Review of Cedar Rapids (2011) by Tylor — 22 Jul 2011

Alternately rauciously funny and oddly sweet, this indie comedy may be something of a cross between 'The Office' and 'The Hangover' but it comes off as a distinctive winner. Ed Helms anchors the picture with his naive goofball, a man sheltered in a small town whose big trip to Cedar Rapids, Iowa for an insurance convention becomes his first wild bender of a weekend.

Helms makes Tim Lippe's conviction that being an insurance agent is the best job in the world so convincing it's funny. He's a natural at the sillier stuff, and handles the more emotional dilemmas of his character nicely.

John C. Reily is at his most hysterically boorish, Isiah Whitlock Jr. is deadpan and hilarious, and Anne Heche is perfectly funny and sexy. It's a little rude, raunchy and a bit crude, but it's characters--even Reily's seemingly shallow goof--are all wonderfully realized and relatable in some way.

Director Miguel Arteta's treatment of Small Town America is humorously teasing but never condescending. He keeps things moving along and doesn't allow this to overstay it's welcome. The ending wraps up things well and reveals the moral heart of the story that was beating beneath the debauchery.

All in all, a solid comedy with hearty laughs born out of character, raunch that arises organically (are you listening 'Hangover 2'?) and a sweet overtone.