Novocaine

Some men will do anything for a second date

Jack Quaid feels no pain in the entertaining Novocaine.

Nathan Caine (Jack Quaid) has a very strict routine. He avoids solid foods, he avoids romantic entanglements, and he avoids people in general. The assistant manager at a credit union lives a very boring life.

There’s a good reason for that. Nathan suffers from CIPA (congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis). It means he can’t feel pain or changes in temperature. That doesn’t mean he can’t be injured, just that he won’t notice. Nathan could walk for weeks on a broken bone, not know about an infection until it kills him, or bite off and swallow his tongue while eating without realizing what he’d done. He’s felt cursed his whole life.

But his luck is about to change.

Nathan’s crush and co-worker, Sherry (Amber Midthunder), asks him out on a date. Though Nathan usually avoids other people, he can’t resist taking a chance on Sherry. The chance pays off, and the date goes beautifully. Nathan knows he’s in love. Which makes it rather tragic that the very next day, the credit union is robbed and Sherry taken hostage.

Now, Nathan will harness his CIPA so he can save the love of his life. He begins a brutal campaign to find Sherry, risking life and limb (not that he’d notice) to get the job done. Will Nathan be in one piece by the end of the day? Will Sherry?

Bolstered by a surprisingly charming turn by Jack Quaid, Novocaine is a demented action rom-com with an unexpectedly sweet core. Directors Dan Berk and Robert Olsen amp up the violence and absurdity as Nathan bumbles his way through an action movie. Nathan isn’t smooth; he isn’t trained, but he also has no problem reaching into a vat of boiling oil to grab a gun. It’s a cute twist on the super-powered everyman story.

By blending a relatively sweet romance with hardcore violence, Berk and Olsen manage to keep the audience engaged and guessing. The action is well shot, frenetic, and absurdly funny. Poor Nathan just keeps stumbling through situations that would bring Bruce Lee to his knees. Quaid does a great job of conveying Nathan’s panic and annoyance as each new wound forms on him. The movie is also mercifully short, and it’s rather refreshing that some filmmakers understand not every film needs to be over two hours.

But the real surprise of this film, for this reviewer, was Quaid. Usually either a smarmy “nice guy” type or a squealing nerd, Quaid manages a solid leading man performance with plenty of charm. The relationship between Quaid and Midthunder feels genuine and their chemistry explains why Nathan, who’s lived in self-imposed isolation for most of his life, would be so willing to risk his life to save her.

The only misstep in the film is the casting of Ray Nicholson as the main baddie, Simon. He lacks his father Jack’s natural menace, as well as his acting chops. After all Nathan goes through to get the girl, he deserves a better antagonist.

Still, Novocaine is a surprisingly sweet and funny flick that just so happens to be a bloody action movie as well.

Verdict: A surprisingly charismatic turn from Quaid keeps Novocaine from leaving audiences numb.

Novocaine is rated R and is available in theaters March 14.