The esteemed Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has given out its awards and office pools have been paid off — no need to go out and see a highbrow movie this weekend. A good comedy is the perfect antidote to the award season, so if you are in the mood for some laughs go see Cedar Rapids.
A friend aptly described this movie as The Hangover meets Fargo. Ed Helms (The Hangover) plays Tim, a naive small town boy off to the “big city” for an insurance convention. He rooms with straight arrow Ronald (Isiah Whitlock) and party-boy Dean (John C. Reilly), and is seduced by Joan (Anne Heche). This is not a slapstick, gross-out comedy. (There was one scene in the credits that made me cover my eyes!) It’s got solid writing and four main characters that have back stories and character arcs. Rather than the all-bad or all-good characters we usually see in movies (but rarely in real life) these people are shades of grey. Joan was especially interesting: In a role that is usually reserved for men, Ms. Heche’s character is happily married but looking for a little excitement (what happens in Cedar Rapids, stays in Cedar Rapids). It may have been easy to not like Joan if she had just been “one of the boys” but in a scene where she talks to her family back at home you know that her life is complicated and that she is not just some floozy.
Joan, Ronald, and Dean all educate Tim in the ways of the world and his naivete brings out the best in his new friends. Most people go home from conventions with a hangover, Tim goes home a new man (with a hangover).
Great characters, good writing, nice acting, and good laughs = QQQQ
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