Is this a typical Jim Carrey comedy?

Absolutely not. If you're expecting The Mask, you're going to be disappointed. This is much darker, more cynical, and at times, more of a thriller than a comedy.

How violent does it actually get?

There's a bathroom fight scene that is quite physical and mean, and a jousting match at Medieval Times that gets intense. No one dies, but the 'slapstick' has a real edge to it.

Will my kid understand the plot since cable is dead?

They might need a quick primer on why someone would pay a guy under the table for 'free channels,' but the idea of a service worker becoming obsessed with a customer is still very understandable today.

Is there any nudity or sex?

There's a scene involving a 'prostitute' hired as a prank (though nothing explicit is shown) and some suggestive dialogue, but it's mostly focused on the psychological torment.

The Cable Guy – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

The Cable Guy

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

movie1996

60%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

Jim Carrey at his most unhinged in a dark comedy that predicted our screen-obsessed future long before the first iPhone.

57%

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The Cable Guy

movie

PG-13, 1996

60%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

Jim Carrey at his most unhinged in a dark comedy that predicted our screen-obsessed future long before the first iPhone.

57%

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Screenwise Verdict

The Cable Guy was famously hated when it came out because people wanted the 'rubber-face' guy from Liar Liar, not a psychological stalker. Thirty years later, it looks like a masterpiece of cynical foresight. It’s a movie about the loneliness of the digital age, dressed up in a 90s jumpsuit.

If your kid is a fan of 'cringe' humor or psychological thrillers, this is a great bridge between genres. Just be prepared to explain what a VCR is and why everyone is so excited about getting 'all the movie channels' for free.

Age Fit

This is strictly for the 13+ crowd. Younger kids who like Carrey for his goofy faces will be genuinely upset by how mean and creepy he is here. It’s a 'dark' comedy in the truest sense.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

This is a movie about a mentally unstable man stalking and systematically ruining a guy's life. It's the opposite of wholesome, though its critique of 'TV as a babysitter' is a valid point.

Imaginative

Ben Stiller's direction is visually inventive and the satire of 90s media culture is sharp. Jim Carrey's performance is a masterclass in weird, physical commitment.

Safe

The stalking is genuinely creepy and uncomfortable. There is a brutal bathroom fight and some suggestive adult themes, though it stays within the bounds of a dark PG-13.

Enriching

It offers a surprisingly deep look at how media consumption replaces real human connection—a theme that has only become more relevant in the age of social media.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Jim Carrey's performance is a high-wire act of physical comedy and genuine menace that you won't see anywhere else.
The Medieval Times sequence is an all-time classic piece of cringe-comedy that still lands today.
It's a sharp satire of how we let screens raise our kids, which hits way harder in 2026 than it did in 1996.
The soundtrack is a perfect time capsule of 90s alt-rock if you want to give your kids a grunge history lesson.

⚠

What to Watch For

The stalking is heavy. This isn't 'Ace Ventura'—Chip is a legitimately scary guy who bugged a house and ruined a career.
A bathroom brawl between Chip and a guy Steven's girlfriend is dating is surprisingly violent and mean-spirited for a comedy.
The tech is ancient. Your kids will have no idea why someone is coming to a house to hook up 'free cable' or what a scrambled signal looks like.

Conversation Starters

"Why do you think Chip is so obsessed with being Steven's friend?"
"Chip says he was 'raised by television.' Do you think people today are being 'raised by the internet' in the same way?"
"At what point does being a 'persistent friend' turn into being a stalker?"
"Why didn't anyone believe Steven when he said the Cable Guy was crazy?"

Deep Dive

The Original Parasocial Nightmare

Before we had YouTubers and TikTokers forming one-sided bonds with millions of followers, we had Chip Douglas. The Cable Guy is essentially a horror movie that accidentally got marketed as a summer blockbuster. Ben Stiller (directing) and Jim Carrey (unleashed) created something that was decades ahead of its time.

While the plot revolves around 90s technology like cable boxes and fax machines, the core conflict—a man who cannot distinguish between TV relationships and real ones—is more relevant now than ever. Chip isn't just a jerk; he's a product of a society that stopped talking to each other and started staring at cathode-ray tubes.

Why it’s a tough sell for modern kids

Let's be real: the pacing of 90s comedies can feel glacial to a kid raised on MrBeast. There are long stretches of dialogue and '90s-style' relationship drama that might make a 14-year-old reach for their phone. However, the moments where Carrey goes full-tilt—like the Jefferson Airplane karaoke scene or the climactic battle atop a giant satellite dish—are still magnetic.

The 'Stalker' Element

This is the biggest hurdle for parents. Chip doesn't just annoy Steven; he gets him arrested, ruins his relationship, and breaks into his home. It’s a study in gaslighting. If your kid is sensitive to themes of being watched or harassed, skip this one. But if they’re into dark humor and want to see where the 'creepy friend' trope really peaked, this is the gold standard.

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