NOVOCAINE – Review by Rachel West
Superhero movies are a dime a dozen, with larger-than-life heroes impervious to weapons, spells, left hooks, and anything else the villain du jour may throw at them. Enter Novocaine’s Assistant Bank Manager Nathan Caine. He’s not rich like Iron Man with a cadre of tech at his disposal, nor is he trained in wicked hand-to-hand combat like John Wick. Instead, Nathan Caine can feel no pain.
Born with a rare – and real – genetic disorder called congenital insensitivity to pain analgesia, Caine (Jack Quaid) has essentially grown up in a figurative bubble, safety-proofing every moment of his life. Ever-cautious about biting his tongue off while eating, he sticks to a liquid lunch, throws ice cubes in his coffee to ward off accidental burns, and adds tennis balls to the sharp corners of his desk where he keeps safe in his boring bank job. He’s a loner whose only friend is his online gaming pal Roscoe (voice of Jacob Batalon) with whom he wiles away the hours with from the relative safety of his condo. So when he finally gets out of his comfort zone and accepts an offer for a date from a pretty co-worker named Sherry (Amber Midthunder), he’s on top of the world, living life like never before.
But Nathan’s newfound lease of life doesn’t last long. When bank robbers burst his bubble-wrapped safety net, kidnapping Sherry in the process, he vows to use his insensitivity to pain to rescue his damsel in distress.
Novocaine takes this set-up and runs with it for 110 minutes, channelling Nathan’s unassuming nature into a foil for the bank robber crew he pursues. No matter how much is inflicted on him by others or his own hand, be it gut punches or sizzling oil in a deep fryer, Nathan Caine won’t rest until he rescues the potential love of his life.
There isn’t much more beyond this simple concept. Directors Dan Berk and Robert Olsen build action set pieces around Nathan’s condition. When danger lurks at every turn in his own home, he’s faced with challenges everywhere in the outside world, providing the film plenty of opportunity to put Nathan at risk.
And boy, do they do it. From a booby-trapped house that would make Macaulay Culkin in Home Alone jealous to a commercial kitchen, Nathan’s lack of pain is used for laughs and action. His condition makes things far more uncomfortable and squeamish for viewers than it would to see a normal reaction to what is a very painful and physically harmful occurrence. This disconnect leads to much more vocal reactions and copious wincing, judging by preview screening audiences.
The script by Lars Jacobson calls for suspension of disbelief as he rolls with the concept, embracing its silliness and peppering the script with jokes. Don’t think too hard about the characters’ decisions, and you’ll be just fine as Novocaine literally throws everything it can at Nathan and his condition. One could only imagine the thought process behind the script, a brainstorm session that includes a lot of “what if Nathan was [fill in the blank with any squirmy, painful physical happenstance]” and then created a set piece around it. Still, one wishes Novocaine pushed the boundaries even further.
Quaid is charming as the endearingly awkward and nerdy Nathan. Looking like the perfect blend of mom Meg Ryan and dad Dennis Quaid, he oozes the charm required for the role. He’s no John Wick with a clever quip, he’s the awkward nerdy gamer whose hero instinct takes over.
While Novocaine might be passed off as one-note especially as it runs out of steam in the third act, the sheer gameness of Quaid makes up for it. He has solid chemistry with co-star Midthunder even if they spend most of the movie apart. Proving to be bolder than just a helpless victim, Sherry has spunk and feels like she’s almost entirely a fully-formed character. Though cliches abound, Betty Gabriel, as the San Diego detective in charge, is commanding, striking a delicate balance with Matt Walsh, her exasperated partner who is always quick with a quip.
The next John Wick franchise, Novocaine is not. But settle in for an amusing timewaster and just enjoy the ride.
Novocaine opens in theatres on March 14.
