‘Novocaine’ Review: Jack Quaid Brings Electric Energy to a Clever But Unsteady Action Comedy
Jack Quaid in 'Novocaine' Marcos Cruz / Paramount Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection
A sharp concept, a charismatic lead, and bursts of thrilling action keep Novocaine engaging—despite a script that doesn’t always know when to play it straight or lean into absurdity.
Jack Quaid has steadily built a career on playing lovable underdogs thrust into extreme situations, whether it’s dodging Ghostface in Scream, unraveling sci-fi mysteries in Companion, or surviving in the ultra-violent world of The Boys. In Novocaine, he takes that formula to the next level, leading a darkly comedic action-thriller that blends high-stakes adrenaline with absurdist humor. Directors Dan Berk and Robert Olsen craft a film that thrives on its inventive premise—what if a man physically couldn’t feel pain?—but struggles at times to maintain its delicate balance between satire and genuine suspense. Still, thanks to Quaid’s undeniable charm and a fresh, engaging hook, Novocaine delivers a ride that’s as exhilarating as it is unpredictable.
At its core, Novocaine feels like a film tailor-made for Quaid’s particular strengths. He plays Nathan Caine, a meek but kindhearted assistant manager at a San Diego credit union, whose everyday existence is defined by routine, low-level anxiety, and a deep fear of taking risks. There’s just one major catch: Nathan has CIPA (congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis), a rare condition that prevents him from feeling pain. Rather than being a superpower, it’s something that has shaped his entire life—his overprotective parents conditioned him to avoid anything remotely dangerous, and his fear of getting hurt (even if he can’t feel it) has kept him from taking chances in love, work, or anything remotely adventurous.
Enter Sherry (Amber Midthunder), a confident, quick-witted bank teller and the woman Nathan has harbored a quiet crush on for years. Midthunder, best known for her fierce performance in Prey, brings an easy charisma to the role, and her chemistry with Quaid in the film’s early moments is one of its greatest strengths. Their first date is played with genuine warmth, as Nathan tentatively opens up about his condition, revealing both the practical difficulties and emotional toll of living without pain. It’s a surprisingly introspective start for a film that will soon spiral into absolute chaos.
Jack Quaid in 'Novocaine' Marcos Cruz / Paramount Pictures
The turning point comes when their bank is robbed by three armed thieves dressed in Santa suits, who take Sherry hostage during the heist. For the first time in his life, Nathan is forced into action—fueled not by a sudden surge of courage, but by sheer desperation. What follows is a wildly unpredictable journey that sees Nathan thrown into one increasingly dangerous scenario after another, his condition allowing him to endure physical punishment that would cripple anyone else. But Novocaine doesn’t simply treat Nathan’s disorder as a gimmick—it explores how his psychological fear of injury remains intact, making his transformation into an unlikely action hero as much a mental struggle as a physical one.
Berk and Olsen orchestrate a series of set pieces that lean into both the comedic and brutal potential of Nathan’s condition. In some moments, it’s used with real ingenuity—like a sequence where he deliberately smashes glass in his hands to turn them into makeshift weapons, or a moment where he walks unharmed through a field of deadly booby traps while his enemies suffer the consequences. But the film also has a tendency to stretch its own logic, treating Nathan’s inability to feel pain as if it makes him indestructible rather than just impervious to sensation. The more the film leans into slapstick absurdity, the less weight some of the action carries, making certain scenes feel more cartoonish than thrilling.
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That’s where Novocaine runs into its biggest challenge: tonally, it can’t quite decide what kind of movie it wants to be. In one scene, Nathan’s injury-proof body is played for genuine tension, with the film treating his fights with a real sense of consequence. In another, it shifts into full-on parody, throwing him into wacky, Rube Goldberg-like scenarios that feel straight out of a Looney Tunes short. The film seems caught between wanting to be a clever subversion of action tropes and fully embracing its most ridiculous instincts. The result is a film that, while often entertaining, can feel slightly unmoored in its own ambitions.
Still, the film’s greatest asset is its cast, with Quaid once again proving himself to be one of Hollywood’s most compelling rising stars. He plays Nathan with the perfect balance of wide-eyed bewilderment and reluctant bravery, making him an underdog worth rooting for even when the film’s internal logic wavers. Midthunder brings a strong presence as Sherry, elevating what could have been a standard love interest role into something much more dynamic. And in a standout comedic turn, Matt Walsh plays a weary detective who seems to exist purely to shake his head in exasperation at the sheer insanity unfolding around him.
Novocaine is at its best when it leans into the genuine tension of its premise, using Nathan’s condition in creative ways while maintaining an emotional throughline. While its second half occasionally loses its grip on reality, it remains an undeniably fun ride, packed with sharp humor, inventive action, and just enough heart to make it stick. It may not reach the heights of John Wick or the razor-sharp wit of Hot Fuzz, but it confidently carves out a space of its own. With a tighter script and a more consistent tone, Novocaine could have been an instant cult classic—but as it stands, it’s an enjoyably chaotic thrill ride with an unforgettable lead performance from Quaid.
RATING: ★★★★☆
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