CEDAR RAPIDS

Photos courtesy of Fox Searchlight
A mild-mannered insurance agent takes a trip to an annual insurance conference in search of the top prize in the comedy, CEDAR RAPIDS.

Ed Helms, of THE HANGOVER fame, is Tim Lippe an insurance agent with Brown Valley Insurance, who after the untimely death of a fellow agent is tagged to represent Brown Valley at the convention, and more importantly vie for the coveted Two Diamonds Award, an award granted to the insurance company that best exhibits professionalism and moral and ethical standards.

Tim’s boss, Bill, has provided him with agents to avoid and one’s to attach himself to. Tim meets up with Ronald, from the nice list, and also Dean, from the naughty list at the conference.

CEDAR RAPIDS views itself as a coming-of-age comedy, but not as a young adult coming into his or her own, but rather a naïve, ignorant Midwesterner learning the ropes of life.

Tim is a likable guy. Sure he enjoys the occasional rendezvous with his former grade-school teacher, played Sigourney Weaver, at his home, but Tim sees his occupation, and people in general, as honorable. This is frowned upon by director Miquel Arteta and writer Phil Johnston, who lead Tim on an insurance convention escapade filled with extra-marital affairs, prostitutes and cocaine. The heavy-handed nature by Arteta and Johnston undermines some effective moments the two craft in between the nonsense.

As previously mentioned, Tim has been warned about Dean, played by John C. Reilly, yet as we get to know the obnoxious, blow-hard Dean, the more we like him. O’Reilly is outrageously funny as Dean, giving CEDAR RAPIDS some much needed life and laughs, while also serving as an eye-opening figure for Tim.

Ann Heche also turns in a good performance as Joan, another middle class insurance agent, and mom, that views the annual get-together as a getaway from reality, and Isiah Whitlock is solid in the thankless role of straight man, Ronald.

Tim is the least interesting of the bunch, but this is no fault of Helms. Tim more or less serves as the middle-class, middle America punching bag for Arteta and Johnston to have their way with.

CEDAR RAPIDS pulls no punches, but also doesn’t land as many as it should.

Grade: C