Hot off the presses as a 2011 Sundance Film Festival entry arrives the trailer and poster for “Cedar Rapids,” Fox Searchlight‘s new salesman roadtrip film with “The Hangover” star Ed Helms in his first big shot since that 2009 breakout movie. Directed by Miguel Arteta (“Youth In Revolt,” “Chuck & Buck“), the film also co-stars John C. Reilly, Anne Heche, Isiah Whitlock Jr. (Sen. R. Clayton ‘Clay’ Davis from “The Wire“) Sigourney Weaver, Alia Shawkat, Rob Corddry, Stephen Root and more.
The film centers on a dull and dimwitted Midwesterner insurance salesman (Helms) who travels to a big-city convention in an effort to save the jobs of his co-workers.The trailer, poster and official synopsis are below.
To call insurance agent Tim Lippe (Ed Helms), “naive” is a gross understatement. He’s never left his small hometown. He’s never stayed at a hotel. And he’s never experienced anything like Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Sent to represent his company at the annual insurance convention, Tim is soon distracted by three convention veterans (John C. Reilly, Anne Heche and Isiah Whitlock Jr.) who will show him the ropes and push his boundaries. For a guy who plays everything by the book, this convention will be anything but conventional.
Premiering at Sundance in January (runs 20-30), “Cedar Rapids” opens in limited release on February 11, 2011. Of course the trailer also features one of the best songs of the year, LCD Soundsystem‘s “Drunk Girls,” but we’ll forgive you if you’re a little sick of it already. The meta ‘Wire’ reference at the end is pretty damn good too. Looks like a pretty good time all and all.
