I watched this film after seeing a short advert for it on television, I remember finding it funny, I'm glad I watched it a second time to get a better opinion on it, directed by Steve Oedekerk (Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls, Barnyard). Basically Nick Beam (Tim Robbins) is an advertising executive who thinks everything is going well in his life, until one day he comes home, sees a pair of cufflinks on the side, belonging to his boss, and overhears who thinks is his wife Ann (Kelly Preston) having sex. Nick presumes that his wife is having an affair with his boss, Philip Barlow (Michael McKean), he is now on the edge of a nervous breakdown and drives around the city, unsure of what to do next. On the way, carjacker T. Paul, or Terrance Paul Davidson (Martin Lawrence), jumps into his car and attempts to rob him, turning the tables on the muggers, he kidnaps T. Paul and drives him to the Arizona desert. When things calm down, after Nick unintentionally robs a gas station, Nick explains the situation to T. Paul, Nick then has the idea to get revenge on his boss by robbing him. Nick and T. Paul devise a scheme to break into the office and steal a large amount of cash, Nick knows the combination to the safe, the best time to enter, and where to go, and T. Paul has knowledge of security system weaknesses, how to avoid cameras, and picking locks. Another criminal duo, Davis "Rig" Lanlow (Scrubs' John C. McGinley) and Charles "Charlie" Dunt (Breaking Bad's Giancarlo Esposito), are blamed for the gas station incident, they pursue Nick and T. Paul back to Los Angeles, they have a confrontation, and Nick ends up getting shot in the arm. Nick and T. Paul make it back to the city and begin the plan, there are some small mishaps along the way as they enter the building, and a security guard (Steve Oedekerk) spending a few hours dancing to music in the office, while the pair are hiding and waiting for him to move on. The situation gets worse as Rig and Charlie, who swiped Nick's business card and followed them, hold them up and steal the money, and place T. Paul in a predicament, but Nick manages to get away. Nick decides to call Ann to confront her about the cufflinks he found and the sex he heard, she confirms she is not having an affair, the cufflinks were left behind after a Christmas party, and he actually overheard Ann's sister and her fiancee having sex. Filled with remorse, Nick rescue T. Paul, and they catch up to Rig and Charlie in the alley, they manage to outdo the criminals, and tie them up for the police to find and arrest them. Nick insists on returning the money to the safe, assuring T. Paul that the security footage will not be checked unless something is missing, stolen or damaged, but T. Paul wanted to use the money for his family, they end up in a fight and angrily part ways. Returning to work, Nick is told by Phillip that a fertility statue was damaged, they are reviewing security footage, Nick tries to stop them from seeing the part where he removes his mask, but thankfully, the footage was recorded over by T. Paul. Nick goes to see T. Paul and confirms that the incriminating footage was removed, they make amends, and in return, Nick tells Phillip that is he is looking for an electrician to work in the office, he should offer T. Paul a job, he happily accepts. Also starring Scream 2's Rebecca Gayheart as Danielle and Patch Adams' Irma P. Hall as Bertha 'Mama' Davidson. Robbins made many serious films, including The Shawshank Redemption, so this was a comic breather for him, fast-talking Lawrence is amusing as the petty thief who tries to rob the wrong guy at the wrong time, they are just about passable as an odd buddy duo, the story has predictable moments, and not all of the jokes are that funny, but it is fun enough to pass the time, an alright action comedy. Okay!
Review of Nothing to Lose
