Novocaine

It genuinely pains me when I have to say that a movie has absolutely nothing going for it, but, in the case of this celluloid trainwreck, I can come up with no other way to describe it. This overlong, frequently implausible, gratuitously violent, truly stupid offering from directors Dan Berk and Robert Olsen is one of the worst excuses for a film that I have ever seen, and I’m not exaggerating when I say that. The film tells the story of Nick Caine (a.k.a. “Novocaine”) (Jack Quaid), a 30-something credit union assistant manager who suffers from a rare genetic disorder that shields him from experiencing any kind of pain or discomfort when injured, even though the physical damage to his body is real enough. He’s something of a sheltered, geeky milquetoast, having lived much of his life isolated from many of its everyday experiences as a means to protect him from potential undue harm. So it’s highly inconceivable that he somehow knows how to skillfully handle himself when caught up in a robbery of his workplace and his subsequent one-man amateur pursuit of the bad guys when they escape with a hostage, one of the facility’s tellers (Amber Midthunder), who also happens to be his new girlfriend. However, as this scenario plays out, the narrative grows progressively more preposterous with every passing frame, much of it designed to show how many times he can be shot, beat up and brutally hacked apart without ever feeling anything and yet still be able to keep going with his mission. Because of this, the sequence of events becomes increasingly repetitive, ever-more farfetched and just plain dumb, with ridiculous, over-the-top plot developments that fail to engage and frequently feature incongruous and unoriginal dialogue. But, to add real insult to injury, this release bills itself as a comedy but is virtually devoid of humor except a smattering of one-liners that mostly fall flat. This offering is so ineptly executed that it makes productions like “Joker 2” and the “John Wick” movies look like masterpieces by comparison. Indeed, if you’ve watched the trailer for this one, you’ve seen all you really need to see. “Novocaine” is a sorry excuse for contemporary filmmaking and a prime example of everything that’s wrong with the domestic motion picture industry these days, a cinematic cautionary tale for film school students on how not to make a movie. By all means, skip this one, even when it becomes available for streaming.

Jack Quaid proves to have quite a knack with the comedy timing in this enjoyable caper. His “Nate” is the assistant manager at a bank, keen on new girl, “Sherry” (Amber Midthunder) and, oh yeah, he never feel any pain. That means he even has to set his watch to remind him to go to the toilet, else his bladder might blow up! Well it’s not his waterworks that explode, but their bank vault as some robbers abscond with a load of loot and his gal! Determined to track them down, save the day, the money and the lady off he sets on his perilous quest - and along the way he crosses thugs and hoodlums, chip fat fryers and the occasional thumb-screw - but can he prevail? Oh, and of course the police under the leadership of the intrepid “Mincy” (Betty Gabriel) are also on his tail and they don’t know if he’s a goodie or complicit in the crime. What we also discover along the way is that our “Nate” is a bit of a loner and it’s only his online gaming buddy “Roscoe” (Jacob Batalon) whom he can call on for assistance against this well oiled team of criminals. The joke does wear a bit thin at times, especially as not being able to feel anything appears to give him super-human powers, but that’s all part of the fun as the charismatic Quaid, ably assisted by an on-form Batalon takes us on an enjoyable series of daft adventures that bear resemblance to more than one scenario from more familiar franchises. It’s end to end stuff as geek becomes ninja, and everyone looks like they’ve had some fun making a film about a quirk with a difference. If you’re just looking for some light-entertainment to wash over you, then this will guarantee to leave your brain untaxed but you ought to get a laugh now and again.

<em>'Novocaine'</em> is fabulous entertainment! I had partially (didn't take proper notice) of one or two trailers for this and remember thinking it looked decent but a bit forced. That is not the case, especially the latter. It's terrific fun, it is very gory but in the best possible way. Jack Quaid produces as lead - a pleasingly amusing performance; his second great 2025 film after <em>'Companion'</em>, albeit with Sophie Thatcher as the star of that. Elsewhere, it's nice to see Amber Midthunder again; she is superb in 2022's <em>'Prey'</em> and is good here too. The rest of the cast are solid as well, namely Jacob Batalon and Ray Nicholson. I found the comedy to be at a sturdy level, I got the intended amusement all the way through. The plot is a bit nuts, there is a moment that isn't as surprising as intended but still worked as if it was for me. In short, I don't have any negatives for this one. Top movie!