Hey everyone and welcome to a brand new review! This, time I will be taking a look at the second major movie this year that has actor, Jack Quaid, in a major role (still need to catch up with Companion at some point). The Boys star has been on the rise recently with major roles in a variety of projects (Scream (2022), My Adventures with Superman, etc.) and I’m all for it as I find him to be an immensely talented actor. So, when it was announced that he would be leading an original action comedy from Paramount, I was definitely intrigued, especially when the high concept was revealed. The trailers looked pretty fun and I was enjoying a lot of viral marketing being done to promote the film (having Jack Quaid show up at a basketball game with a bunch of bandages on). So was this able to deliver a good time? Let’s jump right in and see if I felt anything that wasn’t pain while watching this!
The film follows one Nathan Caine, a mild mannered assistant bank manager, who also happens to suffer from a genetic condition known as congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis. This essentially means that he is unable to feel pain. Thus, he goes about his life trying to manage things so that he won’t accidently hurt or kill himself which means he lives a rather lonely life with few close connections. That all changes one day when he meets a new co-worker named Sherry whom he becomes romantically attracted with. The two begin to get along and Nathan finally starts to have a positive outlook on life. Things escalate though, when a bank robbery occurs and Sherry is taken hostage by the perpetrators. Not wanting to sit idly, Nathan then decides to go and try and save Sherry himself no matter how much “pain” he has to endure to do it.
The basic premise of a regular guy who can’t feel pain going through an action movie scenario is definitely a promising one that can lead to a variety of possibilities. Thankfully I felt directors Dan Bark and Robert Olson, as well as writer Lars Jacobson, did a very solid job in handling the story. Yes, they do take advantage of the comedic things that can be done here, and that is effective. There are plenty of laughs to be had with the situations Nathan finds himself in, as everything that happens to him fails to provoke any sort of response (one highlight involving a torture scene is especially cleverly done). A lot of the jokes land nicely and the script is filled with witty banter the characters have with one another. However, I really like how Jacobson also explores the drawbacks of having a condition (which is real) like this (not eating solid foods, timing when to go to the bathroom, etc.) and how it has affected Nathan throughout his entire life. It helped give the film a level of nuance that I wasn’t expecting and the beginning does a very good job of establishing all of this and making one care for Nathan, his loneliness and his feelings towards Sherry.
The journey he goes on is a nice one to see unfold and the movie is smart not to turn him into a super hero/one man army as he is just a normal guy who isn’t the best fighter put in a dangerous situation. This helped in making me care about the outcome and wonder how he would get out of the pickles (figuratively) he gets into. I was able to buy a lot of what he would go through, although there are times where I did seriously question how he would survive what he does, which does take away a bit from the semi realism established early on. I also do think the film runs a little too long with the climax in particular being protracted a bit. Almost felt like there was a 90 minute movie extended to pad things out a bit. Still, the film is never less than entertaining and there were a couple of plot turns that did genuinely surprise me, which makes up for that.
Armed with an $18 million budget and backing from a major studio, this is easily the biggest film that Bark and Olson have done yet, and they succeed in what they are going for here. This is a polished and well made studio programmer that is able to take advantage of its cost. It’s well shot and is solidly edited by Christian Wagner, who succeeds in cutting together the scenes where Caine is going through something, in an exciting manner that often times can be quite grotesque. It never got too overboard with the gore to the point where it becomes a Saw movie, but enough is shown to make one a bit squeamish. These effects are really well done, being appropriately gross and there is definitely entertainment value in seeing all of these injuries pile up and a curiosity as to what will happen next. This also applies to the action, which is able to be a lot of fun as these scenes are well put together and take advantage of the fact that not only can Nathan not feel pain, but he is also a pretty terrible fighter, meaning he is going to be sloppy in combat. This adds a roughness and tumbleness that I thought made the situations feel relatable.
The main selling point of the picture, though, is getting to see Jack Quaid in this kind of “action hero” role, and once again he continues to show an impressive range as an actor. He plays Nathan’s introvert side very well and is able to be a likable presence, playing “the nice guy put in a dangerous path” solidly. He nails the comedic moments with an appropriate nonchalantness and, I bought him in the more emotional moments as well. He helps make Nathan into a well rounded character and someone I was rooting for to find joy in life despite his difficult condition. It helps that he has great chemistry with Amber Midthunder (most well known for her starring role in Prey), who brings a fiery energy to Sherry that contrasts well with Nathan’s more reserved personality. One can buy why Nathan would be attracted to her so quickly given how well his isolation is set up, and the two of them have some genuinely wonderful interactions that can be funny and emotional in a given moment. Also, thought that, Sherry was a strong character in and of herself, and I like how they didn’t completely turn her into a damsel in distress and the role she plays in the plot is interesting.
It’s not just the two leads that manage to stand out, though, as the rest of the supporting players get plenty of opportunities to shine. Ray Nicholson makes for a great, slimy villain as Simon, the head of the bank robbers, playing an over the top and funny, yet menacing and violent individual who is hard to predict. He masters that tonal balancing act and is able to capture the same manic energy his father, Jack Nicholson, was so good at, while still making the performance his own. We also get Jacob Batalon in there as the closest Nathan has to a friend in Roscoe, an online gamer. He brings a sarcastic charm to the role that is fun, and the relationship he forms with Nathan over the course of the film is a nice one. There are also two detectives chasing after both the Robbers and Nathan, those being Betty Gabriel’s Mincy and Matt Walsh’s Coltraine. They are also a very enjoyable duo with a deadpan sense of humor. The latter especially has some really funny lines, with his exasperation of his job coming through in every line reading.
On the whole, I had a blast with Novocaine and found it to be a great time at the movies! It’s simple, may run a bit longer than it probably needed to, and can strain believability at times, but it works very well thanks to a solid tonal balance, clever writing, effective emotion, brutal action, fun characters, and a great lead performance. Those who like action comedies are likely to get a kick out of this, as it works as a very good crowd pleaser that delivers the fun one would hope for from a movie like this. As far as movies in this specific sub genre goes (ordinary guy gets into an action movie scenario) this is definitely one of the better ones of late, and it was just nice to see Jack Quaid lead something like this where he gets to show off his leading man talents. Can’t wait to see what he does next as well as this directing duo who seem like they have solid potential behind the camera!
Rating: A-
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