Novocaine

By: Jamie Steinberg

Anyone who has watched the television series “The Boys” knows that action-movie leading man doesn’t have Jack Quaid at the forefront of your brain. However, the actor seems to excel in the role when it comes to the film Novocaine. When the bank he works for gets robbed and the girl of his dreams gets kidnapped, Nate (Quaid) utilizes his inability to experience pain to save the day.

Nate has a genetic disorder that makes it impossible for him to feel pain, something he takes advantage of when coworker/crush Sherry (Amber Midthunder) is taken as a hostage. His puppy dog-like devotion to her pushes him towards retrieving his lady love at all costs. This leads to an action-packed film filled with chase scenes, tons of gunfire, fist fights and general badass-ary by Nate who wants his dream girl back, all of which you have screenwriter Lars Jacobson to thank for.

That being said, my one qualm is that the premise does harken back a lot to Quaid’s role on “The Boys” – one where he seeks to take down supes for murdering his girlfriend. However, co-directors Dan Berk and Robert Olsen still achieve a well shot action comedy that packs a punch. They certainly shine in scenes where Nate uses every inch of his body (bones included) to fight the bad guys but like in a fun/funny way. Standout moments go towards kicking butt in a restaurant kitchen, a stop at a tattoo parlor and – my personal favorite – a scene in a booby-trapped house that gives all the craziness of an adult version of that infamous scene in Home Alone.

With all the twists and turns, body bending and blood splatter, you’d think this was a horror movie. However, Novocaine is an action-packed wild ride from start to finish that will leave you looking forward to a possible additional pain-free sequel.