Alicia I love this movie so much

Plustown A lot of perfectly good film show their cards early, establish a unique premise and let the audience explore a topic at a leisurely pace, without much in terms of surprise. this film is not one of those films.

Mathilde the Guild Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

Caryl It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties. It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.

rooprect In all fairness I've never seen any other coming-of-age films for 40 somethings, so it's not much of a competition. But if this movie is any indication, there should be more."Cedar Rapids" is the story of a 40 something small town insurance salesman "Lippe" (Ed Helms) who leaves his small town for the first time. He travels to Cedar Rapids for an insurance convention in what turns out to be sort of a spring break for grown ups. And amidst all the hijinks he realizes some startling realizations about the real world which you & I might take for granted, but as seen through the eyes of a sheltered overgrown boyscout like Lippe, these realizations take on new meaning.Yes, it's a comedy, but don't expect a raucous madcap misadventure like your standard teen coming-of-age flick. Instead what sets this apart is its level of maturity while being wacky. Lippe isn't stupid, he's just sheltered. So he learns quickly, and that's the power of this story. A plot like this could've easily been played for cheap laughs, but instead it forsakes the predictable cartoonish gags in lieu of something more like real life. That's not saying it's boring or dry (Lippe has his first exposure to alcohol, skinny dipping, prostitutes, drugs and fights, not to mention his hilariously awkward first time meeting a black man) so there's plenty going on. But it's all handled very tastefully--almost charmingly--rather than silly. And yet you still laugh because it's just so bizarre.At the heart of the film is a timeless revelation we all can appreciate: what happens when the protected bubble you've lived in suddenly pops? Whether you're a kid learning there's no Santa Claus, or an adult learning that your idealistic view of the world was naïve, the feeling is the same, and this movie captures that feeling in a great way.The entire cast is spectacular with a stand out performance by John C Reilly (you might recognize as "Dewey Cox" in Walk Hard) who plays a despicable cheeseball "Ziegler" whom you come to love. Isiah Whitlock Jr plays "Ronimal", Lippe's first black friend, who is almost as clueless as Lippe but stay tuned as he does an awesome parody of the gritty tv show "The Wire" (which Whitlock starred in). Rounding out Lippe's circle of new misfit friends is Anne Heche who plays "O-Fox", sort of the convention slut."Cedar Rapids" is a really clever and entertaining story that doesn't sink to crass humor to make its point (ok maybe there's 1 fart joke during the end credits). In a weird way it reminded me of "Planes, Trains & Automobiles" or maybe the hilarious indie real estate comedy "Open House". I never thought I'd sit through a 90 min movie about an insurance convention, but this one really surprised me.

g-bodyl Cedar Rapids is a small-town American comedy that is quite funny and sweet. Based on the actors resume, I expected something a little more raucous, but I'm okay with only a few off-color jokes. The plot revolves around selling insurance, so the film may take awhile to get used to. Some people may find the film boring, but I found it quite intriguing. The film is about people and trying to find a way in life and in that department, this film succeeds.Miguel Arteta's film is about an insurance salesman named Tim Lippe who is going nowhere and is in the midst of being "pre-engaged" with his 7th-grade teacher. But due to an unfortunate accident, Tim is sent to an insurance convention which will change his life forever as he meets the suspicious Dean and the seductive Joan.The acting is actually pretty good. Ed Helms is decent as the man who has not experienced much in the way of life. John C. Reilly put on a show as the crazy, party-goer Dean. Anne Heche is good as Joan. Isaiah Whitlock Jr. is also good as the other friend of the group, Ronald.Overall, Cedar Rapids is a small film but I enjoyed it because of the kind of American film it is. It's really short and often pretty funny. There are no blockbuster goodness here, but for this kind of film it would be unacceptable. It is a movie about bonding as well as the opening of the eyes of a man so he can see the world for the first time. I rate this film 8/10.

Amy Adler Tim Lippe (Ed Helms) is an insurance agent for a small company in a far from large city in Wisconsin. He's really never ventured anywhere, staying near his home most of his life. On the side, he is having a fling with a former teacher, newly divorced (Sigourney Weaver). Yes, she's a bit older than him, but still hot and Tim thinks there is a future between them. In the policy biz, he leaves the spotlight for a fellow agent (Thomas Lennon) who has won prizes from a big, annual hoopla in Cedar Rapids Iowa, two years running. Oh, fate is not kind! The prize winner dies suddenly and the big boss asks Tim to go to CR and declares he MUST come back with the top award money. At once, Tim hates leaving his comfort zone and his lady love. Arriving in CR, he meets a nice agent who will be his roommate (Isaiah Whitlock Jr.) So far, so good. Tim even makes eyes with a beautiful lady saleswoman in the fitness room (Anne Heche). But, all heck breaks lose when a loudmouth agent named Dean (John C. Reilly) shows up and announces that he is rooming with Tim! With all of these talented insurance sellers in the same place and a harsh judge (Kurtwood Smith), will Tim have any chance to win the competition? And, will Tim succumb to the temptations of the "big city"? Also, are there some secrets to be uncovered, especially about past prize winners? This delightful indie is a quirky, entertaining movie. The cast is terrific and very talented, giving memorable turns, although Heche is hard to recognize with a auburn hairdo. The script and direction, too, are lively and intelligent. No, the setting, mostly inside a large hotel, is not exactly eye candy but the costumes are quite fine. My advice is to move rapidly, all indie fans and others, too, to the DVD outlets and snag Cedar Rapids before too many minutes pass you by.

meeza The indie comedy "Cedar Rapids" goes by pretty rapid with its 89 minute running time, and that is somewhat a good thing but it's mostly not such a bad thing. The film stars Ed Helms as Tim Lippe, a small-town insurance salesman who is sent out by his Brownstone Insurance Company to Cedar Rapids for an annual insurance convention. Bill Krogstad (Stephen Root), the owner of Brownstone Insurance, instructs naïve Ed to brownnose the Insurance Convention President so Brownstone can once again receive a prestigious Insurance Award. Tim meets three convention regulars in: the insurance entrepreneur workaholic Ronald Wilkes who is a devotee to the HBO Show "The Wire", the foxy middle-age insurance rep Joan Ostrowski-Fox who looks forward to the convention on annual basis for a little escapism, and the spirit-fueled (in more ways than one, and more drinks than one) vociferous insurance rep Dean Ziegler who is the Dean of Convention Partying. I will keep my lips sealed on what happens to Lippe so I don't spoil the fun for you, but let's say it is the time for Tim to unwind. Director Miguel Arteta's effort is not close to being a work of art with its semi-muddled style, and Screenwriter Phil Johnston did not phil up the scribe with a mesmeric narrative; but what Arteta & Johnston (sounds like a law firm) were able to pull out in their filmmaking were magnificent supporting characters to the picture. Ed Helms was pretty much taking off the same characterization of his infamous Stu in "The Hangover" franchise with his leading work here as Lippe; so yea, it was adequate but it did not hungover with freshness for too long since we have seen it before. However, it was the two amigos and one amiga of Lippe what sold me on "Cedar Rapids". I was wired in to Isiah Whitlock's performance as Ronald Wilkes; and that voice of Whitlock is one of the best in the business, might even surpass the Freeman. Anne Heche was captivating as Joan Ostrowski-Fox, and I was joanzing for Joan every time she appeared on screen. And definitely the apex of "Cedar Rapids" was the scene-stealing performance of John C. Reilly as Dean Ziegler, one of the funniest comedic performances of 2011; and his R2D2 impression while intoxicated in a pool could just be the funniest moment I have seen in a 2011 movie. I cannot insure you that you will love "Cedar Rapids" because it is for an acquired taste. But for the most part, like a decent comedy, "Cedar Rapids" is there. **** Good