Cedar Rapids

Movie: Cedar Rapids

Genre: comedy

Synopsis: Tim Lippe (Ed Helms) is an insurance agent for a small insurance company in a really small Wisconsin town.  When the top salesman in the firm dies – under awkward circumstances, Tim is picked to represent the firm in the annual insurance convention in Cedar Rapids. To say Tim is naïve is to grossly understate the situation.  He arrives in Cedar Rapids where he has to share a room with “to be avoided at all costs” Dean Ziegler (John C. Reilly) and Ronald Wilkes (Isiah Whitlock, Jr.)  Dean and Ronald join forces with Joan Ostrowski-Fox (Anne Heche) to try and pull Tim out of his cocoon.  He ends up getting drunk, smoking crack, skinny dipping with Joan - and having a fling with Joan.  Then he has to face the music at the convention awards ceremony.

My two cents: This was a really funny movie.  Tim reminds me of the innocence most of the citizens of Mayberry had.  Ann Heche had a great role, as did John C. Reilly.  Kurtwood Smith (the father from That 70’s Show) was perfect as the president of the insurance convention.  His initial meeting with Tim in a gym where they each have just a towel – and then nothing – on was hysterical.  I can’t fail to mention Sigourney Weaver’s role as Tim’s sixth grade teacher who has been sleeping with him for the last several month.  Last but not least, Alia Shawat (Michael Bluth’s niece in Arrested Development) was a hooker – but Tim kept thinking she was just hanging around the hotel looking for someone to give her a cigarette; so he would counsel her on the dangers of smoking and offer her a butterscotch.. Everyone was just great in this film – and the ending was pretty decent too.

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