Novocaine is an action movie that doesn’t play by the rules
It’s a trope of most action movies that the hero will take an extraordinary amount of punishment and still keep going. New comedy Novocaine has taken that one step further, imagining a lead who literally can’t feel the bad guys’ punches.
The Boys star Jack Quaid plays Nathan Caine, a mild-mannered office worker born with an inability to feel pain. While it may sound like a superpower, day-to-day it’s a nuisance, as he is unable to eat solids for fear of biting his tongue, and obliviously walks into accidents.
His condition also leaves him feeling isolated, until co-worker Sherry (Amber Midthunder) asks him out and the pair hit it off. This bliss is short-lived, however, as his workplace is robbed and Sherry taken hostage. Nathan sets off to rescue her, with his unique condition his only advantage.
Normally, this sort of premise runs thin after about half an hour, but this delightful adventure keeps things fresh by keeping the laughs coming. Nathan may be unable to feel pain, but he’s no John Wick, and this ‘power’ only serves to highlight how hilariously inept he is against the villains. It makes for fast-paced, madcap fun, resembling 2006 cult hit Crank, only if Jason Statham’s character was a geek instead of a killer.
Quaid is contorted into a gory mess as his quest continues, outwitting criminals more by luck than chance and making for effective physical comedy, provided you aren’t squeamish. Scenes such as Nathan casually writing important details on his hand with a tattoo gun, or walking around unaware that he’s been shot, are consistently funny thanks to the charm of star.
His ability to make Nathan feel relatable even in the most ridiculous circumstances keeps the film humming along nicely, with his scatty behaviour a million miles from the one-man armies this genre usually provides. Likewise, Midthunder is more than a damsel in distress. Her early scenes with Quaid serve to flesh out both Nathan and Sherry in a satisfying way, and their chemistry raises the stakes as the chase goes on.
Ray Nicholson is good value as the villain, flashing the wild grin inherited from his father Jack and proving exactly the sort of loose canon baddie this film needs. Marvel actor Jacob Batalon gets a lot of laughs as Roscoe, Nathan’s gaming friend who he has never met in real life and somewhat embellishes how cool he is. Everyone appears to be having a blast, and the feeling is infectious.
Like Nathan himself, Novocaine takes modest resources and creates something unexpected. While unlikely to revolutionise the action genre, it’s a testament to how much can be done with the right lead and inventive storytelling.