Featured Audience Ratings

• UUd I

  
  I know that feel when something trust isn't real. But I think that's not the answer.

• Wildaly M

  
  Actually funnier than I expected. But I also expected something more I guess.

• Directors C

  
  [img]http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/user/icons/icon14.gif[/img] There is no doubting that Cedar Rapids has a talented cast that if given the right material are completely capable of making you laugh out loud, the film isn't as funny as it could have been. However my… More
  [img]http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/user/icons/icon14.gif[/img] There is no doubting that Cedar Rapids has a talented cast that if given the right material are completely capable of making you laugh out loud, the film isn't as funny as it could have been. However my main problem with it was that it struggled to choose what kind of comedy it wanted to be. It tries to be sweet one minute and decides to be incredibly raunchy the next (very much so when it comes to John C Reilly's corrupted, hilarious and insanely infectious character) and quite often it sways between completely different genres, at times becoming awkwardly stupid as opposed to being actually funny. It certainly has it's moments of good laughs, it's quirky, ambitious, heartfelt, features a good Ed Helms performance, but in the end it simply doesn't add up to very much. I couldn't really recognise it as the final cut to be honest. In the end I felt that in it's entirety it's strange tone and it's peculiar but ambitious structure intrigued me enough to reward it a very slight recommendation. But although it has about 40 minutes of ambition, it eventually gives up and resorts to typical rauchfest conventions.

• Lucas M

  
  It's a nice, funny and entertaining film with a interesting plot, but Cedar Rapids is not what I really expect. The script turn to be weak, just like the direction. Anyway this comedy altogether is a good film due to the black humor. Fresh.

• Jason C

  
  It's hard to tell what this movie was trying to achieve, but it flushed a talented cast and a promising plot directly down the toilet. I expected a film that would have me laughing hysterically, and "Cedar Rapids" failed to make that happen. In fact, outside of John C.… More
  It's hard to tell what this movie was trying to achieve, but it flushed a talented cast and a promising plot directly down the toilet. I expected a film that would have me laughing hysterically, and "Cedar Rapids" failed to make that happen. In fact, outside of John C. Reilly's foul mouthed performance, it was nearly void of humor altogether. It's boring. Avoid.

• paul s

  
  In Cedar Rapids you have a comedy that is really more satiric yet with a heart. Director Miguel Arteta manages to present a great deal more than the typical rube out of his element comedy that this appears to be on the surface. Somehow, just when the film seems teetering into rote… More
  In Cedar Rapids you have a comedy that is really more satiric yet with a heart. Director Miguel Arteta manages to present a great deal more than the typical rube out of his element comedy that this appears to be on the surface. Somehow, just when the film seems teetering into rote conventions, Arteta gives the film some added depth, and dare I say it poignancy (not often you see that word in a comedy). It doesn't hurt that the performances throughout are first rate, from Anne Heche as the married woman who just wants to have fun at the convention, yet feels her responsibility for the family she has left behind for the duration, to John C. Reilly as the blowhard heavy drinking salesman who, in a surprising show of depth, has ethics and a strong moral code. There are many jokes in this film concerning a naïve insurance salesman from a small Midwest town who is forced to represent his company at the Cedar Rapids insurance convention, and while not all of them work, there is enough meat here to satisfy. Ed Helms walks a tightrope with his rube character, showing his unsophisticated side, while not falling into vaudevillian farce. When we first see Helms he is having a quirky sexual encounter with his former high school teacher (a wonderful cameo by Sigorney Weaver). We become aware of his naivette and rather skewed outlook on the world, which becomes the backbone of the film. Through the usual shenanigans of the convention "let's have some fun" motif, Helms slowly becomes more aware of the real world, while still holding on to his soul, and that's the wonderfulness of the script and direction, and really what makes the film rise above so many of the screwball comedy/buddy films out there. As I mentioned, not all the jokes work, but often the jokes are used to set up the character's depth and a throwaway line ends up coming back later to show that these conventioneers have real lives and real feelings. And yet there are some pretty darned funny moments - as when, after a drink fest, Reilly leads Heche and Helms to the hotel pool, where he spies a metal trash can. Taking off the metal lid of the can he places it on his head and proclaims it the top of an old style diving bell - just the simple look of Reilly standing in the pool with this trash can lid on his head is hilarious; and taking it a step further, Helms tells Reilly that he looks like R2D2 - which prompts Reilly to reply "beep beep". I also got quite a laugh out of the straightlaced anacronym spewing black salesman, portrayed by Isaiah Whitlock. In one scene he and Heche try to rescue Helms, who has been snorting crack at a redneck party. The stiff Whitlock suddenly goes gansta, uttering gutter slang and saying he's locked and loaded and always keeps one in the chamber. As they make their getaway Heche asks him where the jive came from and he replies that he loves to watch The Wire and has a thing for Omar (watch the show, really - it's super good). I was pleasantly surprised by this film, especially in the way it kept rescuing itself from the normal average of the genre. The closing bits that play over the credits are just homespun easy humor, the kind you used to get watching The Carol Burnett Show, and show that Areta really knew what he was trying to accomplish with this film.

• Spencer S

  
  A brainy comedy about an insurance salesman on the ride of his life in Cedar Rapids, Iowa for a conference; vying for a major award and finding unexpected fun and friendships along the way. It's an awkward outsider meets quirky companions meets coming of age story, starring the… More
  A brainy comedy about an insurance salesman on the ride of his life in Cedar Rapids, Iowa for a conference; vying for a major award and finding unexpected fun and friendships along the way. It's an awkward outsider meets quirky companions meets coming of age story, starring the ho hum Ed Helms as what appears to be a watered down version of himself. There isn't much comedy to this film, neither belly laughs nor exceptional wit to spare, but it is eccentric and sweet in places. Mostly though, this film contains a quiet realism and strange hope for the main character that endears us to his plight and the vulnerable standard Ed Helms brings to poor Tim Lippe. For some reason the plot is a sleeper even though the characters aren't much of a stand out. Though the performances given by Anne Heche, John C. Reilly, and Isiah Whitlock Jr. were superb, they didn't do anything new, nothing extraordinary. Though I didn't need to have any real raunch to laugh, Reilly tries to be an unruly mess and just comes off as a repressed slob. It may have been the intent to capture real people and better highlight Lippe's embarrassment and naivetà (C) towards the office politics and backstabbing going on behind the scenes, but this wasn't supposed to be a human drama. I didn't laugh once during the entire thing, and the only real conflict in this film had no real stakes and didn't have a very interesting ending to attach to it. I did like the journey the character went through, the different stages of rebellion Lippe experiences and the unconventional storyline's way of keeping our eyebrows raised. Still, there was room for improvement.

• Nathan H

  
  What happens in the rapids, stays in the rapids. This film follows a naive insurance agent as he goes to competition, and becomes a little more street smart. Despite its overly worldly themes, cedar rapids manages to be sweet natured thanks to performances by John c Reilly and Ed… More
  What happens in the rapids, stays in the rapids. This film follows a naive insurance agent as he goes to competition, and becomes a little more street smart. Despite its overly worldly themes, cedar rapids manages to be sweet natured thanks to performances by John c Reilly and Ed helms. Rapids works well and is a feel good movie with plenty of humor and drama for everyone.

• Coxxie M

  
  i was mildly interested until i saw the joke in the trailer where the two guys are talking and one has his shirt off and the other guy touches his boobs and you just KNOW someone is gonna walk in and--- "Im not even gonna ask!" HAHAHAHAH LOL! LOL!

• Sam B

  
  Cedar Rapids makes this much clear: Any premise, no matter how generic it seems, can become a great movie if the characters involved are interesting and true enough, and the script moves along with purpose. Cedar Rapids succeeds in taking a boring field (insurance) and making a comedy… More
  Cedar Rapids makes this much clear: Any premise, no matter how generic it seems, can become a great movie if the characters involved are interesting and true enough, and the script moves along with purpose. Cedar Rapids succeeds in taking a boring field (insurance) and making a comedy and a case study that feels so much fresher than one might suspect. The care in which each character (no matter how minor) is crafted in Cedar Rapids, and then the way in which they interact with each other makes watching it a supremely enjoyable experience. However, it is the way in which that the average premise is played out by some intensely abnormal human beings that makes Cedar Rapids shine.

• Joseph B

  
  Alot better than I expected.

• Nate Z

  
  When people think about the temptations and sundry thrills of the Big City, most people are probably thinking of a sin-stained location like Las Vegas. Most people would not confuse Vegas with Cedar Rapids, and yet the Iowa city of note is the setting for a sweet and sometimes dirty,… More
  When people think about the temptations and sundry thrills of the Big City, most people are probably thinking of a sin-stained location like Las Vegas. Most people would not confuse Vegas with Cedar Rapids, and yet the Iowa city of note is the setting for a sweet and sometimes dirty, but still sweet, comedy of big-city adventures. To a guy from a town without a stoplight, Cedar Rapids is like New York City. It all depends on your perspective. Tim Lippe (Ed Helms) is an insurance salesman from Brown Valley, Wisconsin. The town is small but the little insurance agency that could has won the coveted Two Diamond Award four years running at the annual insurance convention held in Cedar Rapids. Tim's life is in a holding pattern. He wants to do big things but can't find the oomph to get there. He's involved in a romantic tryst with his (one-time) seventh grade teacher (Sigourney Weaver). Tim's chance to make a name for himself comes when he's selected to represent his company at the annual convention. He has to impress the right people to take home another Two Diamond Award. Never having been on a plane before, he leaves small-town Brown Valley for big-city Cedar Rapids. At the convention site, Tim rooms with Ronald Wilkes (Isiah Whitlock Jr.) and the more unsophisticated Dean Ziegler (John C. Reilly). The group meets up with Joan Ostrowski-Fox (Anne Heche), and together they work on helping Tim loosen up. Over the course of the weekend, bonds will be made, principles will be tested, and tom foolery of the first order will be had. The premise is rather simple, small-town guy heads to the big city (well, bigger) and the culture shock that waits. But the film never looks down on Tim Lippe. While there is plenty of humor drawn from his naiveté, the movie doesn't condescend or play up the small-town folks as rubes and squares. It's funny to see Tim's mild-mannered explosions of anger, mostly of the "horse pucky" variety of vulgarities, but the movie doesn't say that the big-city folk are better than Tim. On the contrary, Tim is a principled and devoted insurance salesman, courteous to a fault. He could have stepped out of a Frank Capra movie from a bygone era (Mr. Lippe Goes to Town). Tim is sheltered, which provides some amusing fish out of water comedy, like when he initially is on alert because his roommate is African-American, a rarity in Brown Valley despite whatever the name may imply to some. Tim is a man out of time, but that can be small-town life in general. The Midwestern satire reminds me of the gentle yet knowing nudge of King of the Hill. Phil Johnston's script sets up Tim's dilemma as a crisis of conscience, the compromises we make in morality. Tim's trip to the "big city" is the push the guy needs to get his life out of stasis. There's something deeply satisfying in watching a character you care about triumph in the end, even if that triumph is a small victory befitting a small-town guy with a big heart. The real fun of the movie, however, is watching the effect the group has not just on Tim but on each other. They teach Tim to cut loose and live a little, but this is still Cedar Rapids, so cutting loose goes as far as nighttime pool escapades and drunken sex. His flirtatious fling with Joan brings the guy out of his shell, and the two of them are genuinely cute together without going overboard. It's a reserved romance that feels true to the nature of both of the characters. Dean is the loudmouth knucklehead notorious for his oafish shenanigans, but once he feels accepted he goes to war for his friends. He's a buffoon but not stupid. And then Ronald, though less developed than the other three, provides a nice foil as a straight-laced businessman who keeps it together impressively. Together it's a team of likeable characters that have grown closer together over the course of that weekend in Cedar Rapids, and you'll feel the same. You feel like they've formed a family around the earnestness of Tim. Helms (The Hangover) is a suitable candidate for a nice, regular, Midwestern guy. Helms has honed his awkward comedy chops after several seasons on TV's The Office, and here he sticks to what he knows. Tim Lippe is another in a line of embryonic men. Helms settles into his usual nervous tics that fans will be familiar with. His sunny naiveté wins over the audience and provides for several laughs in contrast with the jaded "big city" folk. Reilly (Step Brothers) can overdo his character's intentional obnoxiousness. He's chartered a successful second career as a winsome nitwit, so like Helms, Reilly relies on notes gleaned from past performances. Whitlock Jr. is mostly straight man to the others. His comedic highpoint is an impromptu impersonation of a character from The Wire to get the group out of a dangerous jam (Whitlock Jr. himself played a state senator on The Wire). Other than that, he's more contrast than character. Heche (TV's Hung) is a real surprise. She underplays her character, tantalizing us with tidbits that leave us wanting more, much like Tim. The way she plays Joan, you feel the connection. With all that said, Cedar Rapids still has its share of flaws. The naïve comedy can go so far before you start to question Tim's senses, like his casual mistaking of a prostitute (Alia Shawkat, Whip It) for a fellow attendant. His relationship with his former seventh grade teacher is intentionally awkward, but the whole plotline presents an unseemly overtone that doesn't fit. She's made to be rather motherly, even when she's rolling her eyes at her bedmate's pie-eyed declarations of being "pre-engaged." I think the motherly aspect makes the whole Oedipal mess even worse (Weaver just seems bored). Late into Act Three Tim goes on a drug-fueled bender that feels out of place for his character who, when first asked for a drink, requested a beer of the root kind. The character of Dean is given too many moments to just wander around and spout crude one-liners. It sometimes feels like the movie is resting while it lets Dean do his thing, and a little of this guy can go a long way. The plot is relatively predictable and the ending is pretty pat. It works, but the actors and the characters were capable of more. The relationship between Tim and Joan also leaves something to be desired. There's a great assembly of recognizable guests (Stephen Root, Thomas Lennon, Rob Corddry, Mike Birbiglia) that stop by but add little. Again, the potential for more feels missed. With a solid 80% of the movie taking place in a hotel, you can also start to feel a little cabin fever. And not that it matter much, but I'm disappointed that film with "Cedar Rapids" in its name was filmed in Ann Arbor, Michigan (Iowa did away with its in-state film tax credit). The appeal of Cedar Rapids, the film, is much like the appeal of its central figure, Tim Lippe. It's an unassuming, earnest charm, enjoying the company of likeable characters who we want to see succeed. I just wish the predictable plot had done more or trusted the actors' capabilities. The core characters feel mostly authentic and easily recognizable, which makes the familiar, if at times bland, plot fairly forgivable. Helms and company are an easygoing bunch and you'll be happy to tag along on their unspectacular hijinks in the "big city." Cedar Rapids is the kind of low-key, charming little movies that often gets overlooked. It's worth viewing for the pleasurable camaraderie of the core cast. Cedar Rapids, much like the city that bears its name, is worth a visit but does not require more commitment than that. Nate's Grade: B

• Thomas B

  
  Flawed, certainly, but refreshing and fun with a great performance from John C. Reilly. Full review later.

• James A

  
  Humorous enough that I didn't hate it. slow enough so that I didn't love it.

• Daniel P

  
  Solid slice of life, a true sleeper. In a way it picks up where Up In the Air left off, telling another story about working a job that could easily leave you disillusioned, but about trying to find meaning in it regardless. Comedic veterans John C. Reilly, Anne Heche, Stephen Root and… More
  Solid slice of life, a true sleeper. In a way it picks up where Up In the Air left off, telling another story about working a job that could easily leave you disillusioned, but about trying to find meaning in it regardless. Comedic veterans John C. Reilly, Anne Heche, Stephen Root and Kurtwood Smith completment the understated lead, Ed Helms, in a surprisingly dramatic film. With Cedar Rapids, what you see is what you get, and its strength is its simplicity. A fine little movie, don't miss it!

• KJ P

  
  This smart little dry comedy about a man who has been deprived of any and all travelling experiences, venturing out to represent his company in it's annual insurance convention, never let's up on the delights and always keeps a smile on your face. It may be too short to have… More
  This smart little dry comedy about a man who has been deprived of any and all travelling experiences, venturing out to represent his company in it's annual insurance convention, never let's up on the delights and always keeps a smile on your face. It may be too short to have a truly moving story or have moments of dullness that make the film tiresome, but everything balances out to make it a fun little comedy with a slight piece of heart to it. I got exactly what I was expecting from such a small release, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. It's fun, it has a loveable cast, it's witty, dry, humorous, and emotional. This is exactly the type of movie you need to see to put your mind at ease for a short amount of time and appreciate what good writing really is. It could have been longer and funnier, but for what it is, I really enjoyed it.

• ♥˩ƳИИ &

  
  Cast: Ed Helms, John C. Reilly, Anne Heche, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Stephen Root, Kurtwood Smith, Alia Shawkat, Rob Corddry, Sigourney Weaver, Mike O'Malley, Thomas Lennon Director: Miguel Arteta Summary: Terrified of leaving his tiny town for the first time, sheltered… More
  Cast: Ed Helms, John C. Reilly, Anne Heche, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Stephen Root, Kurtwood Smith, Alia Shawkat, Rob Corddry, Sigourney Weaver, Mike O'Malley, Thomas Lennon Director: Miguel Arteta Summary: Terrified of leaving his tiny town for the first time, sheltered insurance salesman Tim (Ed Helms) nervously sets out for the bright lights of bustling Cedar Rapids, where he attends a chaotic insurance convention and learns how to survive in the real world. My Thoughts: "The movie was a lot funnier then I had perceived it to be, and on of the funnier films I have seen this year. The three leads are great in the movie. John C. Reilly stole the show in every scene he was in. Ed Helms was very funny in his wholesome image. Seeing his character unravel in the house party scene was just hilarious. My favorite part with Isiah Whitlock Jr. for me was when he goes all gangster on Rob Corddry. The movie is a lot of fun with great character's and loads of good performances especially from Alia Shawkat and Anne Heche. Definitely worth the rental if your in the mood for a classic comedy that doesn't have to push too many boundaries."

• Kase V

  
  A lot of the time in my reviews, i will mention whether a film has charm or not. 'Cedar Rapids' has it tenfold. The entire cast boasts talent and charisma, especially John C. Reilly, who really steals the show with his considerable amount of raunchiness. The film is not… More
  A lot of the time in my reviews, i will mention whether a film has charm or not. 'Cedar Rapids' has it tenfold. The entire cast boasts talent and charisma, especially John C. Reilly, who really steals the show with his considerable amount of raunchiness. The film is not laugh-out loud funny at every turn, but its blend of heart, laughs, and charm make it a solid watch.

• Summer W

  
  It's formulaic. Ed Helms basically plays the same character he plays on the Office, and John C. Reilly plays the same guy he plays in every other movie. However, the movie still made me laugh out loud several times despite all of the aforementioned flaws. For that, it scores… More
  It's formulaic. Ed Helms basically plays the same character he plays on the Office, and John C. Reilly plays the same guy he plays in every other movie. However, the movie still made me laugh out loud several times despite all of the aforementioned flaws. For that, it scores extra points with me.

• Melvin W

  
  Dean Ziegler: There's a separation between religion and insurance. It's in the constitution.  "Today Is The First Day... Of The Rest Of His Weekend." Cedar Rapids is a hilarious film, with an amazing cast. Ed Helms, John C. Reilly, Anne Heche and Isiah Withlock… More
  Dean Ziegler: There's a separation between religion and insurance. It's in the constitution.  "Today Is The First Day... Of The Rest Of His Weekend." Cedar Rapids is a hilarious film, with an amazing cast. Ed Helms, John C. Reilly, Anne Heche and Isiah Withlock Jr make up the leads. Then there's a very strong cast of small characters including Mike O'Malley, Kurtwood Smith, Sigourney Weaver, Rob Coddry and Alia Shawkat. Each actor really sells their character, especially Ed Helms in the lead role. He plays Tim Lippe who has never left his home town. He is sent by his boss to Cedar Rapids, Iowa to attend an insurance convention and bring home the Two Diamond award. Once he gets there he starts doing things he has never done in his life. The film has it's share of slow moments, but most the time it is extremely funny. I really like Ed Helms as a leading actor. After success with The Hangover and The Office, I think he deserves some more big roles in comedies. He's proven himself to be a good comedic actor. Then there's John C. Reilly; who is one of my favorite actors to watch. I like when he does comedies that are outside the Will Farrell type of humor(although I do like those somewhat). He really shines when he does movies like Cyrus and Cedar Rapids. He shines even more when he does films like Criminal and Hard Eight. That's what I'd like to see Reilly get back to; more serious projects then Step Brothers and Talladega Nights.  I'm a fan of movies like Superbad and Knocked Up, but every time a new movie like that is released; it seems less and less inspired. If feels like they are just throwing them out because teenagers will go see it. Cedar Rapids is the type of comedy we need to see more of.

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