Jim Carrey Cable Guy" (1996). Directed by Ben Stiller, the film was a satirical black comedy, in which Carrey played a lonely, menacing cable TV installer who infiltrates the life of one of his customers (played by Matthew Broderick). The role was a departure from the "hapless, hyper, overconfident" characters he had been known for. However, it did not fare well with most critics, many reacting to Carrey's change of tone from previous films. Carrey also starred in the music video of the film's closing song, "Leave Me Alone" by Jerry Cantrell. Despite the reviews, "The Cable Guy" grossed $102 million worldwide.
The Cable Guy Carrey brings to most movies. Despite the critical perception that the movie was a flop, it made a profit in excess of its $47 million production budget. It has gained cult like status among moviegoers. The film was released in the United Kingdom on July 12, 1996, and opened on #2, behind "". "The Cable Guy" has been regarded as having a darker tone than most of Carrey's previous work. Audiences had mixed reactions to this change of tone for Carrey and film critics gave mixed reviews. Rotten Tomatoes gives the film a score of 53% based on 72 reviews.