Novocaine

Epic!!! An absolute must watch

'Novocaine' is fabulous entertainment! I had partially (didn't take proper notice) of one or two trailers for this and remember thinking it looked decent but a bit forced. That is not the case, especially the latter. It's terrific fun, it is very gory but in the best possible way.

Jack Quaid produces as lead - a pleasingly amusing performance; his second great 2025 film after 'Companion', albeit with Sophie Thatcher as the star of that. Elsewhere, it's nice to see Amber Midthunder again; she is superb in 2022's 'Prey' and is good here too.

The rest of the cast are solid as well, namely Jacob Batalon and Ray Nicholson. I found the comedy to be at a sturdy level, I got the intended amusement all the way through. The plot is a bit nuts, there is a moment that isn't as surprising as intended but still worked as if it was for me.

In short, I don't have any negatives for this one. Top movie!

He surely didn’t sit on a cake this time...

Going into this film I thought I was going to enjoy it after watching the trailer and I definitely wasn’t disappointed.

The story is pretty simple but the acting and chemistry with the characters make up for it especially Novocaine and sherry ,his online friend Roscoe was funny too ,do like Batalon in spiderman so I knew he would be good.

Love that Jack Quaid is killing it this year so far first companion which is one of my favourite films of this year so far and now this,the role fitted him perfectly a superhero comedy but brutal asf felt like I was watching The boys especially the fight scene in the kitchen.

The comedy was great the big guy doing the tattoos ,the scene with him and Novocaine was one of the best in the movie his voice dissent fit his body lol 😂 Novocaine pinching the glass was badass too, not sure how I feel about Jack Quaid covered in tattoos doesn’t suit him.

Did like the twist that sherry was in on the robbery and she was Simon’s sister surprised I didn’t click on when she said her family isn’t the best but too fair too them other movies make it too obvious while they hinted at it they didn’t do it in a way which was too predictable.

When Novocaine was trapped in one of the robbers house and he was get caught on all the traps which cool and funny him getting stuck in a trap and calling Roscoe but the guy coming back him getting tortured but pretending to feel pain was hilarious didn’t like them pulling his nails of though .

The ending was pretty nice with him actually ending up being happy.

I expected a funny movie... but I was so wrong about it!

It wasn't just "funny", this piece of art is extremely entertaining, full of great acting, dialogues, scenes, action, references and Easter eggs, it's incredible how they managed to put all this in one movie.

It was a hoot, really enjoyed it

Between the humor and Quaid's
performance, there's so much fun to be had
here that it's easy to just sit back and enjoy
the ride.

what a delightful time, watching high as shit helped lmao

They say pain teaches you things. But for the protagonist of “Novocaine,” it’s just an abstract concept—which makes his journey even more chaotic. Directed by Dan Berk and Robert Olsen, the film blends action and comedy with a brutal edge, turning its lead, Nate (Jack Quaid), into a kind of accidental superhero. The idea of a man who can’t feel pain could’ve easily spiraled into mindless excess, but Lars Jacobson’s script knows exactly how to balance graphic violence, dark humor, and a constant sense of urgency that keeps everything moving. The result is a visceral experience, where every punch, gunshot, and burn carries narrative weight—even if Nate himself can’t feel them.

From the very first act, “Novocaine” establishes a world where pain—or the lack of it—defines everything. Nate is a shy, socially awkward bank employee who has spent his life adapting to his genetic condition. Small details, like having to set alarms to remind himself to use the bathroom or sticking to a liquid diet to avoid biting off his own tongue, turn his everyday life into a constant survival game. But it’s only when his longtime crush, Sherry (Amber Midthunder), gets kidnapped during a bank robbery that he decides to use his condition as an advantage, throwing himself into a suicidal rescue mission. From that point on, the movie becomes an all-out chase, with Nate literally diving headfirst into every fight, racking up grotesque injuries as he tracks down the kidnappers. The violence here isn’t just for show—it’s a fundamental part of the character’s development and the film’s twisted sense of humor.

Jack Quaid delivers a performance that perfectly balances desperation and determination. His Nate isn’t a typical action hero—he’s just a regular guy, frantically trying to do the right thing with absolutely no idea how to go about it. With every scene, he looks more physically wrecked, but his stubbornness only grows, leading to some of the film’s best moments. Berk and Olsen’s direction takes full advantage of this physicality, crafting fight scenes where the impact is felt without relying on flashy stylistic tricks. Unlike so many modern action movies that overuse quick cuts, “Novocaine” lets the brutality speak for itself, with well-choreographed sequences and a camera that knows when to get in close and when to just let the chaos unfold.

The film’s humor is another strong point. The way it plays with Nate’s inability to feel pain leads to moments that swing between grotesque and hilarious, like when he casually shrugs off injuries that would leave anyone else unconscious from agony. However, not everything works as well as it should. The relationship between Nate and Sherry, for instance, never quite convinces enough to justify his level of devotion. Midthunder gives a solid performance, but the chemistry between the two never really clicks. The film tries to establish an emotional connection beyond just a passing crush, but the development feels too shallow to give the romantic arc any real weight. As a result, the central motivation behind the story feels more like an excuse for nonstop action rather than a genuine emotional driving force.

Despite this shortcoming, “Novocaine” stands out for its attention to detail and creative execution. The script is smart about tying small narrative elements together throughout the film, ensuring that every injury or situation has a consequence. The humor never feels out of place, and the extreme violence never becomes gratuitous—every brutal moment reinforces Nate’s absurd journey and the escalating insanity of his situation. Berk and Olsen show an impressive command of the genre, balancing tension, action, and comedy without losing momentum or boring the audience.

Overall, “Novocaine” is a film that fully embraces its own madness—and comes out on top. It doesn’t try to reinvent the genre, sure, but it knows exactly what it wants to deliver: an intense, fun, and above all, memorable experience. Jack Quaid shines in the lead role, proving he can carry an action movie on his back (even if that back is broken in three places!). If the romance between the leads had been more convincing, the film could’ve reached even greater heights, but even with that flaw, it works exceptionally well within its premise. “Novocaine” is a wild ride filled with broken bones, countless gunshots, and a few bodies literally torn apart—all wrapped up with sharp humor and a protagonist who simply refuses to quit.

A wild, rowdy, and surprisingly tender action comedy, Novocaine is one of those films that doesn’t aim to change cinema, but has so much fun doing its thing that it ends up winning the viewer over. The central idea is catchy: a guy who doesn’t feel pain gets caught up in an absurd chain of cartoon violence, with an unexpected romance along the way. It could have been a soulless gimmick, but thanks to its pace, humor, and a cast with great chemistry, it works.

Jack Quaid is genuinely great. He’s becoming more natural, more at ease, more charmingly clumsy—he’s truly earned his place in this kind of film. And the girl (Amber Midthunder, unforgettable in Prey) holds her own without a hitch, bringing strength, charisma, and a presence that lights up the screen. Together, they make believable a story that, at first glance, shouldn’t really work.

Not everything is so finely tuned. The second act sags a bit, and there are moments when the film gets repetitive or slips into more conventional beats. But it has enough good ideas, fun scenes, and endearing characters to make up for it. And that exaggerated violence? Far from annoying—it actually helps keep things light and playful.

It’s not perfect, but Novocaine is one of those pleasant surprises that mix action and comedy without falling into cliché. It doesn’t reinvent anything, but it knows exactly what it wants to be. And sometimes, that’s just what you need.