When the girl of his dreams is kidnapped, a man incapable of feeling physical pain turns his rare condition into an unexpected advantage in the fight to rescue her.
Chuck says:
The DNA of Dan Berk and Robert Olsen’s “Novocaine” is evident from the start. The fingerprints of “Nobody,” “Home Alone,” Road Runner cartoons and any Jackie Chan movie are all over this actioner with a gimmick and, to their credit, the filmmakers acknowledge these influences. Yet, they bring a wrinkle they bring a wrinkle to the genre and it’s a doozy. Focused on a hero who can feel no pain, the filmmakers put their hero through the ringer in a variety of inspired ways. However, they go to that well too often, yet a star turn from Jack Quaid keeps us hooked, long after the movie’s novelty has grown old.
Suffering from CIPA (Congenital Insensitivity to Pain), Nathan Caine (Quaid) must be weary of things we take for granted. The mild-mannered bank teller has a diet that is mostly liquid, to prevent him biting his tongue, while every corner in his apartment is covered with halved tennis balls and his shower head has a heat regulator. A large supply of band-aids is always at hand. As a result of this condition, he spends most of his time playing video games with his on-line friend Roscoe (Jacob Batalon).
Things take an unexpected turn when Sherry (Amber Midthunder), a co-worker he’s been pining for, asks him out. Needless to say, it turns out to be a very, very good date, as our hero opens up to her in ways he seldom does. Instead of repelled, Sherry sympathizes with his plight and the potential for love takes root.
Unfortunately, the timing of all this couldn’t be worse as the very next day, the bank is robbed, Sherry is taken by the thieves and Nate, in hot pursuit, is mistaken for one of the crooks by two tenacious cops (Matt Walsh and Betty Gabriel).
What ensues is a series of outlandish action scenes in which our hero is beaten, bloodied and bruised to within an inch of his life. Burns are inflicted by sizzling frying pans grabbed in haste, pieces of glass are put into split knuckles for an impromptu Wolverine imitation and wounds are inflicted with arrows and bullets, which are extracted with pair of pliers. You get the idea. And to answer the question you likely about to pose, no anvils were used in the making of this film.
It’s a cool idea, as far as it goes, which is too far. What starts off as good, bloody fun soon becomes repetitious and, ultimately, dull. Those with an aversion to violence, this is not your cup of tea. To be sure, much of the action and gore is rendered in a cartoonish manner, but without Quaid, none of this would work. Much like Bob Odenkirk’s character in “Nobody,” the actor brings an everyman quality to his reluctant warrior that proves relatable. Yet, the actor’s sense of humor, evident in his broad facial expressions and the elastic physicality he brings to the role keep the audience invested long after the novelty’s worn off.
There are more than a few missed opportunities as well. Midthunder, who impressed in “Predator: Prey,” is underutilized, as is Ray Nicholson as one of the thieves. The former is capable of much more than being a damsel in distress, while the latter shows charismatic flashes akin to his father, Jack, in a role that’s far too brief. Walsh and Gabriel are underused as well, their cop roles in need of beefing up for these comedic performers.
Had screenwriter Lars Jacobson fleshed these characters out and provided them with interesting subplots, the film would have felt less stilted and more complete. As it is, “Novocaine” tries to skate by on one inspired idea and thanks to Quaid, it very nearly succeeds.
2 1/2 Stars
