MOVIE - Cedar Rapids

Funnnnneeeeee...and fun
Limited release 2/11/11
R (1:27)
Sat. 3/19/11 at El Con alone
RT: 84% cag 91%
Directed by Miguel Arteta
Ed Helms, John C. Reilly, Ann Hecht

Insurance Agent Tim Lippe (Lih' pee) is the epitome of naive, to the point of ridiculousness. He has never been out of his tiny Wisconsin town, never been to a hotel, never ridden on a plane, when he is sent to Cedar Rapids to a small insurance convention. His only foray into "love" has been with the newly single elementary school teacher (Sigourney Weaver) that just happen to have been his OWN elementary school teacher. He is supposed to schmooze the ultra-Christian president of the insurance board for the coveted Two Diamonds Award to take back to his boss.

Well. Everything he is warned to stay away from is put squarely in his path. All sorts of things he doesn't want to be involved in are impossible to avoid. It's all very hilarious, including the particularly crude John C. Reilly, his African American roommate, and a cocky female (Hecht) whose once-a-year trips to Cedar Rapids from Nebraska are like some people's trips to Vegas ('what happens in Cedar Rapids stays in Cedar Rapids").

The four become quite a team. And during the credits (SPOILER ALERT) we see them vacationing together, then starting an insurance business together. It's a story of friendship, innocence, and a whole lot of funny. I'd go see it again.