Low key yet full bore, Cedar Rapids is flooded with a deep, kinda melancholy, underdog humor.

The four lead actors form a great comedy ensemble - - Ed Helms, John C. Reilly, Anne Heche, Isiah Whitlock Jr. - - they ride the comedy wave with a deadpan bravura. The banter between these four as they careen their way through an escalating series of situations, each one even more exhilaratingly improbable than the last, is a treat to behold.

Cedar Rapids is a slow motion accident reel of an ordinary guy's life flying off the rails, and yet is told with a surprising amount of authentic heart. If this wasn't such a hilarious comedy, I mighta sworn the director was being serious!


125 out of 5. { e.g.: rating (25) x rewatchability factor (5) = 125 }


(PS: I can't wait for for the sequel to see the next year's insurance convention and that awesome foursome in action again!)

I saw this at a free screening last night with my best friend and we both loved it. Neither of us really knew anything about it before seeing it and let me tell you, it's one of the funniest movies I've seen in a very long time. Seriously, my stomach hurt from laughing so hard at some points. Everyone should definitely see this when it opens near you. I could see it becoming the next Office Space, actually.

8/10

I keep meaning to see this.

You definitely should, I think you'd really enjoy it.

Having lived in Iowa all my life watching this felt somehow... obligatory? Even though I hate Iowa.

I'm glad I live here for once though, otherwise I probably would have passed on this and missed a fine little film. There's certainly nothing revolutionary here, kind of a blend of a teen comedy and an adult rom-com (superbad and up in the air would work, or subsitute the hangover for that first one.) However the storytelling is so much more sincere and compassionate, there's simplicity and empathy replacing the misery and ridiculousness of something like the hangover. I love the balance it creates between crude and innocent humor, in that it creates crude events and endows them with a sweet sense of benignity.

I was particularly reminded of UITA in the construction of female characters. The women in this really feel like balanced, flawed, but powerful and independent women. Anne Heche in particular gives a wonderful performance and is a real scene stealer. The treatment of Helms as the ignorant, oblivious bible boy and the subsequent path to enlightenment and understanding that the women (and Reilly) create. It's a cool, fun little journey I really enjoyed. Also Reilly was hilarious and not over the top as the bad boy, but one of the film's best aspects is it did not rely on him for all the laughs.

***or31/2/5orB+or81%

This was really funny. The whole cast was great.

8/10 (B+)

Glad you loved it.

John C. Reilly totally stole the film.

I thought Reilly was surprisingly muggy and shitty in this, as if he was trying to outfunny the rest of the cast. His first comedic misfire in a while.

Its a solid comedy but nothing special

I really enjoyed this. It was funny and well-written/performed.

This was a bit of a miss in my opinion. Ed Helms wasn't necessarily bad in the lead role but he made everything seem very awkward at times. His relationship with Sigourney Weaver and his constant bickering with his boss were a couple of the things that just didn't work for me here. John C. Reilly's usual goofy charm isn't as strong here and even having some other talent like Kurtwood Smith in here, the material and execution is weak and a miss. If anything, the film would of been a lot better if the plot was actually what happened in the credit scenes. *1/2

CEDAR RAPIDS

I remember catching this at a screening and it was just so forgettable. I can barely remember anyhing about it today. All I recall, is that Reilly's character was very obnoxious and the main dude was very whiny. Oh, I remember one particularly hilarious part when they all went to the house to get someone and the black guy said something ridiculous. Other than that this movie was a snooze.

Grade - C