Jack Quaid is slowly enjoying more success since his stint on “The Boys” catapulted him into the limelight. This year was decently good for him as it kicked off with Drew Hancock’s “Companion,” and now he has another film in theaters, “Novocaine.”
A love story turned action thriller, Quaid plays Nathan Caine, who is inflicted with a rare disease, congenital insensitivity to pain, which means he doesn’t feel a thing, including third-degree burns or deep stab wounds. When bank robbers infiltrate his job at a credit union and take his love interest Sherry Margrave (played by Amber Midthunder) hostage, he sets off on a dangerous journey to rescue her.
My initial impressions of “Novocaine” were that it had the potential to be a slam dunk in the late 1990s or early 2000s. The premise is enjoyable, and Caine’s lack of feeling pain creates several fun or interesting explorations within the action scenes.
What makes the film so different from the other generic one-man-army action movies is how he’s not a fighter, at least not in the traditional sense. Caine’s ability to take knives, broken glass and even an arrow in the knee are the only things he’s capable of. Due to his condition, Caine always played it super safe in life, consuming food in liquid form to prevent himself from literally biting off his tongue. On a whim, he decides to chase down the robbers, taking on military veterans and John Cena-sized tattoo artists.
As a love story, it’s somewhat by the numbers, yet the relationship is kicked off by Margrave’s forwardness to Caine and invites him out. While enjoying a wonderful evening out, Margrave becomes even more likable when she takes an opportunity to dish out some revenge on one of Caine’s grade school bullies. Unsurprisingly, this gesture only makes Caine more enamored with her and establishes how and why he’s so willing to risk it all for her.
Since this is primarily an action film, various stunts and fights pepper the decently paced two-hour runtime. One particular highlight is when Caine enters a heavily booby-trapped house and has to navigate it carefully to avoid becoming mincemeat. Another fight featured in the trailer takes place inside a restaurant’s kitchen. In this scene, he starts to understand his capabilities and retrieves a handgun from within a deep fryer to end the brawl.
The chemistry between Midthunder and Quaid works well, as the cliched “damsel-in-distress” gets its injection of new flavor, twisting the audience’s expectation in the end with a much more satisfying resolution. Quaid is a highly talented actor, and seeing him in his second leading role of the year has only solidified the rising star he has been in the last few years. Midthunder has much less screen time but holds her own and easily elevates the scenes featuring her co-star Quaid.
Ray Nicholson is the “mastermind” behind the operation and a complete psychopath, which contrasts perfectly with Quaid’s polite, quiet, and reserved Caine. Yes, he is the son of famous actor Jack Nicholson and channels some of his father’s frightening performances from “The Shining” to make his character Simon an absolute monster.
Although “Novocaine” may not leave a strong impression on audiences, it’s an equally silly and fun film that incorporates an interesting premise into a well-intentioned effort. From the perfectly timed needle drops to its bloody moments, “Novocaine” is a much-needed experience in cinemas.
