Cedar Rapids (2011)
Last Watch Date - February 4, 2024
Total Times Watched - Once
Comments
Guess who was browsing the used DVDs rack at 2nd and Charles today! While I spent the majority of my time looking over the horror section, I also happened to make my way over to the comedy section. There are a lot of goofy movies that I've seen but probably wouldn't buy. Then there is a whole other category of goofy movies I haven't seen but aren't streaming, so I guess I buy them? This bad boy was one of them.
I think I knew this wasn't going to be a big laugher or monster movie going in. I remember it coming out and being promoted only to disappear right after release. And it's never on streaming services. These are good signs, right!? I wouldn't say I'm an Ed Helms fan, but I do enjoy the stuff he's in usually. It was only $3. Enough of the backstory, let's get on with it.
Cedar Rapids features Ed Helms, John C Reilly, Anne Heche, Clay Davis Isiah Whitlock Jr, Stephen Root, Kurtwood Smith, Alia Shawkat, and Sigourney Weaver (plus a bunch of cameos by other folks). It's a really good cast! Everyone does what you'd expect, and Isiah Whitlock Jr talks about the Wire a few times, which made me laugh. I love that his character loves the show he was on.
Ultimately this movie was kind of milquetoast. Maybe that's because of Ed Helms and the type of characters he plays. It felt very similar to Andy Bernard from The Office, but maybe slightly dorkier if that's possible. It's a pretty familiar "fish out of water" or "coming out of his shell" sort of story where the dork unwinds and goes a bit too far before coming back to normalcy. Nothing new or special. The execution was probably pretty forgettable as well. I would assume that's why it's never mentioned by anyone for any reason.
But still, I enjoyed it. It was well-paced, only coming in at 1 hour 26 minutes total. I guess it's difficult to feel slow at that time. John C Reilly definitely carries a lot of the weight of the movie. His character is as zany as you would expect, but he's got that nice, soft center where he really cares about people. Like I said, you've seen this story before elsewhere.
Recommended?
Probably not. It's been done better in other movies, BUT it was not a bad movie. If you see it for $3, it's worth it!
