After watching this movie, my first thought was that this was a story with real potential. Firstly, it pokes good fun at service providers. Who hasn't been irritated by the cable company or the phone company saying "we'll be there anywhere between 8 and 5." Secondly, I liked the darkness of the fun, as the cable guy turns out to be a lonely psychopath who ends up stalking his customers in an effort to be their best friend, and who, when the overtures of friendship are rejected, sets out to destroy their lives. All that had great potential - and then, in stepped Jim Carrey.
Some people love him. I know that. I find that he's usually too over the top and ends up taking the focus off the story and making the whole movie about himself. Here's a case in point. Sure, he was playing a psychopathic service provider obsessed with TV and movies, and yes it was supposed to be a dark comedy - but a dark comedy doesn't need (and really shouldn't have) the outrageous sort of comedy Carrey is famous for. A lower key approach could have been equally funny (unless the sort of stuff Carrey does is the only thing that can make you laugh) and would have given the story a much darker and creepier feel. As it was, the only scene that I thought was truly "creepy" was near the end, where "Chip" (Carrey) has Robin (Leslie Mann) at his mercy.
None of the performances blew me away. Again, as a dark creepy comedy I thought the movie was rather poorly cast. Matthew Broderick I thought was OK as Chip's victim, Steve, whereas something about Mann's performance bugged me all the way through. The whole "Sam Sweet murder trial" backdrop struck me as unnecessary. I suppose it was trying to make a point - both child stars who act in TV and children raised by watching TV can have serious problems - but I thought it was just a way for director Ben Stiller to get some screen time. Basically, the story was good and had a lot of problems, but it could have had a far more effective cast. 5/10
Some people love him. I know that. I find that he's usually too over the top and ends up taking the focus off the story and making the whole movie about himself. Here's a case in point. Sure, he was playing a psychopathic service provider obsessed with TV and movies, and yes it was supposed to be a dark comedy - but a dark comedy doesn't need (and really shouldn't have) the outrageous sort of comedy Carrey is famous for. A lower key approach could have been equally funny (unless the sort of stuff Carrey does is the only thing that can make you laugh) and would have given the story a much darker and creepier feel. As it was, the only scene that I thought was truly "creepy" was near the end, where "Chip" (Carrey) has Robin (Leslie Mann) at his mercy.
None of the performances blew me away. Again, as a dark creepy comedy I thought the movie was rather poorly cast. Matthew Broderick I thought was OK as Chip's victim, Steve, whereas something about Mann's performance bugged me all the way through. The whole "Sam Sweet murder trial" backdrop struck me as unnecessary. I suppose it was trying to make a point - both child stars who act in TV and children raised by watching TV can have serious problems - but I thought it was just a way for director Ben Stiller to get some screen time. Basically, the story was good and had a lot of problems, but it could have had a far more effective cast. 5/10