Nothing to Lose (1997)

Nick's wife's in bed with his boss. He later gets a gun to his head by a carjacker but steps on the gas pedal. They end up friends after adventures together - holdups, burglary, reckless driving, revenge etc. Twists follow.

Director:

Steve Oedekerk

Writer:

Steve Oedekerk

Stars:

Martin Lawrence, Tim Robbins, John C. McGinley

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Martin Lawrence	...	Terrance Paul Davidson
Tim Robbins	...	Nick Beam
John C. McGinley	...	Davis 'Rig' Lanlow
Giancarlo Esposito	...	Charlie Dunt
Kelly Preston	...	Ann Beam
Michael McKean	...	Phillip "P.B" Barrow
Rebecca Gayheart	...	Danielle
Susan Barnes	...	Delores
Irma P. Hall	...	Bertha 'Mama' Davidson
Samaria Graham	...	Lisa Davidson
Marcus T. Paulk	...	Joey Davidson (as Marcus Paulk)
Penny Bae Bridges	...	Tonya Davidson
Steve Oedekerk	...	Security Guard Baxter
Mary Jo Keenen	...	Grace
Lisa Mende	...	Emma

Storyline

When a man (Robbins) believes he has discovered that his wife is having an affair with his boss, it sets off a chain reaction of events. First he wanders into a ghetto where a robber (Lawrence) tries to take his money at gunpoint, but instead sets a wild ride from California to Arizona. The two eventually become reluctant friends. Discussing robbery techniques, they decide to get back at the boss by robbing an office safe containing hundreds of thousands of dollars. Life is further complicated by another pair of robbers who chase the first two for infringing on their territory.

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Plot Keywords:

neo screwball comedy | arizona desert | arizona territory | robber | boss | 

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Taglines:

One has no job. The other has no life. Together, they have everything to gain and...

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Comedy | Crime

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for pervasive strong language and a sex scene

Did You Know?

Trivia

Martin Lawrence and John C. McGinley would also appear together in Wild Hogs (2007) ten years later.

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Goofs

When Nick and T are arguing in the desert after escaping from the gas station that T robbed, there is the top of a car visible over Nick's right shoulder when they are on the drivers side of the vehicle.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Nick Beam: Where do I start? It's not you. Well actually it is you. Look, I'm just not... I'm not attracted to you anymore. I need space. You kinda... you kinda gross me out. In the beginning it was different. In the beginning, you were better. But then I got to know you real well, and I came to realize... that you're a fat idiot.

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Crazy Credits

After the credits are finished, a mailman brings a letter to the hillbilly whose gas station was robbed. The letter is marked "Hillbilly Motherfucker", just as T. called him in the movie. Inside is a few hundred dollars cash. In the cut version this is changed to "Hillbilly at the gas station".

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Alternate Versions

In the Australian free to air version, during the confrontation with the rival criminals, Martin Lawrence yelling "Shut the fuck up" is badly censored to "Shuck up". Interestingly, other uses of the word "fuck" are still intact.

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Connections

Referenced in Little Fires Everywhere: Find a Way (2020)

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Soundtracks

Buena
Written by Mark Sandman
Performed by Morphine
Courtesy of Rykodisc
By Arrangement with Ocean Park Music Group

User Reviews

Quite Possibly One of the Funniest Movies Ever

I have seen this film several times now. I cannot stop laughing at everything I laughed at the first time that I saw it at the theatre. I had no idea what to expect at that viewing, other than the fact that I enjoyed Tim Robbins' work in the past and thought that Martin Lawrence was very funny. This did not prepare me for the life-changing event it was.

I once showed this movie to a then-girlfriend who was no fan of the comedy genre, and thus it was a big risk to even attempt viewing an unknown comedy to begin with. But sure enough, she turned to me when it was over and declared it to be one of the most intelligent yet gut-level funny films she had ever seen.

And without a doubt, she had summed it up best right there.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 July 1997 (USA)

Also Known As:

Nothing to Lose

Filming Locations:

Club Ed Film Set - 150th Street E, Lancaster, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$25,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$11,617,767, 20 July 1997

Gross USA:

$44,480,039

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$44,480,039

Company Credits

Production Co:

O Entertainment, Touchstone Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1