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Is it worth $10? Yes
Every once in a while a movie sneaks up on you and is such a pleasant surprise it makes you smile for days. “Cedar Rapids” is one of those movies.
The trailers may not be doing it many favors, but John C. Reilly’s one-liners keep running through my head and making me laugh, even at awkward and inopportune moments.
Reilly is the go-for-broke supporting character to Ed Helms’ Tim, a small-town Wisconsin insurance agent who’s never left home. But after a freak accident his boss (Stephen Root) is forced to send him to a convention in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, with the pressure of bringing home the coveted Two Diamonds Award.
For Tim, this is a big deal. He’s sleeping with his seventh-grade teacher (Sigourney Weaver), to whom he considers himself “pre-engaged.” He’s never been in a plane or left his hometown, let alone stay in a hotel. Others may be bored by Cedar Rapids, but for Tim this is an adventure of a lifetime.
He plans to take it easy and behave, but his new friendship with Dean (Reilly), Ronald (Isiah Whitlock Jr.) and Joan (Anne Heche) leads him to do things he never imagined doing. There’s a good amount of fish-out-of-water predictability that director Miguel Arteta really couldn’t avoid, but it comes with a winsome honesty that’s more endearing than the formula usually allows.
Besides, with Reilly this out-of-control fun as the crazy party guy, there’s little room to complain. His energy is infectious, as the chemistry he shares with Helms, Heche and Whitlock makes us want a sequel in which they travel to and tear apart another non-descript city – how about Omaha next time?
Funny as Reilly is, it’s Helms remaining grounded that is the key to the movie’s success. Tim genuinely loves being an insurance agent, and there’s nothing fake about him. Better, Helms plays him as a naïve, innocent man, but never is he an idiotic boob who’s too socially inept to function. Tim isn’t worldly enough to avoid being taken advantage of, sure, but he also has a backbone, and because he’s a real guy instead of a caricature all the comedy – especially Reilly’s, as Tim is the straight man to his buffoon – really works.
Make sure you stay for the credit cookies (clips that play as the credits run) as well, because they include some of the best jokes in the movie. You’d never think an insurance convention in Iowa would generate such fun, but the laughs more than speak for themselves.
Did you know?
The film was not shot in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Instead, it was shot just outside Ann Arbor, Michigan, where the local Clarion Hotel and Conference Center offered the characteristic architecture needed for the Royal Cedar seen in the movie. (Exterior sequences were shot in Cedar Rapids to capture the flavor of Iowa’s second-largest city, rarely seen on film.)
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aclarke
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... This movie was quite the unexpected comedy. Didn't know what to expect from see the previews. Good movie. Would like to see again. |
goosecaroline
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... Really funny movie, not what I expected to see. Enjoyed the time spent watching this movie. |
jhinds
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... This movie was not what I expected. Went in expecting to be bored. I was totally wrong. I loved this movie a lot. It made me laugh out loud several times. Great movie. |
KThieman
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... I had low expectations for this movie from both the name, the stars and the graphic. However within 10 minutes of the movie starting I was laughing. The characters had great chemistry and were hilarious. Loved the part where they rescued their friend from the party. Definitely worth the money! |
mtm6487
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... wish i could have seen it during the screening, but if its worth my money i will go. |
Jenniferhm
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... Wow, and double wow! I was soooo surprised by this movie! I went to watch it because I got screening passes, but honestly thought I was not going to be even amused by it. Go figure! It was sooo good! I think the movie poster is not doing the movie any justice. Great comedy! |
WilliamT99
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... I quite enjoyed this film. I gave it 4 out of 5 stars for the hilarious jokes and memorable characters. I think that the film was lacking in some jokes, but others were so funny that they made up for the ones that fell through. I too enjoyed the credits at the end. What really surprised me was how dumb the previews for this film looked, but I guess you should never judge a book by its cover, which is definitely shown with this movie. The lack of interest I had in the previews caused me to have low expectations for the movie, which may be why it surprised me so much with how good it was. I recommend this film to anyone who enjoys a good laugh here and there. |
rosalbalara
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... I wasn't sure of how the movie was going to be. It was very funny with a great balance of romance and comedy. |
singalongjonl
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... I have to say this movie is very tricky. As Dan said in his review, the movie really didn't justify how good it was going to be from the trailers that were released. I went into this movie with a open mind, but I really didn't think it was going to be that good. To a sudden surprise, I was laughing nonstop throughout the movie. The movie had a perfect cast and a perfect balance of comedy and romance, but it mainly focused on the comedy. I have recommended this movie to many people, and I also recommend this to whoever is reading this. |
Sway
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... Great movie with an awesome cast. Helms and Riley make a great team for laughter but the one to watch is Ronald (Whitlock). He had the best scene in the whole movie. Its a must watch. |
lunarmirage
said:
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... This movie is definitely worth the money. It's not only funny but touching at the same time. |
julietr0se
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... Haha! I loved this movie!! The actors were great and it's definitely a movie I could see over and over again! John C Riley was awesome as usual but Ed Helms, I think, stole the show! I would definitely recommend  2 thumbs up! |
UBFGUY
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... I went to see this movie not once but twice. I laughed out loud, which is rare for a movie these days. John C. Reilly, as usual, steals the show. Great cast and a good night out. |
movielover
said:
... Hi there Cedar Rapids i had to see it twice cause the first time i fell asleep anyways i think John C Reily and his humor is so funny and plus his sexual innuendos about the girl played by anne heche.funny..and the pool scene tha they go in and there drunk and horny funny stuff all the way thru not a boring scene at all.great movie i would recommend it. |
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lesgay
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... I agree that this movie is worth $10. It was funny from beginning to end and every actor did a great job. Great date movie. |
Bori787
said:
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... Saw this movie last month And it had me laughing from being til the end of it. This is one of da funniest movies I seen in a long time. |
tanyakaye
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... I saw it at a movie screening and laughed so much I would actually pay to go see it again |
Nohmie1
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... Saw it last night too and couldnt agree more...I havent laughed so much in a long time. This is going to be in my DVD collection for when I just need a laugh GO SEE THIS MOVIE.. you wont be sorry (but leave the kids @ home for this one L. |
Erin1986
said:
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... Wow, saw this movie last night and thought it was very funny. I couldn't stop laughing. I wasn't sure how the humor would be at first, but was very surprised. It is a must see. |
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