Moseying my way along the Downtown Mall, I had prepared myself for the welcoming smell of warm, buttered popcorn and the expensive ticket prices at the Regal. By the time I had bought my ticket and nestled myself into my big, comfy chair, the feeling of happy familiarity had spread its friendly arms around me. But the real pleasure of my evening was that this homey feeling did not go away when the opening images of Cedar Rapids illuminated the silver screen. A heartfelt comedy, Cedar Rapids is a quirky film carried by its star-studded cast and balanced by its simplistic plot, which brings comedy back down to the level of the little guy.
Set in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, the film focuses on an annual insurance convention where various insurance branches compete for the illustrious Two Diamonds, a prize awarded to the insurance branch which exemplifies various ideals, among them being a good "God-following" company. The plot is a comedy in which our fearless protagonist Tim Lippe (Ed Helms), who is on his first trip to Cedar Rapids, experiences everything from getting high, having sex with a married woman, learning what heartbreak feels like and befriending a prostitute. But through all these crazy experiences, Tim learns a great deal about himself, makes lasting friendships and takes on Orin Helgesson (Kurtwood Smith), the corrupt head of the convention. Watching this modern-day David and Goliath story, I couldn't help but smile as Tim stumbled his way through the convention, learning every step of the way.
Now, what I just described is the cute, heartfelt aspect of the film. But I cannot overlook the hilarity of the script and actors which accompany the plot. John C. Reilly plays a raunchy character named Dean Ziegler, aka Deanzie. Bringing his brand of comedy that we learned to love in Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, Reilly is both hilarious and endearing. At the beginning of the film, someone warns Helms' character to stay away from Deanie because he is a wildcard who "poaches" clients. But as the movie goes on, we learn that although Deanzie is a crazy cowboy who refuses to play into the corrupt world of the Cedar Rapids Insurance Convention, he is also a lovable and loyal friend. Next we have Isiah Whitlock Jr. playing a suburban, strait-laced insurance salesman named Ronald Wilkes. Whitlock brings this supporting character to life in a truly delightful manner. Anne Heche plays Joan Ostrowski-Fox, better known as "the Fox" by the group of new friends in the film. A sexy redhead looking for a good time, Heche gives the film its perfect amount of sex appeal.
Finally, we can't forget Helms, best known for his role as a paper salesman in The Office. In Cedar Rapids, he plays a variation of this familiar character, embodying the suburban mindset of an insurance salesman who never has left his small town. Tim is the freshman at Cedar Rapids, both in the sense that this is his first convention but also in terms of life experience, and he acts as the glue for the plot. Helms exceeds expectations to truly embody Tim Lippe. His character interpretation is spot-on.
Cedar Rapids is an endearing comedy which beautifully mixes a cute plotline with the raunchy comedy in which these stars specialize. The cast's remarkable chemistry shines through all of their performances and is a large reason the film feels like a buddy comedy. I can guarantee that by the end of this film, you will be smirking at this rowdy group who bring a level of epic triumph to the small world of Midwestern insurance sales.
Read More
The best albums of 2014
By Noah Zeidman | December 4, 2014Across genres, it has been a pretty great year in music.
Top 10 movies of 2014
December 4, 2014This has been an excellent year for film, offering everything from gripping blockbusters to innovative personal films.
Iggy Azalea is “Reclassified”
December 4, 2014It has become common practice among music artists to repackage their albums in an effort to simultaneously boost single sales and dish out new content by slightly renaming the album or slapping “Deluxe” onto the title.
