Review: Novocaine is all the proof Hollywood needs to resurrect the hot, awkward nerd trope

Get the Full StoryJack Quaid is doing a great job at playing the same regular character, to varying degrees. While several of his roles are indeed similar, it s perhaps his awkward charm that sells it each time. Gone are the days when the outgoing, punk-rock girl sees something more in the timid, yet lovable nerd. Moreover, the 2000 s trope that made the world fall in love with Justin Long, or a geeked out Johnny Galecki, has long faded. Today, most leading men are sporting some version of a perfect look, leaving little to the imagination, or failing to take your breath away over time. On Novocaine, Quaid lets you grow to love his character, Nathan Caine, with each scene. And while the plot of a man who can t feel pain might seem one-dimensional, the actor s emotions are the key to the film s great heights. To put it plainly, throughout Novocaine, all Quaid s Nathan does is feel pain. And that s what makes this bonkers storyline worth the watch. At just under two hours, it s a wild ride, with enough adrenaline shots to keep you from losing consciousness. Novocaine introduces a new kind of hero Novocaine follows the introverted Nathan Caine, who spends his days in an endless cycle: smoothies for breakfast, wasting away as the assistant manager of a bank, and video games with his friend Roscoe, whom he s never met in-person. Evidently, from the first scene, the character is on autopilot. But perhaps the best moment of his days, is gazing longingly at bank teller Sherry Margrave played by Amber Midthunder . Right off the bat, the dynamic is made clear. Sherry s the cool girl, while Nathan s the guy who stares from a distance. But as she invites him out to lunch, and gets him to try cherry pie for the first time it s the best thing he s ever tasted, obviously , a few secrets are revealed. Nathan has congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis CIPA . This genetic disorder has impacted his nervous system, so he does not feel pain or temperature. He can get hurt, as we come to find out throughout the course of the movie, but he just won t feel it. And that s a different kind of problem. Image via Paramount Pictures That s why he blends his meals, because he might accidentally bite off his tongue if he eats solid foods. He also has to set a three-hour timer to pee, so his bladder does not explode. With all these inconveniences, Nathan s not exactly a social butterfly. But as Sherry gets him to taste pie again, absolutely delicious , this mild-mannered bank manager is ready to take on the world. So, when a bank heist goes wrong, and Sherry is taken hostage, Nathan wears his genetic disorder on his sleeve. Embracing his childhood nickname Novocaine, he uses his inability to feel pain to his advantage, and sets off on a vigilante course to retrieve Sherry. Introducing the everyman, with a touch of avenger Image via Paramount Pictures As the current poster boy for charming everyman, Quaid s almost too perfect as Nathan Caine. While on a mission to retrieve Sherry, he s still bumbling in uncertainty, which continues his endearing streak of characters you can t help but root for. While he is still afraid of getting hurt, he slowly becomes one with his power. As such, that helps to solidify Novocaine s impressive fight scenes. Better yet, it provides action sequences that wouldn t make much sense if his CIPA wasn t in play. It s due to his disorder that Nathan can unwillingly dip his hand into hot oil to retrieve a gun. Or take out a bullet from his arm without flinching. Even as he puts his body through heinous damage, it s all for a purpose. With Sherry in the picture, Nathan s finally felt something, other than, well, nothing. The action scenes are nonsensically elevated, and it becomes impossible not to anticipate another gag-inducing accident on Nathan s part. Crossbow through his thigh? No problem. Using shards of glass as makeshift brass knuckles? A walk in the park! Dislocating his thumb to get out of handcuffs? Just another Tuesday. Regular action movies wouldn t work this way, because the protagonist s response to these situations would all be the same pain. But for Nathan Caine, getting your fingernails yanked off is just a mild inconvenience. It s the Jack Quaid show Image via Paramount Pictures Novocaine s supporting cast manages to hold their own, alongside each other, that is. Because for the most part, it s Jack Quaid s world the audience is living in. Amber Midthunder is enjoyable as the troubled Sherry. Ray Nicholson is believably infuriating as Simon, the bank robber. Betty Gabriel brings some balancing heart as Officer Mincy Langston, an SPDP detective, and Matt Walsh revives his Veep-esque lovable tomfoolery as Officer Coltraine. However, what each supporting role does in Novocaine is to amplify Quaid s charm. Image via Paramount Pictures Perhaps the greatest amplifier though, is Jacob Batalon s Roscoe Dixon. On the surface, it s a performance that any Spider-Man buff will be familiar with. In Novocaine however, there s a heightened emotional component to his character. At first, it s unclear if the audience will ever meet him. After all, even Quaid s Nathan is yet to physically meet his online gamer pal. And while the trailer does give his role away, it s not certain if he is integral to the plot s advancement. Nonetheless, when he does appear, Roscoe and Nathan bounce lines off one another seamlessly. Secondly, his entrance comes at a moment when Nathan s chips are truly down. However, what secures his character as a favorite, are his constant reappearances. When you think Roscoe s finally fulfilled his screen time requirements, he shows up again with more humor. All in all, in under an hour, Novocaine s Batalon and Quaid are a dream team that could very well put Ned Leeds and Peter Parker to shame. Novocaine is worth every broken bone Image via Paramount Pictures It may seem twisted to cheer on as a lovable protagonist gets beaten to a pulp on numerous occasions. But Novocaine helps numb the pain. Director-duo Dan Berk and Robert Olsen, in conjuction with cinematographer Jacques Jouffret, delivered a stunning picture that s not too serious, and equally not too silly. Audiences are served with a fast-paced movie that keeps Nathan Caine simultaneously regretting his deadly actions, and diving in headfirst to even more chaos. The light at the end of the tunnel, after all, is a woman that changed the course of his life after just one lunch date. Who knows what could happen after more dates? And even if it doesn t work out between Nathan and Sherry, Nathan embraced his unique gift. And at the very least, he got to try some delicious cherry pie. That makes Novocaine worth every broken bone.

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