NOTHING TO LOSE
US, 1997, 97 minutes, Colour.
Tim Robbins, Martin Lawrence, John C. Mc Ginley, Giancarlo Esposito.
Directed by Steve Odekerk.
Nothing to Lose is a pleasantly routine buddy film: tall white Tim Robbins with short black Martin Lawrence. Robbins plays an executive who falls on bad times, finding his wife with another man, despairing and then being held up by Martin Lawrence. Instead of succumbing, he drives out into the desert and, between a whole lot of comic surprises, they band together to rob Robbins' boss. It turns out that Lawrence is an engineer with a family, desperate because of unemployment.
They are also pursued by two genuine robbers through the desert and into Los Angeles. Finally, Robbins discovers that the woman in question was not his wife and that all is happy, he and Martin rectify the situation, they have become friends and all ends happily ever after.
Direction is by Steve Odekerk, writer and director of such films as Ace Ventura Pet Detective.
1. Entertaining comedy? Buddy film? Friendship between the races film? Robbery film? All put together?
2. Los Angeles settings, the Arizona desert? Homes, office buildings, the road? The musical score?
3. The title and its reference to Nick and to T? Their troubles, the robberies - and nothing to lose?
4. The focus on Nick: Tim Robbins and his style, the advertising campaign, clashes with his boss? His relationship with his wife, their pretend stories at the beginning, going home and finding the boss and the woman in the bedroom? His despair, driving the car recklessly? T holding him up, his refusal to submit, dangerous driving, going out into the desert? The change of heart, the robberies, the clumsiness of their adventures, the real robbers and their attack on the road? Nick trying to rob - but then after the hold-up paying the man at the counter? The pursuit back into Los Angeles, his ringing his wife, discovering the truth? The trashing of the office, the stealing of the money, the breaking of the statue? The videotape and his pulling faces? The next morning, rectifying the situation, the tape getting stuck and his identity not being revealed? Going to T's house, meeting his wife and children, his mother, the slap on the face? The return to the park, the happy reunion and happy ending? The bonding?
5. T and his hold-up, his academic background, engineer, unemployment, wife and children, mother? The hold-up, his fear with Nick's driving, robberies? Amazement at Nick's change of heart? The real crooks? The robbery in Los Angeles, going home, his mother-in-law's reaction? His helping Nick with the restitution? Fixing the video camera? His getting a job from Nick and a successful future?
6. The real criminals and their robberies, pursuit of Nick and T, the crashes, the confrontation in Los Angeles and their being arrested?
7. The wife, her relationship with Nick, his doubting her, her sister and the boss, the reconciliation?
8. T's wife, the children, mother, happy household?
9. Popular comic ingredients - the race issue, friendships, humanity? In a comic robbery situation?
