Jack Quaid Is Perfect for the Comic Slaughterfest of Novocaine

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The film “Novocaine” appears to have been crafted by someone with a youthful perspective, and I’m not necessarily implying that as a criticism. It’s essentially a humorous take on superhero tales, albeit one tinged with an amusingly questionable level of realism. The main character, Nathan Caine (played by Jack Quaid), is afflicted with a condition called Congenital Insensitivity to Pain with Anhidrosis (CIPA), a genuine medical condition that doesn’t function quite as advantageously in this story. In the movie, Nate not only lacks the ability to feel pain, but also seems relatively unscathed by injury. It’s plausible that someone with CIPA wouldn’t be so resilient after an encounter with a large, spiked, and steel ball as depicted in the film, but then again, we wouldn’t have a movie. And if there were one, it wouldn’t be nearly as entertaining as “Novocaine”.

In a relentless and fast-paced fashion, directors Dan Berk and Robert Olsen fully exploit a cleverly absurd concept involving movie science, fueled by Nate’s unique condition, leading to chaos without bounds. Despite this, they manage to incorporate elements of character development. Since his childhood diagnosis with CIPA, Nate has led a strictly controlled life devoid of risk. His apartment is equipped with tennis balls covering every potentially sharp edge for safety. He cannot consume solid food due to the danger of biting his tongue, and he avoids hot drinks because he’s unable to tell if he’s burning himself. An alarm rings every three hours in his house to prevent his bladder from bursting, as he is unaware of the pressure that signals the need to urinate.

In a typical romantic fashion, Nate, who was raised in a nurturing environment, begins to take chances when Sherry, the stylish and attractive bank employee, shows interest in him. Unlike Nate, Sherry, who grew up in various foster homes and fled her adopted family at 18, has a rebellious past. The pair could be characters straight out of a film: She’s been self-harming since she was young to escape reality, while he’s been getting tattoos as an escape mechanism because he can’t venture out into the world himself.

One day, Sherry gets abducted by a group of ruthless, Santa-dressed criminals who storm into the bank. Unlike common thugs, this gang is headed by a chilling psychopath named Simon (played remarkably well by Ray Nicholson, echoing his father Jack’s menacing grin). They mercilessly shoot the manager, brutally assault Nate, and gun down cops in a manner reminiscent of “Heat”. These men appear to have no qualms about taking lives. Despite his better instincts and storyline requirements, a battered Nate decides to pursue them with the aim of rescuing Sherry.

In a fitting role, Quaid presents an endearing tallness and subtle aristocratic aloofness, creating a captivating contrast with the power-obsessed antagonists he frequently faces. He convincingly portrays a character detached from his surroundings, both intentionally and inherently so. Moreover, his peculiar reactions to the various hardships inflicted on him feel authentic, adding humor to even his most tortured moments. The feigned yelps Quaid emits to mask his suffering during torture scenes are surprisingly amusing due to his almost extraterrestrial delivery. He transforms Nate into a character who not only doesn’t experience pain but also seems oblivious to its existence.

Comedies with a nihilistic edge like “Novocaine” blend black humor and intense violence, which may seem awkward or forced at times. However, in this case, the violence feels more natural because it stems directly from the plot: Since Nate barely reacts to pain, he endures severe beatings and injuries. Moreover, his abilities include using a protruding wrist bone to stab someone in the neck and shattering glass to use as makeshift knuckledusters to punch a villain with swastika tattoos in the eyes. (Don’t forget to catch “Novocaine” while you can, before it potentially gets banned by the Trump Administration.)

Over time, the constant barrage of intense violence and grisly scenes in this film can become less impactful due to its over-the-top nature, leading to a sense of fatigue. These types of movies usually aim to minimize pain for their characters, not just our hero. For instance, there’s a Looney Tunes movie out this week too, but it’s Novocaine that stands out with its scene where someone gets squashed by a massive anvil falling from the ceiling. Since Nate’s predicament sets the story in motion, his escalating situation naturally leads to everyone else’s as well. By the end of the movie, it feels like we’re watching yet another action hero who seems invincible to harm.

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2025-03-14 22:54