Novocaine is a surprisingly refreshing action comedy that’s simultaneously funny and violent. Its goofy premise also makes it a lot of fun, and I had a lot of fun wrapped up in its absurdity. However, its structure in the climax is certainly dragging.
Jack Quaid stars as Nathan Caine, a milquetoast bank manager who’s interested in his coworker Sherry (Amber Midthunder), but he has a condition that makes him not feel any kind of pain, and as a result, he shirks his chances at a relationship.
Nathan finally musters up the courage to go out with her, and he reveals his condition, which only makes her more interested in him.
Things go south for the two of them when bank robbers take Sherry hostage on Christmas Eve and Nathan is determined to rescue her from their clutches. Ray Nicholson costars as the de facto leader of the robbers.
The movie shows Nathan trying to catch the thieves while testing his condition to the limit in some brutal yet hilarious sequences. At one point, Nathan retrieves a gun from a deep fryer, which has no effect on him but does produce nasty results for the criminals.
Quaid is portrayed as a cartoonish superhero, and at some point, we wonder if the novelty of his imperviousness will wear off and reach its peak or if the screenplay has much more twisted audacity. Sometimes, it’s a bit of both.
Quaid, Midthunder, and Nicholson do a fine job giving the material the performances it deserves, but Jacob Batalon also does some solid work as Nathan’s gamer friend, who helps him out of a jam more than once.
In terms of its story and action, Novocaine is one part John Wick, one part The Mask. Its many ingredients do feel repetitive at times, but the work from its cast gives the movie a white-knuckle approach that helps sell it through and through.
Novocaine delivers enough energy and fleeting entertainment that it won’t hurt to see it.
Grade: B+
(Rated R for for strong bloody violence, grisly images, and language throughout.)
