Novocaine Review – A Painfully Good Time

In a world where superheroes dominate screens and franchises multiply faster than bacteria in a petri dish, “Novocaine” injects a refreshingly original premise into the action-comedy genre. Directors Dan Berk and Robert Olson have crafted what Edgar Wright might make if he downed three Red Bulls and discovered a medical textbook about rare genetic disorders.

The film introduces us to Nathan Caine (Jack Quaid) – a man whose last name is about as subtle as a sledgehammer, but we’ll forgive the wordplay. Nathan isn’t your typical action hero waiting to happen. He’s meticulously organized, drinks smoothies that look like liquidized lawn clippings, and has the well-rested glow of someone who religiously follows sleep hygiene protocols. He also has CIPA, a condition that renders him unable to feel pain or temperature.

When his crush Sherry (Amber Midthunder) finally convinces Nathan to experience something beyond his sterile, risk-free existence – including his first-ever slice of pie and a night of passion – it sets off a chain reaction nobody saw coming. The morning after, Sherry gets kidnapped, and suddenly our bubble-wrapped protagonist decides to transform from cautious bank manager to reluctant action hero.

Pain-Free But Problems Aplenty

What follows is a delightfully chaotic adventure where Nathan’s inability to feel pain becomes both his superpower and his kryptonite. There’s something wickedly entertaining about watching a man who meticulously avoids paper cuts willingly thrust his hand into a deep fryer without flinching.

Quaid brings an irresistible charm to Nathan, channeling both his famous parents’ talents while adding his own distinct flavor of adorkable heroism. He’s the kind of protagonist who apologizes to a corpse after his first kill, then promptly vomits from the emotional – not physical – distress. His journey from someone who probably color-codes his sock drawer to someone who can wield a stolen gun with increasing competence feels earned, despite the film’s breakneck pace.

Lars Jacobson’s script cleverly subverts expectations at every turn. While Nathan embarks on his pain-free rampage to save Sherry, it becomes increasingly clear that he’s actually the damsel in distress here. Midthunder’s Sherry isn’t just eye candy or a plot device – she’s a fully realized character with her own agenda and agency, often seeming more equipped for this violent world than our protagonist.

Beyond the Gimmick

“Novocaine” could have easily coasted on its high-concept premise, but it aims higher. Beneath the blood splatter and bone-crunching (that Nathan can’t feel but we certainly can), there’s a surprisingly poignant meditation on vulnerability. In one particularly compelling arc, Nathan encounters a character who serves as his foil – someone with an entirely different relationship to pain that forces our hero to reconsider his own condition.

Set against the backdrop of Christmas – a time when loneliness feels particularly acute – “Novocaine” becomes an unlikely pandemic-era parable. Arriving almost exactly five years after global lockdowns began, there’s something resonant about a story focused on a man who’s spent his life in isolation suddenly risking everything for human connection.

A Shot of Pure Entertainment

While “Novocaine” occasionally flirts with being too clever for its own good (did we mention his last name is CAINE? As in NOVOCAINE?), it never loses sight of its primary purpose: to entertain. In an era dominated by interconnected cinematic universes and Oscar-bait dramas that wear their importance like badges, there’s something refreshing about a film that aims simply to be a blast from start to finish.

Berk and Olson direct with kinetic energy, crafting action sequences that highlight Nathan’s unique condition without ever becoming repetitive. Each fight scene builds on the previous one as our hero gradually learns that while he can’t feel pain, he can still break, bleed, and die. The directors find increasingly creative ways to visualize this disconnect, resulting in some wince-inducing moments that also become some of the film’s funniest.

“Novocaine” delivers exactly what its title promises – a temporary escape from reality that leaves you feeling pleasantly buzzed. Like any good anesthetic, it might wear off quickly, but while it lasts, you’ll be numb to everything except pure enjoyment.

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