The Cable Guy(1996)

Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE)

PG-13
Rated PG-13 for dark thematic elements and crude humor
1h 36m

Release Date: Jun 14, 1996 | Wide

56%
51%
C+
6.2

A designer makes a grievous mistake when he rejects the friendship of a borderline cable guy.

Releases

Original Release | Jun 14, 1996

View Advanced Data Watch on

Box Office Results

Updated as of Aug 04, 2026 02:09 PM ET

Results

Opening Weekend US & Canada:
$19,806,226
Total US & Canada:
$60,240,295
Total International
$42,585,501
Total Worldwide:
$102,825,796

Current Showtimes

Your Location or

(U.S. Only)

Director & Top Cast

Ben Stiller
Director

Jim Carrey
Cable Guy

Matthew Broderick
Steven

Leslie Mann
Robin

Jack Black
Rick

George Segal
Steven's Father

Diane Baker

Steven's Mother

Ben Stiller

Sam Sweet

Eric Roberts

Janeane Garofalo

Medieval Waitress

Andy Dick

Medieval Host

Harry O’Reilly

Steven's Boss

David Cross

Sales Manager

Amy Stiller

Steven's Secretary

Owen Wilson

Robin's Date

Keith Gibbs

Basketball Players

Tommy Hinkley

Basketball Players

Shawn Michael Howard

Basketball Players

Technical Specifications

Sound Mix: Dolby Digital,DTS

Aspect Ratio: 2.39 : 1

Other Details

Country of Origin: United States

Language: English,French

Summaries

Plot Summary

Architect Steven Kovacs (Matthew Broderick) moves into an apartment after a failed marriage proposal to his girlfriend Robin Harris (Leslie Mann). Robin kicked Steven out of the apartment after his proposal.Taking advice from his friend Rick (Jack Black), Steven bribes cable installer Ernie "Chip" Douglas (Jim Carrey) into giving him free movie channels. Rick had told Steven that if he pays the cable guy $50, he will install all the channels for free. Chip was several hours late and came when Steven was in the shower. He knew that Robin had kicked Steven out as he saw that the billing on Steven's previous address was changed to Robin. Chip is wildly inappropriate, awkward and has an almost sensual relationship with cable. He is an expert with the TV remote settings. Chip redesigns the entire living room and tells Steven that his appliances and furniture were causing a problem with the cable reception.When Steven bribes Chip, he reacts very negatively and says that illegal cable is against the law (with a find of $5000 or 6 months in jail) and demands to know the name of Steven's friend who told him about this. But Chip was only kidding and was only very happy to give all the restricted channels to Steven.Chip gets Steven to hang out with him the next day and makes him one of his "preferred customers". Chip takes Steven to the city's central satellite dish, which broadcasts the cable signal into millions of homes in the city. Chip confides to Steven about being raised by television when he was young, as his father was absent, and his mother used television as a "babysitter" as she had to work the night shifts. Chip has a slight lisp, but when Steven says his brother is a speech therapist, Chip is offended and ignores him. Chip also talks to Steven about Robin and suggested that Steven is only saying what Robin wants to hear, but maybe Robin wants Steven to go deeper and learn about who she is as a woman.Chip soon proves to be intrusive as he crashes a basketball game between Steven and his friends (he is a brute player, very physical and ends up breaking the glass panel behind the hoop) and leaves multiple messages on Steven's answering machine. Based on Chip's suggestion Steven invites Robin to watch "Sleepless in Seattle" on cable and it works. But Steven is surprised to see that the cable is out, forcing him to call Chip, who was just waiting outside his door. Steven promises to hang out with Chip in exchange for cable.Following a knight battle between Chip and Steven at Medieval Times, Steven finds that Chip has secretly installed an expensive home theater system in his living room as a gift in return for Steven's friendship. Although Steven declines the gift, he agrees to host a party attended by Chip's other preferred customers before having the system returned. Steven also gifts Chip a self-help course on correcting his lisp. In the fervor of the party, Steven sleeps with a young guest, whom Chip reveals the next morning to have been a prostitute Heather that he had hired specifically for Steven. Upon this revelation, Steven angrily ejects Chip from his apartment.To make amends, Chip tracks down Robin, who is dating another man (Owen Wilson). A disguised Chip severely beats the man in a restaurant bathroom and tells him to stay away from Robin. He later upgrades Robin's cable, ostensibly as a gift from Steven. Robin decides to get back together with Steven as a result. However, when Chip informs Steven of his role in reuniting him with Robin, Steven politely ends his relationship with Chip.Devastated, Chip sets out on a series of vengeful acts. He gets Steven arrested for possession of stolen property (The arresting officer is Chip's "preferred customer") and mocks him through a prison visitation window by suggesting that Steven is gay. He is bailed out by his dad Earl Kovacs (George Segal). After being released on bail Steven is further embarrassed when Chip attends dinner with his family (Earl, Mrs. Kovacs (Diane Baker) & brother Pete Kovacs (Bob Odenkirk)) and Robin. Following a Sexualized version of the game Password, Steven openly berates Chip when he suggests that Robin showed him the birthmark on her back, which he saw while spying on her while installing cable and punches him. The entire family thinks Steven is nuts and rallies behind Chip.The next day, Steven is fired from his job when Chip transmits a privately recorded conversation (he had a spy camera installed in Steven's house), in which Steven insults his boss, onto the company's computers.He also reveals that his name is Larry Tate. Rick investigates the name and finds that he was fired from the cable company for using fake names and stalking customers, and uses the names of various television characters as aliases such as Chip and Ernie Douglas from My Three Sons and Larry Tate from Bewitched. Chip calls Steven that night, telling him he is paying Robin a visit. After visiting Robin's empty apartment, Steven tracks them down to the satellite dish, where Chip holds Robin hostage in a rainstorm. After a physical altercation and a chase, Steven is able to save Robin and battles Chip. As the police arrive, Chip apologizes to Steven for being a bad friend.Chip, proclaiming that he must "kill the babysitter" to prevent others from becoming like him, dives backward from the top of a ladder above the satellite dish, falling onto it and knocking out the television signal to the entire city. Chip survives the fall with an injured back. He apologizes to Steven for being a bad friend; Steven forgives him and asks for his real name, which he says is Ricky Ricardo. Chip bids Steven farewell before being hauled away in a rescue helicopter.When one of the paramedics addresses him as "buddy", Chip asks the paramedic if he is truly his buddy, to which the paramedic replies "Yeah, sure you are", causing Chip to smile deviously, implying a repeat of Chip's stalking cycle.

Storyline

Steven Kovak has been kicked out of his apartment by his girlfriend. Steven has a new apartment, and decides to slip the cable guy (Chip) $50 for free cable. Steven then fakes an interest in Chip's line of work. However Chip takes this to heart trying to become Steven's best bud. When Steven no longer wants to be Chips friend the man who can do it all goes on an all out assault to ruin Steven's life. In the backdrop is the delicate sub-plot of the trial of a former kid star for murdering his brother. — Wayne Jamieson <jamtin@OntheNet.com.au> Steven Kovacs has moved into his own apartment after a failed marriage proposal to his girlfriend results in the duo deciding to spend some time away from each other. Steven's new cable guy, who refers to himself as "Chip Douglas," arranges a deal with Steven to give him free cable. Chip sees this as an opportunity to start a friendship with Steven. Despite some roadbumps, the duo hit it off. But after Chip reveals himself to be a nuisance, Steven cuts his ties with him. Vowing revenge, Chip goes all out to get back at Steven in any way possible. How far will Chip go in his bid for retribution, and how much torment can Steven take? — Sam