Tim Robbins has an irresistible attraction these days; he`s not only a terrific actor, he`s an intelligent and caring director as well. After writing and directing Dead Man Walking, it`s no wonder that he wanted a little light relief with Nothing To Lose. This movie has a social context too, but basically it`s a reluctant buddy movie. Nick Beam, played by Tim Robbins, has it all - beautiful wife, great job in advertising, stylish house, cool clothes - until he gets home early one day and finds his wife in bed with his boss. In a blind numbness he walks out, jumps into his four wheel drive and heads for the wrong side of the tracks where he makes a connection with T - Martin Lawrence. Nick decides on a life of crime and revenge and he`s pretty good at it - he`s a born leader while T, born black and poor and destined to stay that way, has no alternative but to try to screw the system.
Well that`s the social context for you. On top of that Nothing To Lose has some great lines - T`s desription of Nick`s wife as a \"cheap beetch\" is unacceptable, so he comes up with \"monogamously challenged\" instead; and he`s not a thief, he just dabbles in \"future used goods\". Nothing To Lose is mostly well-done ultra light. Writer/ director Steve Oederkerk who was responsible for the second Ace Ventura movie - ho-hum - has been wise enough to get two solid performers for Nothing To Lose - Tim Robbins doesn`t soar in this, but he`s very good, and so is \"Bad Boy\" Martin Lawrence - Lawrence is so likeable and he`s hilarious. Perhaps Oederkerk resorts to shots of other people`s deadpan responses to our two anti-heros a touch too often, and the ending is a wind-down rather than a resolution, but a lot of Nothing To Lose provides fun times.
