Cedar Rapids (B or 3/4 stars)
It's funny. Ed Helms stars in this somewhat-raunchy comedy, titled 'Cedar Rapids' (directed by Miguel Arteta). He's one of the big threesome who make-up the main guys in the Hangover movies. And yet, I much preferred this low-key, modest comedy to the profane, over-the-top hysterics of the Hangovers. Helms plays Tim Lippe, a naive, socially awkward 34 yr. old Wisconsinan insurance salesman whose lack of self-confidence translates into him sleeping with his much older junior high school teacher, Macy; played with great irreverence by Sigourney Weaver. Tim lives a very beige existence. He's never left his home town. And being an insurance salesman, no one could mistake him for being lively.
His boss, a real scuzzball named Bill (Stephen Root), sends Tim to an annual convention in Cedar Rapids, Iowa to nab a prestigious award for the company. For Tim, who has led a fairly isolated life, Cedar Rapids is like a city of sin (compared to Brown Valley, Wisconsin). He is in awe of the hotel's amenities (which are hardly modern). And after he meets one of his insurance roommates - who happens to be black - he calls up Macy to gush about actually meeting a black man! NOW you see how sheltered he is. The black man is straight-laced, hard working Ronald (Isiah Whitlock Jr.). And Tim's other roommate is loudmouth, quasi-alcoholic, Dean Ziegler (a hysterical John C. Reilly). Over the course of this extended weekend (for the convention), Tim develops romantic feelings for 2 women - flirty, but married Nebraskan insurance agent, Joan (Anne Heche), & Bree (Alia Shawkat); the local prostitute.
Things happen to Tim on this trip that change him forever. But he still gets hung up on Macy back home (when he can't even see in front of his face that she doesn't want him). The plot basically follows Tim's fish-out-of-water experiences with his 3 newfound insurance friends at the convention. They open his eyes to many new things. And Tim may already have his eye open to some corporate corruption going on behind the scenes of his insurance company.
'Cedar Rapids' is little more than a quirky little comedy. But again, I just really dug it. I liked Ed Helms as Tim Lippe. Tim's fish-out-of-water scenarios are humorous. I liked Tim's naivete & social awkwardness. I liked the mismatched buddy aspects (John C. Reilly, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Anne Heche). And most importantly ... I liked each & every main character. Tim & Dean are polar opposites, but they bond anyway. Ronald & Joan are solid supporting characters; and I liked their individual relationships with Tim, as well. We grow to care about all of these people - not a lot, but enough for a film of this ilk. For me, if I don't care for the main characters when good or bad things are happening to them (in comedies or dramas), then I just don't care about the movie.
This film also works as a not-so-subtle satire of the insurance industry. I laughed at Tim's knee-jerk reaction in drinking shots of cream sherry. I laughed at the absurdities that happen to Tim throughout (with a swimming pool, a hooker, a crack pipe, etc.). So yeah, some satire, a little raunch, a little profanity, a little booze, some nice character interaction, some modest straight comedy ... it was all a winning combo for me. Amid the craziness, there's a decency to the proceedings. Also, humanity - which separates the film, for me, from the Hangovers. 'Cedar Rapids' is not my type of movie. But it crept up on me, put a smile on my face, and I walk away giving this a B rating. I say, check it out.
His boss, a real scuzzball named Bill (Stephen Root), sends Tim to an annual convention in Cedar Rapids, Iowa to nab a prestigious award for the company. For Tim, who has led a fairly isolated life, Cedar Rapids is like a city of sin (compared to Brown Valley, Wisconsin). He is in awe of the hotel's amenities (which are hardly modern). And after he meets one of his insurance roommates - who happens to be black - he calls up Macy to gush about actually meeting a black man! NOW you see how sheltered he is. The black man is straight-laced, hard working Ronald (Isiah Whitlock Jr.). And Tim's other roommate is loudmouth, quasi-alcoholic, Dean Ziegler (a hysterical John C. Reilly). Over the course of this extended weekend (for the convention), Tim develops romantic feelings for 2 women - flirty, but married Nebraskan insurance agent, Joan (Anne Heche), & Bree (Alia Shawkat); the local prostitute.
Things happen to Tim on this trip that change him forever. But he still gets hung up on Macy back home (when he can't even see in front of his face that she doesn't want him). The plot basically follows Tim's fish-out-of-water experiences with his 3 newfound insurance friends at the convention. They open his eyes to many new things. And Tim may already have his eye open to some corporate corruption going on behind the scenes of his insurance company.
'Cedar Rapids' is little more than a quirky little comedy. But again, I just really dug it. I liked Ed Helms as Tim Lippe. Tim's fish-out-of-water scenarios are humorous. I liked Tim's naivete & social awkwardness. I liked the mismatched buddy aspects (John C. Reilly, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Anne Heche). And most importantly ... I liked each & every main character. Tim & Dean are polar opposites, but they bond anyway. Ronald & Joan are solid supporting characters; and I liked their individual relationships with Tim, as well. We grow to care about all of these people - not a lot, but enough for a film of this ilk. For me, if I don't care for the main characters when good or bad things are happening to them (in comedies or dramas), then I just don't care about the movie.
This film also works as a not-so-subtle satire of the insurance industry. I laughed at Tim's knee-jerk reaction in drinking shots of cream sherry. I laughed at the absurdities that happen to Tim throughout (with a swimming pool, a hooker, a crack pipe, etc.). So yeah, some satire, a little raunch, a little profanity, a little booze, some nice character interaction, some modest straight comedy ... it was all a winning combo for me. Amid the craziness, there's a decency to the proceedings. Also, humanity - which separates the film, for me, from the Hangovers. 'Cedar Rapids' is not my type of movie. But it crept up on me, put a smile on my face, and I walk away giving this a B rating. I say, check it out.