- NOVOCAINE
- Starring: Jack Quaid, Amber Midthunder and Ray Nicholson
- Directed by: Dan Berk and Robert Olsen
- Rated: R
- Running time: 1 hr 50 mins
- Paramount
Our score: 3.5 out of 5
One of the greatest bad ass characters in movie history was Mr. Joshua, played by Gary Busey in “Lethal Weapon.” Willingly holding his arm over a direct flame and not flinching…it still makes me grimace. Meet Nate Caine (Quaid). He makes Mr. Joshua look like a wimp.
Packed with humor and over the top violence, “Novocaine” is an ultra violent, ultra funny film ostensibly about a man following his heart. Nate is a quiet guy who earns his money as the assistant manager of a local bank. While running a morning meeting he can’t help but notice a new teller named Sherry (Midhunder) as she comes in late. Afterwards she apologizes and offers to take Nate to lunch. He finally agrees but is surprised when Nate only orders a milkshake. She offers him a bite of her pie but he refuses, explaining that he was born with a condition that prevents him from feeling any kind of physical pain. He can’t eat solid foods because he could inadvertently bite his tongue and bleed to death. Things are looking up for Nate. Until they aren’t.
It’s hard to put a label on this film. Yes, it’s violent. Yes, it’s action packed. Yes it’s funny. But it’s neither a horror, action or comedy film. It’s the rare combination of all three. The story moves along quickly, carried on the shoulders of the film’s three leads, two of them (Quaid and Ray Nicholson) the sons of Hollywood’s most acclaimed actors Dennis Quaid and Jack Nicholson (their mothers aren’t too shabby either – Meg Ryan and Rebecca Broussard, respectively). Both have a fine screen presence. Quaid is quite likable. Nate would be the perfect “every man” if not for his little issue. As chief bad guy Simon, Nicholson sends chills down your spine with only a glance and a comment. As Sherry, Ms. Midthunder is both sweet and sour, hiding a secret that gives the film its genuine tension.
The action scenes are top notch, if not a little over the top. I mean, sure you can’t feel someone smash your head into a wall but you should at least stumble a little, right?
If you need to jump start your spirits this week then I recommend seeing “Novocaine.” It’s Pure Adrenaline!
On a scale of zero to five, “Novocaine” receives ★★★ ½