Novocaine

This darkly humorous action-comedy is a tonne of fun, provided that you have a strong stomach.  It doesn’t take itself too seriously, like a R-rated Home Alone, but there’s also a sweet character arc at the heart of it for Jack Quaid’s character.

Premise:  Nathan Caine (Jack Quaid) is a socially withdrawn assistant bank manager who lives his life metaphorically wrapped in cotton wool as a result of a genetic condition that means he’s incapable of feeling temperature or pain.  He’s finally drawn out of his shell when he falls for new bank teller Sherry Margrave (Amber Midthunder) – but when the bank is robbed and Sherry is taken hostage, Nathan takes it upon himself to pursue the robbers and get her back.

Review:

I should start off by saying that although Congenital Insensitivity to Pain with Anhidrosis (CIPA) is a real (but rare) disorder, I’m not in a position to comment on how realistic the portrayal of the condition is in Novocaine.  What is clear is that writer Lars Jacobson and co-directors Dan Berk and Robert Olsen saw the potential for using the condition as a jumping-off point for a fun, pulpy action-comedy – but although the condition is sometimes played for laughs, the audience is always laughing with Nathan Caine (Jack Quaid) and never at him.  I hope that no one with CIPA is offended by this film, because the filmmakers treat Nathan’s condition with compassion throughout – yes, this is a heightened reality where Nathan’s condition allows him to become the hero he never thought he could be, but the film also treats living with the condition with sensitivity as well.

In the opening portion of the movie, Nathan’s condition is almost a metaphor for the way in which he’s shut himself off from colleagues, friends and the world at large – he’s so focused on removing any risk of injury from his day-to-day life that he won’t even eat solid food.  The first act of the film is a lovely mini-rom-com in its own right, as Nathan finally plucks up the courage to break the ice with his new colleague, Sherry Margrave (Amber Midthunder), and the two of them begin to open up to each other.  This section of the film is so charming, you don’t begrudge the delay in getting to the action portion of this action-comedy.

“…you’ll wince & you’ll laugh for a fun couple of hours…”

Once the bank robbery happens and Sherry is taken hostage by the robbers (led by an entertainingly deranged Ray Nicholson, son of Jack Nicholson), the film’s momentum never really lets up, as Nathan pursues the robbers relentlessly, while the cops (Betty Gabriel and Matt Walsh, making an amusing double act) are unsure whether or not Nathan is actually in league with the robbers.  Nathan’s initial encounter with one of the robbers sets the tone for the rest of the movie, with Nathan wildly out of his depth in a well-choreographed kitchen confrontation, but able to use his ability not to feel pain to take actions that no ordinary person would be able to.

The action sequences in this film are pretty brutal, and the movie probably isn’t for anyone who doesn’t have a strong stomach for gore and injury detail.  Others may find the tone of the film a little jarring, switching as it does back and forth between quite sweet-natured comedy and bloody violence.  But for those (like me) who can embrace the film’s dark humour, you’ll wince and you’ll laugh for a fun couple of hours.  The violence in the movie is heightened (almost like an R-rated Home Alone, or a bloody Looney Tunes), but there is some effort made to stay within the realms of what punishment a human body could take while still staying functional.

“…Jack Quaid brings charm & lovability to the role…”

The role of Nathan probably doesn’t stretch Jack Quaid much, given that it’s a variation on the type of roles he’s arguably best known for – but he brings such charm and lovability to the role that it’s hard to imagine the film working as well with anyone else as Nathan.   Meanwhile, Amber Midthunder (who was fantastic in her breakout role in Prey) ensures that her character is not reduced to simply being the ‘damsel in distress’ role.  Rounding off the main cast is Jacob Batalon as Nathan’s best (and only) friend, Roscoe, and although he doesn’t get a huge amount to do, he delivers some great comedic moments when he is on screen.

The plot is also more inventive and surprising than I was expected, and there were some interesting developments along the way, including a couple that pre-emptively addressed some niggles which I would have otherwise had with the film.  Overall, Novocaine may be a scrappy, low-budget film that’s a little rough around the edges in places, but it’s a highly entertaining and original film if you’re a fan of the genre.