The premise and trailer propelled this action-comedy to being my sixth most anticipated film of the year. As for whether it lived up to my high expectations having seen it, it did, although one issue is somewhat painful to overlook. That was an intentional pun, but it's not as dramatic as that pun would have you believe.
Let's start with Jack Quaid's exceptional performance. He makes Nathan Caine an investing and often funny protagonist as he risks his life to save his dream girl - also, he can't feel pain. That's important, too. Refreshingly, Caine doesn't have a past like a John Wick, a Hutch Mansell, or a Bryan Mills. He's legitimately an ordinary guy who unlocks beast mode like he had previous experience. The rest of the cast did solid work, although Jacob Batalon and Amber Midthunder - despite one decision - were the other standouts alongside Quaid.
Lars Jacobson's screenplay increases the fun on display and contains an unexpected amount of heart. "Novocaine" isn't a straightforward action-comedy as it doubles as a romantic comedy, which I wasn't expecting. First, "Companion," then "Heart Eyes," and now this film provides the perfect case of 2025 bringing back the romantic comedy, albeit while being another genre first. Furthermore, Jacobson's work makes Caine incredibly relatable, and his simple backstory helps him be that.
Dan Berk and Robert Olsen's direction was flashy and fun. Many moments showed creativity in camerawork and editing - added credit goes to cinematographer Jacques Jouffett and editor Christian Wagner - while Berk and Olsen's work enhanced the narrative and script.
The action was an action fan's delight. While not as focused as expected, the film creatively utilizes Caine's incapacity to sense pain to the action's advantage.
Finally, the 1 hour and 50 minute runtime was rarely wasteful, with two exceptions. I felt the movie perfectly balances comedy, action, drama, and romance to create an experience that always engages.
Now, let's get into my mixed feelings on some aspects. I won't spoil anything because I still feel it's worth seeing. Nonetheless, I'm all about being honest in my reviews.
First, there are two to three cop scenes that threaten the film's momentum, but thankfully, they're not as long as I thought they'd be once they began. Using "The Beekeeper" and "Knox Goes Away" as comparisons, the scenes that focused on the people investigating Adam Clay and John Knox dragged on. They don't as much in here.
Now, I'll get into the real thing that bothered me while being vague at the same time. While I enjoyed Midthunder's Sherry, a reveal about forty minutes in bothered me. It made sense in the end, but until then, I was baffled that they decided to do that. I expected a direct approach to her character, but it wasn't, yet they somehow made it work. Making another comparison, but one that makes less sense, "Blink Twice" was a film that started confusingly. I didn't know how to feel about Frida and Jess, and the film wasn't entirely compelling when it began. As the movie continues, especially with that final revelation, it all comes together and makes up for its issues. That was the sensation I got with Sherry, although it wasn't as much of a payoff as "Blink Twice." It was more or less a "Thank God!" moment that the movie's primary issue fixed itself in the end rather than, "Oh, that's what the movie was leading to."
Overall, "Novocaine" might have fallen a wee bit short of expectations, but it was damn fun regardless! Jack Quaid proves he's a leading man, and the entire film proves that you don't need to be part of a franchise to make an entertaining action-comedy.
Technically, screenplay issues aside, the acting, directing, screenplay, cinematography, and editing make for a 9/10 technical score.
For the enjoyment score, I loved many things about "Novocaine," although that reveal dared to weigh down the experience. Otherwise, it's not a stretch to say we need more movies like this from major studios. It doesn't have to be all about IP, and it's films like this that are why. Although the enjoyment score should realistically be a 9, the movie knows what it is and runs with it - and Jack Quaid is so fantastic that I forgive the flaw. Therefore, the enjoyment score is a 10/10. It's not the best movie of the year thus far, as "Companion" remains my favorite, but it's a thrilling time!
It's the end of the review, but I want to focus on "Companion." Coincidentally, Quaid's other vehicle from January was my eighth most anticipated film of the year. I'm shocked that I can't call "Mickey 17" better than that. I can't stress enough how incredible that film was. It's a thriller that quadruples as a horror, a dark comedy, and, as I mentioned earlier, a romcom. Quaid was better here in "Novocaine," but he was excellent as Josh, and Sophie Thatcher gave an astounding performance as Iris. I'd recommend seeing both "Companion" and "Novocaine." People like me who aren't Jack Quaid fans are realizing that this man's a star on the rise that's worth paying attention to. I'm interested and even excited to see what he does next if Josh and Nathan Caine are any indications of his undeniable talents.
