10 Most Underrated Comedy Films Of The 90s

By 1996, Jim Carrey had officially established himself as the wacky, face-contorting, second coming of Jerry Lewis. But like Lewis, Carrey also had a dark side, one that never got to see the light of day in the dopey roles he'd been portraying up to that point.

Luckily, Ben Stiller was able to tap into some of that dark energy in his sophomore directing gig, unleashing the type of cringeworthy comedy that was sure to divide audiences and critics alike.

And it's true that The Cable Guy aimed for a very specific type of humor, the kind that only a small percentage of Carrey's fans would "get" and find more entertaining than uncomfortable. But it's also true that The Cable Guy was way ahead of its time, and watching the movie two decades later, you'll find that it got the ball running on some of the awkward comedy tropes that would later show up in movies like The Hangover and another Carrey vehicle, Me Myself & Irene.

At times, The Cable Guy proves to be the blackest of black comedies, basking in the dim glow of narcissism, deception, manipulation, obsession, and most of all, obliviousness. But behind every dicey encounter, there's a thick, heavy laugh that comes from deep down in the soul.

It may test your tolerability for discomfort now and again, but the rewards you reap from that epic Medieval Times skirmish alone make it entirely worth it.