Nate Caine (Jack Quaid) is a 30-year-old man who for his entire life has avoided any heartbreak or loss. Luckily or unluckily, this extends to his physical existence as well. You see due to a rare nervous system disability, Nate “Novocaine” Caine is totally incapable of feeling pain.
But despite his disability, he is successful as a kindly assistant manager at a friendly bank. For the last 4 months, he’s found himself drawn to coworker Sherry (Amber Midthunder). But as always, he refuses to make a move, until the fateful day she makes one first. After a single date and a great night together, he knows she is the one and is totally smitten. So, it just plain sucks when the following morning their bank is raided by 3 heavily armed violent robbers!
The thieves leaving multiple bodies in their wake abscond with a fortune in cash and with Sherry as hostage. Nate takes it upon himself to do everything in his power to get her back. With cops on his tail thinking he’s in it with the crooks, he has no-one to turn to but a few friends he’s made in his life. As he’s shot, stabbed, burned, sliced, diced, impaled, tortured, torn apart and sewn back together, Nate’s going to give new meaning to the saying that “love hurts”.
Directing team Dan Berk and Robert Olsen, along with writer Lars Jacobson, bring us this high concept romantic action comedy. With all three of the creative minds behind this film having previously worked pretty much exclusively in horror, this is a real change of pace. Although, they bring along their love of blood and gore, and turn things on its head for something very different.
Novocaine No Pain (by the way, I dislike the localised “No Pain” addition to the title) is a fun action movie which rarely pulls its punches. The villains are mean, the damsel is beautiful, and the “hero” is out of his element. But like the slasher and zombie films that the directors are more acclimatised to, there’s something about the grotesqueries on display in Novocaine No Pain which make it so endearing.
The character of Nate feels tailor made for Jack Quaid. For one, it seems to fall in line with every other character we’ve seen him play, who has been unlucky in love in one way or another! But more so, the actor’s irreverent charm and awkward charisma really come to the forefront in Novocaine No Pain’s more comedic scenes. He’s been one of the busiest comedic actors in recent years, and while often playing a main character, this is the first time we’ve really seen a production truly elevate him legitimately to leading man status.
Jack Quaid’s performance also lends credibility to the film’s more emotional sequences. To be fair, these can come a little bit too forced at times but with Quaid giving it his all, they still work. There’s just something so very relatable about the sensitivity of Nate as a man living with a disability. In trying to keep himself safe, he has avoided living life altogether. So, when he finally meets someone as special as Sherry, he has no hesitation to throw himself 110% into holding onto her. For a film about a man who feels no pain, there’s a surprising amount of feeling to its characters.
Despite the sappy stuff, we’re here for the gory action and this film has it in spades! The movie is full of plenty of laughs and well-choreographed and executed action sequences. Never going beyond the idea that Nate is in no way an action hero, but he’s doing his best. Heaps of bone crunching fights and cringe inducing violence will leave audiences’ sphincters puckered. Nate might not be able to feel his fingernails being ripped out, but we sure do!
If anything, it does feel however that Novocaine No Pain is a little hesitant to push its concept to the extreme. Maybe they didn’t want to break their Nate doll all at once and save him for a sequel. Regardless, for the most part, he’s left not too much worse for wear than Bruce Willis’ John McClane is by the end of the average ‘Die Hard‘ film.
Novocaine No Pain feels a little stuck between whether it wants to have a real world feel or just go all out with it. The police shoot out scene at the bank was surprisingly grounded and threatening. Yet I can’t deny it would have been great to see Nate put even further through the meat grinder than he is.
Novocaine No Pain is an entertaining crowd pleaser with a story as thin as water, yet emotions as thick as blood. Its script could’ve had better written supporting characters, but it still features a surprising amount of heart, nonetheless. Novocaine No Pain is built around a likeable performance by Jack Quaid which will likely see his star power continue to rise.
Novocaine No Pain is in cinemas now.