I love a movie where the main character, with Meg Ryan’s eyes and Dennis Quaid’s jawline, prepares for a fight by punching his already bloody and battered fists into a shattered pile of glass to prove a point. Not only does Novocaine want to pull the viewer through the unthinkable, but it drags the viewer in on a enthralling ride that refuses to let up.
Novocaine pushes the envelope with its gallows humor. Tell me you don’t wince in pain watching bits of glass in Jack Quaid’s knuckles while laughing hysterically every step of the way. It’s a pure shot of hilarious adrenaline that never lets up because all it wants to do is put our hero through the wringer—sometimes literally—ratcheting up a relentless amount of tension and laughs.
Novocaine Review and Synopsis
The story follows Nathan Caine (The Boys’ Jack Quaid), a bank manager with congenital insensitivity to pain (CIP). In this rare disorder, someone is born without the ability to feel physical pain. Nate has already defied the odds; the average age of someone with this condition is twenty-six, but he was bullied to the point in school where he was called “Novocaine.”
That left Nate with no friends, siblings, or even family. However, everything is about to change when the girl of his dreams, Sherry (Prey’s Amber Midthunder), starts a new job at his branch. He’s smitten, making him feel things—like his first taste of cherry pie—that he’s never felt: love, pleasure, and a reason to live.
Once you find someone, Nate knows you must grab them and never let go. However, his new romance is about to be tenuous at best when Sherry is taken hostage after a bank robbery goes haywire, and the assailant (The Smile 2’s Ray Nicholson) takes her captive. Like the superhero he is, Nate goes after her, proving there is no pain like the potential of a broken heart.
Novocaine is a Pure Shot of Hilarious Adrenaline!
Written by Lars Jacobson (Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist) and directed by the duo of Dan Berk (Body) and Robert Olsen (Significant Others), Novocaine is a thrillingly funny ride. The film hinges on Jack Quaid’s endearing performance, showcasing a real knack for comic timing and physical comedy that pulls the viewer through the violent bloodbath.
Berk and Olsen’s film works on many levels. The story features a very tender romance between Quaid and Midthunder, which is very sweet. The movie also doubles as a buddy comedy, with a scene-stealing Jacob Batalon, who he met online, claiming he looks like Jason Momoa and drives a Harley, though it’s a Vespa. (You’ll notice Batalon looks much taller when acting beside Tom Holland.)
I’ll add Nicholson is way over the top here. Even as the main villain, his turn is practically cartoonish. There are head-scratching moments in the script, such as a convicted felon receiving less than two years for involvement in a bank robbery homicide, which defies logic. This may seem trivial, but you’ll understand that a better script decision could have been made once you see it.
Is Novocaine Worth Watching?
Novocaine is worth watching for the adorably humorous turn from rising star Jack Quaid. However, this is a movie with obvious faults. First, the film is incredibly violent and bloody, which comments on viewers being inoculated to violence while also serving as a commentary on our fear of not just physical but emotional pain.
Yes, that would have enhanced the story’s underlying theme. And, of course, this is an action comedy akin to Nobody and Kick-Ass, the cinematic equivalent of living up to a mission statement of “Give the people what they want!” It’s bloody, disgusting, fervently fresh, and unpredictably chaotic.
If you don’t walk out with a headache and a goofy look on your face from the adrenaline wearing off, that’s on you.
You can watch Novocaine only in theaters March 14th!
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