NOVOCAINE
(director: Dan Berk, Robert Olsen; screenwriter: Lars Jacobson; cinematographer: Jacques Jouffret; editor: Cnristian Wagner; music: Lorne Balfe, Andrew Kawczynski; cast: Jack Quaid (Nathan Caine), Amber Midthunder (Sherry), Betty Gabriel (Mincy), Matt Walsh (Coltraine), Evan Hengst (Ben), Ray Nicholson (Simon), Conrad Kemp (Andre), Lou Beatty Jr. (Earl), Jacob Batalon (Roscoe); Runtime: 110; MPAA Rating: R; producers: Adam Friedlander, Joby Harold, Julien Rosenberg, Drew Simon, Tory Tunnel; Safehouse Pictures/Paramount Pictures; 2025)
“It’s a painless film.”
Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz
Co-directors Dan Berk and Robert Olsen (“Significant Others”/”Villain”) collaborate again for this enjoyable high concept, gory, action/comedy/thriller. The one-joke story is written by Lars Jacobson who manages to keep the simplistic story going even if it’s running out of steam and becoming murkier by the minute.
It was filmed in Capetown, South Africa.
The 30-year-old mild-mannered San Diego assistant bank manager Nathan Caine (Jack Quaid) is genetically not capable of feeling pain due to a rare medical condition. He’s a nerd who lives a sheltered life after being bullied as a child and mockingly called Novocaine.
Sherry (Amber Midthunder) is the bank teller who is his dream girl. She brings him out of his shell when she starts paying attention to him. On a date she tells him of being raised in an abusive foster home in Arizona and of currently being in therapy because of self-abuse.
When the bank is robbed, she’s kidnapped and the bank manager is killed. Nate’s determined to rescue her, no matter what. The police (Betty Gabriel & Matt Walsh) pursue him, as they mistake him for the bank robber.
Meanwhile Nate takes a beating, is shot and burned, but keeps coming after the thugs.
Simon (Ray Nicholson), Ben (Evan Hengst) and Andre (Conrad Kemp) make for bloody good villains, with Nicholson the psychopath leader and the others are brothers. Quaid is appealing as the likable vigilante. Midthunder has some bounce to her step as Nate’s love interest.
It’s a painless film set during the Christmas holidays.
REVIEWED ON 3/11/2025 GRADE: B-
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