“There’s a separation between religion and insurance. It’s in the constitution!”
Time to celebrate the Salesmen and Saleswomen who keep America moving! Let’s begin with a comedy classic from 2011 that went undiscovered upon release, only to gain a fanatical following on home video!
“Cedar Rapids!”
We all know how great a comic Actor Ed Helms is – look no further than “The Office” and “The Hangover”…actually, look right here for a neglected gem of a comedy. Helms stars as nebbish Insurance Agent Tim Lippe, who has no idea what he’s in for when he’s sent to Cedar Rapids, Iowa to represent his company at an annual insurance convention.
Check out the trailer:
Look at this great cast! Anne Heche, John C. Reilly and Isaiah Whitlock Jr. star as the convention veterans who take Helms under their wing…and of course, Reilly steals the movie as the abrasive Dean Ziegler, who tosses off lines like this:
“Lemke may have been a class-A deviant, but what the fuck does that have to do with selling insurance?”
This film is a sweet, funny and profane look at the people who are always selling something – and of course, how they get out of control when unleashed on a convention:
I Love Sigourney Weaver!
Yes, I love Sigourney Weaver, and here’s why: Weaver has an extended cameo as Helms’ much older looking girlfriend, a fact not lost on Reilly, who sees a picture of the two of them and assumes it’s his Mom!
Tim Lippe: “She’s not my mom! Okay? She’s my girlfriend and we’re basically pre-engaged.”
Dean Ziegler: “Woah woah. My bad. Beautiful woman, in any case. Wait a minute, what’s “pre-engaged”? ‘Cause if i was “pre-engaged”, I would be pre-porking anything with a pulse!”
“Cedar Rapids” deserves a much bigger following – it is truly funny, well acted, has a sharp script and the entire cast is up for everything thrown at them…
And if you really want to talk about the life of a salesman…here are your ABC’s!
Always Be Closing!
Well, you must know about one of the greatest films of the 90’s the legendary “Glengarry Glen Ross!”
Written by David Mamet, based on his play, the film is a searing look at the desperate lives of four salesmen in a dreary Baltimore office. This cast is amazing: Jack Lemmon, Al Pacino, Alan Alda and Ed Harris, with office manager Kevin Spacey fighting with all of them…and then another salesman shows up with a “pep talk”…
Alec Baldwin gives one of the great monologues in film history – and it wasn’t even in the play! Read all about the “Always be closing” speech by clicking on my story here:
And let me know if you’ve seen “Cedar Rapids!”
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johnrieber 
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