Cedar Rapids

The premise of the film is of a small town insurance salesman named ‘Tim Lippy’ (Ed Helms) who goes to an insurance conference weekend, and gets his eyes opened to the big wide world. A terrific cast kicks this film straight into the category in our minds named ‘Great Expectations’. And largely the cast don’t disappoint us. Stand-out performances come from writer/star Ed Helms and John C. Reilly, who plays the wild, outlandish party starter ‘Dean Ziegler’. Other good performances come from Anne Heche as love interest Joan Ostrowski-Fox and Isiah Whitlock Jr. as the loveable tag along Ronald Wilkes. Sigourney Weaver’ part as the older love interest quickly retreats to a more nurturing role on the end of a phone when he needs it.

The mechanics of the film are very well done. Overall the film is very well shot and edited, aside from one or two continuity mistakes one wouldn’t notice unless they were being particularly pedantic. The use of music is under-appreciated and the score is subtle but well written.

The narrative of the film moves along at a great pace, mixing character development with comedic value of the situations that Mr. Lippy finds himself in. The narrative and writing delightfully mixes raunchy adult humor with the wit and charm of a tamer movie. The movie will not alter the comedy genre and a sequel would be ill advised, but it is a memorable addition to the ‘small town man, big city’ sub-genre.

Overall, Ed Helms does well in his first instance of being the main star of a film after co-starring in The Hangover, and having a main cast part in the American Office. He is accompanied on this entertaining trip by a great cast who are directed by a man that should continue with this line of film-making if he keeps churning out others like this and Youth and Revolt.