CEDAR RAPIDS
2 out of 5 stars

this could have been better… with ed helms from the office, john c. reilly, anne heche, stephen root (“have you seeen…my stapler?” dude from office space), and kurtwood smith (eric’s dad from that 70s show), this is the best they could come up with?! puh-lease…i’d rather see a conference episode from the office...when michael scott was around… :/

so, why is this movie set in cedar rapids? what’s so special about this city? well, the ASMI (american society of mutual insurances- something like that) have an annual conference in the wonderful city of cedar rapids, and the president of ASMI (kurtwood smith) gives out the prestigious two-diamond award to the best insurance co. in the midwest. tim lippe (ed helms) is a man-boy, who is pre-engaged to his 7th grade teacher mrs. V, and gets to ride an airplane for the first time to travel to CR to try and win the two-diamond for his company. originally, another dude, roger limky was suppose to get the award this year, but he committed “suicide”. (not really- more like sexual asphyxiation, LOL) so, once tim gets to his hotel, he befriends a ho (it’s maeby from arrested development!), becomes roomies with ronald (the senator from HBO’s the wire) and sex-crazed/alcoholic dean zeigler. (john c. reilly- HILARIOUS!) he even hooks up with another insurance agent named joan, and discovers the truth to why his co. keeps winning the two-diamonds… such an adventure! :P

best scenes HANDS DOWN are the ones with john c. reilly, who is one HILARIOUS guy. but we knew that from his movies with will ferrell! ed helms basically plays the same character as when he’s on the office, and that to me was boring… the general plot is very original, but like i said, this could have been better/funnier. i think if they got a funnier/quirkier joan, a better script, and more debauchery, we would have gone somewhere with this. instead, there’s a lot of drinking and contemplating. too much thinking goin on for a comedy, dammit! :P