Despite its ominous title, Nothing to Lose is an innocent buddy comedy doubling as a road movie. It’s unassuming and easy to watch, just like most Steve Oedekerk movies. Ace Ventura, Kung Pow, and Kung Pow just to name a few. Now, Steve is not related to Bob, Bob Odenkirk, star of Better Call Saul and Breaking. Moving on, the script here is witty but not to the point where you would go wow. Some of the jokes are not that funny and if you’re not a fan of these two actors, I think you should skip this one altogether.
Tim Robbins was so funny as Nick Beam proving that he can nail any given role. And as some who’s not the biggest Martin Lawrence, I have to say I liked his performance here. I mean, the man was solid and did everything he needed to do. And we will have the glorious opportunity to see John C. McGinley with a nose rig playing a criminal called Rig.
Now, Nothing to Lose is a painfully nineties movie. And I know what you’re thinking, it can’t be anything else if it was shot in the nineties and is taking place during that decade. However, you’ll soon realize what I’m talking about. Clothes, computers, the way the offices and apartments look is just too much at times.
The nineties saw a lot of black and white buddy movies with all kinds of different plots. I think my favorite one is The Last Boy Scout with Men in Black coming at a close second. We should also mention Die Hard: With a Vengeance, White Men Can’t Jump and Bulletproof. If, however, we’re talking about all-time favorites, no one can come even close to See No Evil, Hear No Evil. I mean, you simply cannot do better than Richard Pryor and Gene Wilder.
Meet Nick Beam, a young and successful marketing executive with a beautiful house and a happy marriage. Or at least that’s what he thinks he has. Tonight, his life is about to be turned upside. Tonight, Nick is going to end up driving aimlessly through the city streets while contemplating suicide. If you thought things couldn’t get worse for poor Nick, he’s about to get carjacked. However, it would seem that this singular event is going to change his mood.
If you’re thinking that some of this sounds a bit familiar, you’re right. Into The Night, a more romantic comedy starring Jeff Goldblum also features a young executive who finds himself at a crossroads after an unfortunate incident. When a movie is titled Nothing to Lose, you expect it to be a little more nihilistic and dark. And this is where I feel they missed a great opportunity to go against the grain and make a true black comedy.
However, what we got, in the end, ain’t half-bad. My absolute favorite and arguably the funniest scene in the whole movie is the one when they meet Paul’s mother. Don’t you talk back to me!
Director: Steve Oedekerk
Writer: Steve Oedekerk
Cast: Martin Lawrence, Tim Robbins, John C. McGinley, Giancarlo Esposito, Kelly Preston, Michael McKean
Fun Stuff: Steve Oedekerk has a cameo appearance as a lip-synching security guard in the film.
Rating:
IMDb Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119807/
