"Novocaine" Offers Silly, Lighthearted Fun

Novocaine is an action comedy film starring Jack Quaid, Amber Midthunder, Ray Nicholson, Betty Gabriel, Jacob Batalon, and Matt Walsh.

Directed by Dan Berk and Robert Olson, Novocaine stars Quaid as Nate, a man with a rare condition that prevents him from feeling pain. Because of this, he's cautious, reserved, and a bit of a loner. He works at a bank, where he develops a romance with his co-worker, Sherry (Amber Midthunder). But when Sherry is kidnapped by bank robbers, Nate embarks on a mission to rescue her-despite his complete inability to sense physical harm.

The film is essentially a series of escalating misfortunes for Nate, as he gets beaten up, tortured, and thrown into one painful situation after another.

What makes it work, though, is that Novocaine has a surprising amount of heart. Nate's determination to save Sherry is genuinely sweet, and their relationship, especially by the end, feels charming and sincere.

It's also a funny movie. Nate's inability to feel pain leads to some absurd and over-the-top situations, many of which are played for laughs. Some moments are so ridiculous they're hard to believe, while others are downright hard to watch-no matter how fake you know it is.

One standout scene involves Nate having to pretend he's in pain, and it's absolutely hilarious. In that same scene though he's getting his fingernails pulled out and some of that was hard to watch. The film leans into its silliness, delivering a mix of slapstick, action, and comedy that never takes itself too seriously.

Overall, Novocaine is a goofy, entertaining ride. It's not a masterpiece, but it delivers exactly what it promises: silly, lighthearted fun.

I enjoyed watching it. It was just great fun. I give it 3 out of 5 stars.