Photo Credit: IMDB
In the action-comedy “Novocaine,” Jack Quaid assumes the part of Nathan Caine, a bank manager afflicted with congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis (CIPA), a highly uncommon genetic disorder making individuals insensitive to pain or heat and preventing them from sweating. This condition, as fascinating as it is, is utilized to create a story that oscillates between dark humor and graphic violence, with less than satisfactory outcomes.
Nathan’s life is strictly controlled; since he cannot feel pain, he must take special precautions not to get hurt by hidden injuries. His life is largely confined in his home, where he spends time gaming on the computer with his sole friend, played by Jacob Batalon. The drabness of his existence is disrupted by Sherry (Amber Midthunder), a vivacious co-worker who introduces new experiences into his life, one of which is the simple delight of cherry pie. Their budding romance is suddenly interrupted when masked robbers raid their bank and kill Nathan’s boss, then kidnap Sherry, leaving Nathan to go on a perilous quest to rescue her.
Directors Dan Berk and Robert Olsen attempt to balance the humor of the film with its bloody violence. However, this attempt at tonal balancing falls short, with violence overriding humor to produce a disjointed viewing experience. The humor is frequently undermined by the violence on screen, so viewers find it hard to match the two moods of the film.
Jack Quaid gives an impressive performance in the role of Nathan, carrying the awkwardness and grittiness of the character with authority. His character comes across with a man unused to physical confrontations, yet motivated by the indomitable spirit to rescue a person dear to him. Amber Midthunder’s limited appearances as Sherry give much-needed depth and warmth to this unconventional romance in a contrasting figure of a spunky counterfoil to Nathan’s shy demeanor.
The movie plot describes the true outcome of CIPA, an infrequent occurrence among the very low percentage of the population. CIPA suffers can feel no pain or heat and sweat not at all, leading to significant health issues like injury undetected and ineffectual control of body heat. While “Novocaine” uses this scenario as a tool, it underemphasizes the profound travails of people who suffer from CIPA, emphasizing rather the increased, sensationalized portrayal that is needed for the plot’s vigilante course.
“Novocaine” attempts originality for the action genre by featuring a hero whose unique condition is both his deficiency and his virtue. Yet uneven tone and reliance on too much violence sap the originality of the concept. Despite Jack Quaid’s honest acting, “Novocaine” fails to reconcile its comic aspirations with its darker moments, rendering the film that, like its hero, is numb to its potential.
Overall, “Novocaine” has a good concept and a good turn by Jack Quaid but ultimately fails at execution. The inability of the film to combine humor effectively with its graphically violent content leaves it limping between genres without being able to commit to either. While it raises awareness about a rare disease, it does so superficially, where it could have delved deeper into the complexities of pain-free existence. For a solid action-comedy, the viewers may find “Novocaine” an imbalanced one.
