company for stalking his customers. Rick insists that Steven should lock himself up in his house to avoid Chip at all costs. That night, Steven gets another phone call from Chip, who says he is going ‘out’ with Robin, but does not mention where.
Chip takes Robin up to the massive TV satellite transmitter where he often “hangs out,” taking her hostage. Steven hears about Chip’s whereabouts from Robin’s neighbor. He drives up to the satellite and brawls with Chip, eventually getting the better of him. Chip then becomes remorseful, lamenting his inability to be a good friend to Steven. While the much-publicized trial of an accused murderer and former child star (played by director Ben Stiller) is about to come to a conclusion, Chip ends up diving off of a part of the satellite’s massive antenna and lands heavily on a smaller spire which is responsible for sending the signal to the nation’s television sets, causing everybody’s TV to blackout just before the trial’s verdict is announced. Chip survives his fall whilst damaging his spine, and he calms down, separated from Steven and Robin. As he is air-lifted to a hospital, a paramedic comforts him; Chip sees the paramedic as his new friend, and as the credits are about to roll, he flashes the camera a devious smile.
Starring :
Jim Carrey … The Cable Guy
Matthew Broderick … Steven M. Kovacs
Leslie Mann … Robin Harris
Jack Black … Rick
George Segal … Steven’s Father
Diane Baker … Steven’s Mother
Ben Stiller … Sam Sweet / Stan Sweet
Eric Roberts … Eric Roberts
Janeane Garofalo … Medieval Times Waitress
Andy Dick … Medieval Times Host
Harry O’Reilly … Steven’s Boss
David Cross … Sales Manager
Amy Stiller … Steven’s Secretary
Owen Wilson … Robin’s Date
Keith Gibbs … Basketball Player
Director :
Ben Stiller
