Okay, here's the deal. There's an old saying that my grandfather, Poppa Billy, used to say. He'd say, "Expect the worst, settle for fair, and welcome the bungoose." It took me years to understand what the bungoose was -- you can imagine my paranoia as a seven-year-old at ponds and lakes. Now, I'm not gonna think too far into what went on behind closed doors between Poppa Billy and Nanna Lula, but I think I've deciphered the phrase to realize that the bungoose is any surprise that turns out to be more fun than you thought it'd be. Honestly, this insightful saying has gotten me through all manner of transitions in my life. Medical school was a breeze when you expect the absolute worst every day. Go into each day with that attitude, and what could possibly ruin your day? Buying a car is a snap if you expect the salesman to be as sleazy as Dick Morris at a hooker convention. Expect to get cheated, then, when you are, it won't sting nearly as much. And, if by some miracle, you get A's in Pathological Dissection or the salesguy is a church deacon, then you can freely smile at the pleasant surprise...the bungoose.

By the way, this attitude works wonders if you're getting married. It ain't much for the divorce court, but, for the marriage itself, it's a snap. You can put up with the loss of the bathroom countertop, the perpetual ban on professional wrestling, and the permanent dulling of every razor in your posession by way of leg and armpit stubble.

So, when I heard that Tim Robbins and Martin Lawrence were making a movie together, I turned the attitude on ready. It wasn't all that hard to do, given the circumstances, you know? I mean, Robbins, the superWASP with the ultraliberal political views, and Lawrence, the funny standup comic-turned-gunwaving traffic cop? In a "buddy movie?" A comedy? The SuperFriends TroubAlert went haywire from the first second I saw the trailer.

Then, friends and neighbors, I saw Nothing to Lose. I expected the worst, and got a mild but pleasant surprise. Not only is this movie a pretty fair glance, but Robbins and Lawrence work extremely well together.

Robbins plays Nick Beam, an everyday yuppie businessman, who's troubled by marital strife. He's so troubled and distracted that one day, he accidentally drives into the projects. He's quickly carjacked by T. Paul (Lawrence), and, figuring he has nothing to lose (hence the title. those wacky Hollywood types, I swear...), Nick and T. Paul team up to get back at Nick's boss.

I've never been a huge fan of Lawrence as an actor. His stand-up is hysterical, but, in acting, he comes from the Eddie Murphy Late 80s School of Acting -- Make a face, say a cuss word. Rinse. Repeat. Here, though, he's likeable enough as an electrical engineer-turned-criminal. And, thankfully, writer/director Steve Oedekerk allows Lawrence to have a slice of the tender side, showing him with his family, led with a cast-iron right hand by his mama, Bertha, played to the T by Irma P. Hall.

You may remember that Oedekerk directed Ace Ventura:When Nature Calls and wrote the script for Eddie Murphy's rebirth, The Nutty Professor. He keeps that same zany humor alive here, letting the natural lankiness of Robbins play for some good physical comedy, and blends it with the streetsmart style of Lawrence's humor. He also peppers the movie with some funky fringe characters that are a barrel of fun to watch. Keep an eyeball peeled for the security guard who thinks he's a Solid Gold dancer.

Now, don't color me delighted. If they're gonna keep making this sort of ebony/ivory buddy movie, they still have a long way to go to beat 48 HRS. If we could lose the stereotypes, it might be a little easier to accept this entire genre. Why not have Tim Robbins as the thief, and let Lawrence play it straight as the yuppie? The crossing of the roles might provide an extra breath of fresh air, but, until the Desk Jockeys in L.A. wake up and sniff the Sanka, we're stuck with it.

That said, Nothing to Lose is still a hunnerd-and-a-half times better than Bulletproof, the Wayans-Sandler vehicle that stubbed its absessed pinky toe on the curb a while back. Lose has some solid laughs, a few genuine moments of flash, and a pair of lead actors that more than fill the bill. The bill of the bungoose, that is.