Comedy superstar Jim Carrey takes a risky leap into darker territory in The Cable Guy, a black comedy that featured the charismatic comic at his least likable. Matthew Broderick plays Steven Kovacs, who moves into a bachelor pad when his girlfriend (Leslie Mann) turns down his marriage proposal. Kovacs orders cable service and is greeted by Carrey's Chip Douglas, a manic, troubled geek with a lisp and an oddly menacing air. Chip insinuates himself into Kovacs' life, at first helping him win back his girlfriend, then becoming obsessively attached to his new friend to the point of becoming an ultimately relentless stalker. The film's uneven blend of humor, satire, and homoeroticism, as well as Carrey's departure from his usual goofy performances, received a lukewarm response from audiences.