NOTHING TO LOSE
A film review by James Berardinelli
Copyright 1997 James Berardinelli
RATING (0 TO 10): 4.0 Alternative Scale: ** out of ****
United States, 1997 U.S. Release Date: 7/11/97 (wide) Running Length: 1:37 MPAA Classification: R (Profanity, sex) Theatrical Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Cast: Tim Robbins, Martin Lawrence, John C. McGinley, Giancarlo Esposito, Kelly Preston, Michael McKean Director: Steve Oedekerk Producers: Martin Bregman, Dan Jinks, and Michael Bregman Screenplay: Steve Oedekerk Cinematography: Donald E. Thorin Music: Robert Folk U.S. Distributor: Touchstone Pictures
There have been two ACE VENTURA directors: Tom Shadyac and Steve Oedekerk. Shadyac, after helming the first (and better, although not by much) of the two pet detective outings, moved on to more amusing and less barren projects like THE NUTTY PROFESSOR and LIAR LIAR. Oedekerk, on the other hand, hasn't directed in two years, and his return engagement, NOTHING TO LOSE, is hardly triumphant.
The "moronic comedy" (a movie where people commit stupid acts with little regard for things like logic and credibility) is a motion picture staple, dating back to the silent era. Once, film makers invested a great deal of creativity into these projects, but, these days, almost every entry into the genre is routine, formulaic, and of limited entertainment value. As a result, watching films like NOTHING TO LOSE can be tedious. The movie offers a few legitimate laughs, but there's not enough quality or quantity to support a ninety-minute production. In between the widely-spaced, effective gags, we're treated to a mind- numbingly contrived script, inane dialogue, and flat characters.
NOTHING TO LOSE introduces us to Nick Beam (Tim Robbins), a mild- mannered advertising company executive who, as the film demonstrates in an early scene, is involved in an apparently-perfect marriage with the gorgeous and bubbly Ann (Kelly Preston). Then, on a day when Nick arrives home unexpectedly early, he makes a shocking discovery -- his wife in bed with his boss (Michael McKean). Devastated, Nick gets in his car and drives into the seedier portions of Los Angeles, where he's car-jacked by Terrence (Martin Lawrence), a slick-talking thief. That's where the revenge fantasy takes over, as Nick turns the tables on Terrence. Instead of meekly handing over his wallet, Nick puts his foot on the gas and effectively kidnaps his would-be robber. What follows is a variation on the standard, tired buddy movie concept, with a few car chases, shootouts, and mistaken identity subplots thrown in for good measure.
Had Oedekerk settled for a straight, mindless farce, things might have turned out okay. Unfortunately, he makes the fatal mistake of attempting to inject an element of social commentary into NOTHING TO LOSE. That's right -- social commentary in a movie that's as airheaded as they come. Oedekerk is apparently on the pro-Affirmative Action bandwagon, since his semi-serious point is that White Corporate America is racist. That statement may be accurate, but the writer/director chooses a poor arena in which to argue it. Additionally, attempts to humanize Nick and Terrence fail as we're force-fed character-building moments that don't work on any level.
Tim Robbins is better than the material. It's to his credit that he's somehow able to generate sympathy for such a one-dimensional character. Martin Lawrence, on the other hand, is playing the same guy he always plays: Martin Lawrence. It's an act that gets old quickly. After films like BOOMERANG, BAD BOYS, and A THIN LINE BETWEEN LOVE AND HATE, Lawrence has become overexposed (and I'm not even considering his recently-canceled TV series, which I haven't seen). He's a personality with little discernible range, as NOTHING TO LOSE ably demonstrates. Meanwhile, the supporting cast, which includes Kelly Preston as Nick's wife, Michael McKean as his boss, and John C. McGinley and Giancarlo Esposito as a pair of bumbling crooks, is populated with unremarkable performers. The only one who makes an impression is Irma B. Hall, who, playing Terrence's slap-happy mother, steals both of the short scenes she's in.
Moments of inspired comedy are few and far between. In addition to the Hall appearances, there's an amusing bit where Nick and Terrence compete to see who can be more frightening during a convenience store robbery. Beyond that, the film offers the usual array of unfunny, repetitive attempts at humor. NOTHING TO LOSE isn't so bad that it can be singled out as one of the worst movies of the summer, but there's nothing about this film to distinguish it from the many other sub- mediocre non-entities currently in theaters. NOTHING TO LOSE promises to rob you of both time and money.
- James Berardinelli e-mail: berardin@bc.cybernex.net ReelViews web site: http://www.cybernex.net/~berardin
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