July 17–24, 1997

movie shorts

Nothing to Lose

Tim Robbins is an advertising executive who, believing that his wife (Kelly Preston) is cheating on him, becomes desperate to the point of turning the tables on would-be mugger Martin Lawrence. Bonding during their drive across the Arizona desert, the unlikely buddies decide to rob Robbins' employer (Michael McKean). The film is awkward and formulaic, depending on a series of badly conceived coincidences to allow its various anticipated plot points (including a parallel black-white buddy team of ruffians, played by Giancarlo Esposito and John C. McGinley). While Lawrence is clearly on a campaign to resurrect his mainstream career, following some questions about his conduct on the sitcom and elsewhere, it's hard to figure why anyone else agreed to make this picture — in particular Robbins and Esposito, both gifted performers who must have better things to do.

—Cindy Fuchs