Directed by Dan Berk and Robert Olsen — Screenplay by Lars Jacobson.
Dan Berk and Robert Olsen’s Novocaine follows Nathan Caine (played by Jack Quaid), an introverted assistant bank manager, who has the condition known as ‘congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis’ meaning that he doesn’t feel pain and temperature. This diagnosis means that he lives a life defined by his own attempts at protecting himself, by, among other things, avoiding solid foods as he could conceivably bite off his own tongue due to his issues with the sense of feeling. However, one day he runs into someone who could change his life. That person is Sherry (played by Amber Midthunder), an extroverted co-worker, who he is immediately smitten by. They eventually establish a connection, but, right as he is finally starting to discover happiness in his life, she is kidnapped and taken as hostage during a bank robbery. Desperate to save her, he follows in pursuit and is willing to put his body through hell to get her back.
Novocaine is the latest in a long line of films that have sought to succeed with the kind of intense character-focused action film style that John Wick repopularized. To make them stand out, they usually have to have some memorable distinguishing feature, such as Ilya Naishuller’s Nobody, which had Bob Odenkirk play against type in a ‘family man-goes-full-John Wick‘ spin on the formula (and it’s getting a sequel!). Novocaine is playing into the unlikely heroics of its lanky, nerdy protagonist and turning his disability into something similar to a superpower. Some might say that the film is using a disability as a plot device, but the filmmakers would likely insist that the message of the film is to emphasize that you shouldn’t let your disability stop you from living a full life.
Now, of course, John Wick clones both need compelling characters, motivation, and outstanding action choreography to live up to the best films of its ilk. So, how does Novocaine fare? Well, with regards to its style of action, I think it would be fair to say that the action editing and stunt choreography are decidedly more average than the Stahelski/Leitch no-holds-barred, often in-camera approach that has gotten people to become big fans of the Wick films and their gun-fu. But despite those aspects not being particular highlights, the action sequences somehow still stand out in a positive way, which is precisely due to the film’s brand of comedy and the capable star at the center of it. This is yet another strong vehicle for Jack Quaid to present himself as a charming actor capable of being more than just that.
Scream, Companion, and now this have all helped to establish Quaid as more than just the character type he is known for in The Boys, and here he becomes not just a rom-com style leading man, he also becomes the film’s embodiment of the Looney Tunes-esque over-the-top action. Quaid makes for a likable protagonist, whose against-type action hero energy helps to make the action funny. The film is at its best when it uses Quaid’s charm and nervousness, which are qualities he deploys effortlessly, to execute the action that emphasizes action movements that would be genuinely painful or excruciating for a regular action hero — such as in the scene when he’s putting his hand into hot oil to pick up a gun (these types of scenes also, of course, make use of effective sound effects).
For the first act, though, it does spend a lot of time as a romantic comedy, and, frankly, these scenes are fairly effective. This is again partly due to Quaid’s winning performance, but also due to Amber Midthunder turning in well-tuned work across from Quaid. They’re so fun together that you miss them together, once the film splits them up. Other notable appearances come from Ray Nicholson and Jacob Batalon, but also Matt Walsh, who is always good fun. However, the overall structure of the film does feel a little bit stale, and several of the supporting characters feel rather one-dimensional, so the actual writing doesn’t always live up to its funny bone or its central performance.
On the whole, Dan Berk and Robert Olsen’s Novocaine is the type of Wick-esque clone that substitutes the high-octane gun-fu action, world-building, and excellent stunt choreography and editing excellence with romantic comedy charms and cartoonishly over-the-top violent injuries. The film is elevated by the effective comedy it mines from the otherwise painful action sequences that its main character cannot feel and the Jack Quaid performance at the center of it all, which does a good job of nailing the genre-blend.
7 out of 10
– Review written by Jeffrey Rex Bertelsen.
I'm Jeffrey Rex 