Rating: 2.5/5
Synopsis:
Nathan Caine lives a very sheltered life. He doesn’t eat solid foods, he keeps distance between himself and others, and he lacks the confidence to break out of his shell. Why? He has a condition where he can’t feel pain, being susceptible to injuries without knowing it. But when he meets a girl named Sherry, everything changes. After she is kidnapped, Nathan decides to use his condition to his advantage. He takes on the criminals himself, where injuries won’t be stopping him in his attempt to rescue Sherry. Can he survive and save the girl he loves?
Positives:
“Novocaine” was a special presentation at the AMC Screen Unseen, so I was pleasantly surprised that a film that was on my radar was shown. The first act is quite strong, presenting Nathan and his condition with sympathy. The story starts off very grounded as he meets Sherry and begins opening up to her. As their relationship develops, we get a good grasp as to who they are and why they are connecting. The film takes a turn when Sherry is kidnapped, forcing Nathan to decide if his safety is more important than hers. Nathan then begins a journey where his regular man persona is forced to endure some gnarly violence and over-the-top fight sequences. The film doesn’t lack entertainment value with the silly violent sequences, which most audiences will find amusing.
Jack Quaid has been on a roll lately. While his performance as Nate doesn’t broaden his acting abilities, it showcases his natural charm and ability to get audiences invested. His everyman persona is perfectly conveyed, where he is forced to go against his safe routine and get his hands dirty to save the woman he loves. Ray Nicholson also gives a fun performance as the villain. Dennis Quaid and Jack Nicholson would be proud of their kids! The story also has some surprising twists that I didn’t see coming. For a movie that feels generic in many ways, I commend the film for giving me a few instances where I was genuinely surprised.
Negatives:
Unfortunately, “Novocaine’s” great start doesn’t have enough momentum to carry itself to a satisfying conclusion. After the grounded approach establishes our characters, the film goes back and forth with its tone. The mix of comedy, action, drama, and gratuitous violence doesn’t blend well. It sacrifices the good start for a ridiculous story that gets more and more frustrating as it goes on. There are so many issues with the logic of Nathan’s condition and the injuries he sustains throughout the film. I know the film is comedic by nature but the filmmakers ask audiences to turn their brains off to a shocking degree. I also didn’t think his relationship with Sherry was strong enough at that point in the film to go through the hell he does. Nathan is unbelievably careful with his life so that he doesn’t get hurt, going as far as consuming all of his food in smoothie form so he doesn’t bite his tongue. But after a short encounter with a girl he likes, he puts his body through the ringer so many times that any normal human being would be dead.
The script doesn’t do the actors any favors. It is especially weak in the third act of the film where it is trying to juggle the climax and tie everything up. Lots of the dialogue felt weak compared to the first act, favoring a ridiculous final act that favors the violence rather than a satisfying payoff. I was even less invested in Nathan’s pursuit of Sherry after a twist is revealed in the middle of the film about a certain character’s involvement with the kidnappers. Amber Midthunder’s performance is pretty underwhelming as she isn’t able to match Jack Quaid’s charisma. Jacob Batalon also plays the same character he does in every movie. He doesn’t bring anything new to his role as Nathan’s friend. The weak script combined with a ridiculous plot makes “Novocaine” feel like a missed opportunity.
Conclusion:
While “Novocaine” has a strong start at establishing Nathan and his condition, it fumbles the rest of the story. If the filmmakers kept the story more grounded and avoided making the slapstick nature of the violence the focus, then the movie would have been more memorable. While Quaid does a nice job, the rest of the cast isn’t quite on his level. I’d partly credit that to a weak script and story structure. The film will likely fall into the void of forgettable action comedies that were fun enough while watching but disposable once the credits start rolling. I’d say skip this one, but if this kind of movie is of interest…hold off until streaming.
