‘Cedar Rapids’ Review

Release Date: 2/11/11 (Limited)

Cedar Rapids, directed by Miguel Arteta (Youth in Revolt), is a raunchy comedy that sways into dark territory a couple times during it’s hour and 26 minute runtime.  The film is at times laugh out loud funny and definitely keeps you entertained for the duration, but it doesn’t really break any new ground.  This is a pleasant little indie with a decent story and a great cast.  It feels like it was missing a few key scenes that could have really pushed it over the top and into that great comedy terrain, but instead we get a middlebrow comedy, good for some decent laughs while at the theater.

Tim “Timbo” Lippe (Ed Helms) has no idea what he’s in for when he’s sent to Cedar Rapids, Iowa to represent his company Brownstar at an annual insurance convention. Soon after arriving the innocent Lippie who has never experienced much in his life, finds himself under the “guidance” of three convention veterans. The loud-mouthed party guy Dean “Deanzie” Ziegler (John C. Reilly), the straight-laced Afro American Ronald “Ronimal” Wilkes (Isiah Whitlock Jr.), and the red-headed firecracker Joan Ostrowski-Fox (Anne Heche).  The four embark on a weekend of debauchery while creating a very unlikely friendship and ultimately having a “super awesome” time.

Miguel Arteta last film Youth in Revolt was surprisingly very promising, and my hopes were very high that Cedar Rapids would be a fantastic independent flick.  The inconsistent raunchy jokes mixed with a few dark scenes just kind of made the film feel uneven.  If the director would have gone one route all the way, this film could have been much more fulfilling.  Not to say it doesn’t hold some entertainment value, after a slow start I found myself laughing through a good portion of the film; I was just a little disappointed.

Ed Helms is ideal as the awkward, innocent, Midwestern with a heart of gold.  He was born to play a nerd, and he succeeds here again, topping the dorkiness of Andy Bernard tenfold.  In the beginning it’s a little hard to watch because Lippie doesn’t really know how to function around women or people who like to drink, but about halfway through when he really starts to come out of his shell is when the story really starts to pick up.  John C. Reilly is the funniest part of the film; he’s a party machine, always with a drink in his hand, and always inappropriately ripping into everyone.  Deanzie and Timbo become great friends and their chemistry makes for some of the best scenes of the movie.  Reilly also has a great drunk performance and could be earning a wiseguy nomination in early 2012.  Isiah Whitlock Jr., who I thought would steal the show from the trailer, only has one really hilarious scene where he shows his love for the HBO series The Wire.

 “You best leave my nigga alone, mothafucka!”

Sigourney Weaver, as Lippie’s old flame, and Anne Heche, as Lippie’s new crush, round out the cast.  Weaver seemed like an odd casting decision but was decent in her small part.  Heche is sexy as hell for her age and played her role beautifully.

Overall, Cedar Rapids is a decent indie comedy.  Fans of Helms and Reilly should enjoy this enough to have a fine time in the theater.  Not quite a “super awesome” time but enough to get blotto afterwards and maybe even befriend a hooker.

IMDB: N/A

Rotten Tomatoes: 80%

Moviewiseguys: 7.0/10