How do you communicate that a character essentially has a superpower, but said superpower doesn’t make him invincible? In the case of Novocaine, you do it through exceptional writing and sequencing. The film does a fantastic job of humorously reminding us that Nathan Caine (Jack Quaid), despite his inability to feel pain, can still become disoriented, tired, and suffer the bodily impact of violence. A humble assistant manager at a credit union in San Diego, Nathan must snap into action (which he’s never done in his life) and use his condition for good after the business is violently robbed and Sherry (Amber Midthunder), his girlfriend and co-worker, is kidnapped.
When I describe Nathan as “humble,” I really mean it. He has nerfed his entire life in order not to accidentally get hurt and not realize it. This has also led to a lack of any risk-taking whatsoever. When Sherry takes a liking to him, he starts to be a little more adventurous, including actually eating food — he previously blended everything together for fear of biting his tongue off and not realizing it. The beginnings of his and Sherry’s romance are terrifically realized by screenwriter Lars Jacobson and directors Dan Berk and Robert Olsen. It’s truly one of the most believable and enjoyable romantic comedies in some time before the film kicks into its action gear.
As that action gear starts, the film quickly finds another comedic lane. Nathan learns on the job, as it were, and the ramp-up to him deciding to do certain things because he won’t feel the pain of them is just as funny as the doing of the things themselves. As a premise executed extremely well, it’s the perfect combination of intellectual, dialogue-based, and visual humor. It’s almost like if Buster Keaton or The Three Stooges were action heroes. This all culminates in a brilliantly inventive sequence of avoiding (and often not being able to avoid) traps in the home of one of the criminals, a security-obsessed doomsday prepper who has rigged his entire house to catch and injure intruders.
After this point, Novocaine becomes a little less groundbreaking and a little more clichéd. There’s a twist which probably sounded great on paper, but actually makes the overall storyline feel a little disappointing, and necessitates that the movie bend over backwards to make it make sense. Still, there is fun to be had in the third act, especially with Simon (Ray Nicholson), a villain whose hilarious non-sequiturs and diversions echo tones of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. He’s still pretty threatening, though, and this leads to a satisfying conclusion from an action perspective.
What makes Novocaine special despite its flaws is its unique combination of goofy earnestness and well-hewn ultra-violent action spectacle. At some points, the stunts and effects are the stars, and the fact many of the gonzo visuals are pulled off as well as they are is the reason to keep watching. In many ways, it’s truly unlike anything you’ve ever seen before in the action-comedy genre. Though it isn’t entirely as satisfying as it could have been, it’s a painless delight. | George Napper
