Novocaine

Like every morning, the alarm clock rings at 6:30 for Nate Caine. It's time to get up and make his fruit juice, dynamic music accompanies us as we discover him. Here he is now trying to make his way through the streets of San Diego in his car to get to work. He is a serious, kind, reserved young single man who holds the position of Assistant Manager at a bank. He is compassionate and does not hesitate to make an effort to delay the deadlines of certain customers in difficulty.

A routine that will change somewhat with a mishap: a coffee spilled by Sherry, a young woman hired four months ago. Intrigued by his withdrawn behavior, she did not hesitate to question him. We thus learn that Nate suffers from a rare disease, CIPA (congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis), which deprives him of any physical sensation and forces him to take a thousand precautions to avoid injury. He cannot eat solid food. With Sherry's patience and spontaneity, he discovers the simple pleasures of a less dull everyday life: a piece of pie, an exchanged smile, a sincere discussion. She, who had a difficult childhood, finds in him an echo of her own loneliness. Their complicity grows little by little.

But the tranquility of this budding romance is brutally interrupted. One morning, the bank is stormed by heavily armed robbers. The assault turns into a bloodbath, police officers are shot, and Sherry is taken hostage. Nate, a helpless witness to the scene, finds himself faced with a dilemma: wait for the intervention of the police or act. He, the cautious man, the one who avoids all risk, decides to take matters into his own hands and sets off on a frantic pursuit to save the one who has brightened his life.

Then begins a surprising metamorphosis. Nate, so slow and reserved, becomes bold, vindictive. Nothing stops him. He steals a car, uses a weapon, confronts dangerous men. With no training or experience, he makes up for it with his indifference to pain. Dipping his hand in a boiling fryer, pulling out a blade stuck in his leg, getting up after a beating, he can endure anything, even though his body suffers the ravages. But his hunt does not go unnoticed, and the police begin to consider him a suspect in the bank robbery.

Jack Quaid embodies Nate with remarkable accuracy. His slender physique, slightly lost look, and way of oscillating between awkwardness and determination make him an atypical hero, far from the classic action movie figures. Amber Midthunder brings a refreshing energy to her character of Sherry, who is not just a damsel in distress, but a strong and combative woman. The pair work wonderfully together, bringing an unexpected humanity and tenderness to the story.

The film skilfully plays on contrasts, between black humor and extreme brutality. Some scenes are as grotesque as they are ingenious, like the moment when Nate has to feign pain to avoid being unmasked. We laugh, we wince, and we are caught up in this spiral of events that keeps building in intensity. Directors Dan Berk and Robert Olsen breathe dynamic energy into this race against time, linking the action sequences with an impeccable sense of rhythm.

The special effects accentuate the impact of each injury, making some scenes almost unbearable. The more sensitive among you may find some of the images difficult to bear. At times, humor lightens the tension, as when Nate calls on his virtual friend Roscoe, a gamer he had never met in real life. Their first meeting is a clash, as Roscoe is far from the image he projected online, but their dynamic brings a welcome breath of fresh air.

While Novocaine is appealing in its boldness and inventiveness, it suffers from a few lapses in its final act. The main antagonist, played by Ray Nicholson, lacks nuance and sometimes veers into caricature. Some plot twists, notably a late revelation about Sherry, seem contrived, as if they had been added to maintain superfluous suspense. Yet the film manages to remain captivating until the end, carried by the energy of its actors and the uniqueness of its concept.

Novocaine is a surprising film that challenges the conventions of action movies while remaining accessible and entertaining. There is something touching about Nate's evolution, the way he goes from a state of passivity to total self-assertion. A story of rebirth, served with a good dose of hemoglobin and a pinch of derision.

Novocaine
Directed by Dan Berk, Robert Olsen
Written by Lars Jacobson
Produced by Joby Harold, Tory Tunnell, Drew Simon, Julian Rosenberg
Starring Jack Quaid, Amber Midthunder, Ray Nicholson, Jacob Batalon, Betty Gabriel, Matt Walsh
Cinematography: Jacques Jouffret
Edited by Christian Wagner
Music by Lorne Balfe, Andrew Kawczynski
Production companies: Infrared Pictures, Safehouse Pictures, Circle of Confusion
Distributed by Paramount Pictures
Release date: March 14, 2025 (United States), March 26, 2025 (France)
Running time: 110 minutes

Screening on March 14, 2025 at Pathé Beaugrenelle, Dolby Cinema

Cookie's Mark:

The line between pain and pleasure is a fine one, and the movie Novocaine crosses it with the precision of a fighter who doesn't even realize he's been knocked out. It's a movie that perfectly captures the well-worn action formula and injects it with a dose of absurdity, daring to ask: what if our hero couldn't feel pain? At first glance, it may seem like a simple idea, but in the hands of gifted directors Dan Berk and Robert Olsen, Novocaine becomes an exhilarating, unforgettable and bloody roller coaster ride that balances brutality with laughter, while showcasing Jack Quaid's undeniable potential as a leading man and what a comedian.

At the heart of the movie is Nathan Caine (Jack Quaid), an assistant bank manager with congenital insensitivity to pain and anhidrosis (CIPA), a rare genetic disorder that makes him unable to feel physical pain. You might think that this would make him some kind of invincible superhero, but Novocaine cleverly steers away from that assumption. Nathan is no tough guy. He is a clumsy loner with a low risk tolerance who has spent his life avoiding anything that might hurt him, precisely because he cannot detect the warning signs of injury. His apartment is a fortress of safety, every sharp edge covered with tennis balls, and his diet consisting solely of blended dishes to avoid accidentally biting his tongue. He is so cautious that he locks himself in his shell.

Enter Sherry (Amber Midthunder), the new bank teller, as confident as Nathan is shy. After an incident involving spilled coffee (which should be a romantic encounter, but is more like a strangely amusing reminder of Nathan's condition), she tries her luck with him by inviting him to lunch. And then, in the most unexpected turn of events, she gives him his first taste of pie. Seeing Nathan taste the simple pleasure of solid food for the first time is strangely moving - it reminds him of all the little pleasures he has denied himself out of fear. In another movie, this would be the beginning of a quirky romantic comedy. But Novocaine has another kind of love story in mind: that between a man and his inevitable and brutal transformation.

The next day, this newfound happiness is shattered when the bank is robbed by a trio of ruthless criminals. Things go from bad to worse when Sherry is taken hostage and Nathan is suddenly forced out of his comfort zone, stealing a police car and embarking on a high-speed chase with no plan whatsoever. It's here that Novocaine really finds its groove, shifting from gently awkward romance to full-throttle action movie with a wicked sense of humor. The film becomes increasingly jubilant in its relentless unfolding.

Jack Quaid is simply phenomenal in this role. He plays Nathan with an endearing mixture of anxiety and determination, making him an unlikely action hero, constantly surprised by his own ability to endure unimaginable injuries. His insensitivity to pain does not make him a superman, it just means that he keeps getting up, no matter how many bones he breaks or bullets he takes. One of the movie's best gags is seeing Nathan react with mild annoyance rather than agony when he suffers injuries that would sideline even the most hardened action stars. The movie relies heavily on physical horror, forcing the audience to wince and laugh in equal measure as Nathan shakes off fried hands, bullet wounds and impromptu surgeries performed with household tools.

Novocaine makes hilarious and macabre use of its protagonist's condition, resulting in some of the most creative fight scenes in recent years in cinema (forget the movie Nobody, Novocaine stands out as a model of the genre). One particularly memorable kitchen brawl sees Nathan plunging his hand into a vat of boiling oil to retrieve a weapon, completely unfazed as his opponent recoils in horror. Another highlight is when he uses shards of glass embedded in his knuckles as makeshift brass knuckles. It's gloriously absurd, and the directors know exactly how to frame these moments for maximum impact.

Novocaine is certainly not perfect. The film sometimes struggles with changes in tone, particularly during the bank robbery sequence, which is surprisingly dark and jarring compared to the rest of the film's joyful chaos. The villains, led by a smirking Ray Nicholson, are a little too one-note, revelling in their sadism without much depth. And although Amber Midthunder is excellent as Sherry, the movie sidelines her for too long after she's taken hostage, missing an opportunity to give her more weight in the action.

Yet despite these very small missteps, Novocaine is a real treat. It takes an original concept and develops it at full speed, embracing its own absurdity while offering truly thrilling action and biting comedy. Quaid proves to be a magnetic leading actor, effortlessly carrying the film thanks to his blend of charm, comic timing and total physical commitment to the role. This is not just a movie about a guy who can't feel pain, it's a movie about the courage to live, even when the world keeps crushing you. And sometimes that courage looks like a lanky bank manager covered in blood, smiling through a face full of bruises, determined to get back up again.

With its mix of kinetic action, heartbreaking humor and an unexpected dose of heart, Novocaine reminds us why we love action movies so much. It's messy, chaotic and it hurts like hell, but in the best possible way. So fasten your seatbelts, hold on tight and get ready to wince and laugh in equal measure. Don't expect to feel numb afterwards. It's our big favorite of the year and we can't wait to see it again at the cinema.

Novocaine
Directed by Dan Berk, Robert Olsen
Written by Lars Jacobson
Produced by Joby Harold, Tory Tunnell, Drew Simon, Julian Rosenberg
Starring Jack Quaid, Amber Midthunder, Ray Nicholson, Jacob Batalon, Betty Gabriel, Matt Walsh
Cinematography: Jacques Jouffret
Edited by Christian Wagner
Music by Lorne Balfe, Andrew Kawczynski
Production companies: Infrared Pictures, Safehouse Pictures, Circle of Confusion
Distributed by Paramount Pictures
Release date: March 14, 2025 (United States), March 26, 2025 (France)
Running time: 110 minutes

Screening on March 24, 2025 at Gaumont Disney Village, Room 9 seat A19

Mulder's Mark: