Cedar Rapids

Despite its modern setting Cedar Rapids tries so hard to show the world of insurance selling as dull and bland its ending up looking like it was shot circa 1975. The protagonists all seem to wear polyester suits of varying degrees of brown whilst the décor is of a similar shade. In fact, if it wasn’t for the US setting, you’d almost expect to see Watney’s Red Barrel behind the bar. In the film Ed Helms plays Tim Lippe, an introverted man-child, who, whilst decent at selling insurance is inexperienced and naive when it comes to a number of the other aspects of the world around him. Plot machinations means he finds himself at a sales conference attempting to win an award for his company. He falls in with a few of the other salesmen, and being a fish out of water, soon finds himself being led astray. A few amusing scrapes ensue, but the characters aren’t engaging enough and Miguel Arteta's direction is as stale as the setting he has placed the protagonists in. Things aren’t helped by occasional The Wire star Isiah Whitlock Jr making reference to the actual show a couple of times. It’s meant to be funny, but just feels lame. Helms tries his best to play a square, but he is mis-cast here playing against type, and you can’t help but yearn for a bit of the “Nard-dog” as he fumbles around. Better comes from John C Reilly as an old school type salesman with a drink in one hand and a string of offensive one-liners whenever the occasion calls. In effect this is a morality film with the good guy winning out and smiles all round. Nothing wrong with that, of course, but in this instance, it doesn’t make for edge of the seat viewing.

The OC Film Sting Final Verdict

A few decent moments (mostly from Reilly) can’t save a film that is similarly as dull as the lifestyle it seeks to portray. Rating: 5/10