What would you do if you could feel absolutely zero pain? With such a simple premise, Novocaine seems like a straightforward action movie. However, what follows throughout its almost two-hour runtime will surprise you. Fun, audacious, and gnarly, this film is a hit.
There’s a little bit for everyone in this insane boy-risks-life-to-save-girl feature event. Directed by Dan Berk and Robert Olsen from a script by Lars Jacobson, Novocaine follows Nathan Caine (Jack Quaid), who can’t feel pain. And after a successful date with Sherry (Amber Midthunder), Nate is a changed man. He sees the world through rose-colored glasses; there’s nothing that can bring him down from the high of falling in love. That is, until a band of violent robbers kidnaps the aforementioned girl of his dreams. Unwilling to risk losing the one person who’s managed to get him out of his comfort zone, Nate will stop at nothing to get her back. Even if that means he might die in the process.
Much like Die Hard (1988), this is a Christmas movie. Men dressed as Santa perform a bank robbery during the happiest season of the year. That’s proof enough. With the added flare of a tasteful Chappell Roan needle drop, there’s style and humor to this action movie. Each character in this well-mixed cast of colorful personalities brings something new to the table. Fitted and structured almost like a video game, Novocaine sets up numerous tasks and side quests as Nate tries to battle the big boss and rescue the princess. A fantastical tattoo the main character sports around his body artfully illustrates this.
Known for playing roles where you love to hate him, it’s refreshing to see Quaid charm his way through the narrative. There’s a quirkiness to Nate that keeps you engaged and rooting for him all the way. On top of that, Novocaine pushes boundaries and defies genre. While the film offers extreme scenes of gore, the condition that Nate suffers from is real. Congenital Insensitivity to Pain with Anhidrosis (CIPA), may, in the simplest of terms, cause an inability to feel pain and temperature. Nate shares with Sherry that his life expectancy was minimal; he’s made it this far in life by playing it safe. But one slice of pie and a whole lot of chemistry later, he has a new lease on life.
While Quaid is great as the leading man, Amber Midthunder simply shines on the screen. Her presence alone is mesmerizing, taking complete control of every scene she’s in. Luckily, she’s much more than a pretty face and a damsel in distress. Her role is hefty and complex, further feeding into Novocaine’s originality. And aiding Midthunder is her scene partner, Ray Nicholson. Many might recognize him as Jack Nicholson‘s son, but Ray quickly makes a name for himself as an unnerving villain. Teetering on borderline psychotic, Nicholson’s Simon is a violent con artist and thief.
Oftentimes, one movie can urge you to escape the rest of the world for a moment and find comfort in a dark room lit only by a big screen. Novocaine is that movie. One word of warning: it’s not for the squeamish. For everyone else, though, Novocaine may turn you into a fan.
Rating: 9/10
You must be logged in to post a comment.