Tim Lippe (Ed Helms), the hero of "Cedar Rapids," is described by his boss as "a kid who's gonna go places and just didn't." Fortunately for us, though, Lippe is forced to go places, traveling outside of his small town of Brown Valley, Wis., and checking his infallible Midwestern small-town values at the door.
Don't let the rural setting give you the wrong idea about director Miguel Artera's latest comedy. "Cedar Rapids" has a big heart and is loaded with enough raunch and awkward humor to be sure to entertain even the most skeptical city-dwelling viewers. The film, a hit from this January's Sundance Film Festival, is not as innocent as it seems.
"Cedar Rapids" recounts a fateful weekend in the life of insurance-salesman Lippe, during which he attends a competitive convention in the comparatively big city of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. For Lippe, the weekend surpasses all expectations when he is faced with the challenges of the real, dangerous world outside of his native small Wisconsin town. Out of his comfort zone and joined by a band of "worldly" new friends — Dean Zeigler (John C. Reilly), Joan Ostrowski-Fox (Anne Heche) and Ronald Wilkes (Isiah Whitlock Jr.) — Lippe finds his own way to survive while sitting at the big kids' table.
The film lies somewhere between the bro-fest of "The Hangover" (2009) and the aw-shucks sincerity and painfully awkward moments of "The Office." This is Helms' comedic niche, and he shines in an outstanding lead performance. As Ostrowski-Fox says to Lippe, Helms "make[s] insurance agents seem cool." All he has to do is give an enthusiastic thumbs-up and a convincing "Awesome!" at his every turn and we're instantly sold.
Lippe is unabashedly small-minded, but eventually agrees to a drug-fueled, wild and crazy ride when prodded. Shamelessly sipping his shots of Creme Cherry and revealing his nerdy secret habits, he sometimes make us squirm — but it's impossible not to enjoy his charming innocence.
As excellent as Helms is, though, "Cedar Rapids" would be a far lesser film without the comedic genius of Reilly. From the moment the incredibly vulgar and unfiltered Zeigler — whom Lippe is warned might thwart his shot at the coveted convention trophy — enters the hotel, the unpredictable Reilly never has a dull moment.
"Cedar Rapids" is clearly a vehicle for seasoned performers Helms and Reilly, but it nevertheless relies on a strong ensemble. As the straight-laced Wilkes, scene-stealer Whitlock — who famously played State Sen. Clay Davis on "The Wire" (2002-8) — provides one of the most memorable moments of the film, when he finally lets loose during the climax and channels a character from his HBO past.
Heche's smart Joan is a surprisingly fitting counterpart to Helms' Lippe. In one of their first encounters, Lippe tells her, "You're freaky," to which she replies, "Thank you." These quirky characters are not in short supply: Spunky Alia Shawkat shines as a prostitute who "works" the convention hotel, and Sigourney Weaver, who plays Lippe's former high school teacher and friend with benefits, rounds out the talented cast.
Written by first-time screenwriter Phil Johnston, "Cedar Rapids" certainly has an original vocabulary: The film abounds with one-liners that keep an underwhelming story fresh. Despite a few off-color jokes and a missed opportunity to tease the religious- right backers of the insurance conference, the screenplay is what stands out. Any predictable conventions and archetypes on which the story is based (there are glaring similarities to "Up in the Air" (2009), among other films) are completely outweighed by Johnston's snappy quips and cliche-less style.
Packed with witty gags and supported by its genuine characters, "Cedar Rapids" tackles a low-key fish-out-of-water fable and inspires impressive laughs. As screenwriter Johnston shows us, the Midwest is more outrageous than you might think.
