Movie Review: "Cedar Rapids"

Seen on: February 14, 2011

The players: Director: Miguel Arteta, Writer: Phil Johnston, Cast: Ed Helms, John C. Reilly, Anne Heche, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Kurtwood Smith

Facts of interest: Arteta also directed "Youth in Revolt" and "The Good Girl."

The plot: Ed Helms plays a small-town insurance agent traveling to a big convention in Cedar Rapids, where he experiences a world he never knew existed.

Our thoughts: Miguel Arteta’s “Cedar Rapids” is a wonderful little comedy filled with a lot of heart and big laughs. Penned by Phil Johnston, the film stars popular actor Ed Helms (“The Hangover”) as Tim Lippe, a somewhat stuck-up insurance agent whose first trip to an important insurance convention in Cedar Rapids shows him a side of life he never thought existed. 

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Justin Bieber takes Friday box office lead

No real surprise here. The "Justin Bieber: Never Say Never" concert movie topped the North American box office Friday with a solid $12.3 million in ticket sales from 3,105 sites. The Paramount release earned an average of $3,989 per theater and is heading towards an weekend win over its competitors.

That said, Adam Sandler's new comedy "Just Go With It" wasn't that far behind, bringing in $9.7 million from 3,548 locations. The film also stars Jennifer Aniston and focuses on a dude who pretends he's in a terrible marriage to meet/seduce hot chicks. "Go With It" may gain some momentum Sunday.

This week's new releases were all over the top five Friday, as "Gnomeo and Juliet" opened in third place with $6.1 million while Kevin Macdonald's "The Eagle" with Channing Tatum debuted at No. 4 with a relatively low $2.7 million.

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Hollywood casting update: Sigourney Weaver joins 'Cedar Rapids;' Butler considers 'Coriolanus'

Lots of casting news this week, and here is a short summary of who will star in what soon:

• Sigourney Weaver and Alia Shawkat are joining John C. Reilly, Ed Helms and Anne Heche in Miguel Arteta's comedy "Cedar Rapids," about man (Helms) sent to represent his company and save his colleagues' jobs at a regional insurance conference in Cedar Rapids. (Variety)

• Gerard Butler ("Law Abiding Citizen") is in talks to join Ralph Fiennes' directorial debut "Coriolanus," an adaptation of William Shakespeare's Roman tragedy. Butler would play Tullus Aufidius, commander of the Volscian army. Also on board: Fiennes, William Hurt, Vanessa Redgrave and Jessica Chastain. (THR)

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Daily dose of film news: Roger Avary sentenced to prison; John C. Reilly travels to 'Cedar Rapids'

Here is your dose of the latest film news out of Hollywood and from across the Web for Sept. 30, 2009:

• Screenwriter Roger Avary, who won an Oscar for "Pulp Fiction" and has "Silent Hill 2" and "Return to Castle Wolfenstein" in development, will spend one year in jail for causing a fatal car crash in 2008. One passenger in Avary's car died in the crash in Southern California. Avary also received five years of probation. (Variety)

• John C. Reilly has signed on to star in Miguel Arteta's "Cedar Rapids," a comedy also starring Ed Helms. The film follows a man (Helms) sent to represent his company at a regional insurance conference in Cedar Rapids. Reilly plays a man who also attends the event but doesn't take it seriously. (The Hollywood Reporter)

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