Jim Carrey was afforded the opportunity to do something different in this jet-black satire on the power of television, and he responded with a performance that brings a dark edge to his wacky, man-of-the-people persona.
Carrey is on top form as manic cable-television engineer Chip Douglas who takes a special interest in his new customer, jilted architect Steven Kovacs (Matthew Broderick).
Although merely overfriendly at first, Chip turns psycho-stalker and invades every aspect of Kovacs’ life with both hilarious and sobering results.
Director Ben Stiller effectively lines up his targets and Carrey effortlessly hits them, and, though this suffers at times from dull patches, it’s much better than you may have heard.
For Carrey, it proved a stepping stone on his way to acclaim in the critical and box-office success The Truman Show (1998).
Chip Douglas
Jim Carrey
Steven Kovacs
Matthew Broderick
Robin
Leslie Mann
Rick
Jack Black
Steven’s father
George Segal
Steven’s mother
Diane Baker
Sam Sweet
Ben Stiller
Eric Roberts
Eric Roberts
Waitress
Janeane Garofalo
Director
Ben Stiller