Novocaine would be a starring vehicle for Jim Carrey in a different timeline. In the late ’90s, Carrey was the ruler of physical comedy with an added gimmick. The Mask, Liar Liar, and even Bruce Almighty would beg to question, “What if Jim Carrey but X scenario?” Novocaine is not a starring vehicle for the Ace Ventura actor, but it performs like one. The difference is, Carrey never had the privilege of using his physical comedy talents in an action film.
With Novocaine, Carrey may not be present, but the down-to-earth presence of Jack Quaid leads the ship. Instead of being unable to lie, wear a mask, or have the mighty powers of God himself, the movie invokes the same inspiration through a character who has zero feeling in his body.
Novocaine has an absurdly fun premise
Jack Quaid plays Nate, a bottled-up banker and a video gaming homebody. Nate’s office is danger-proofed, with tennis balls on the corners of his desk and safety guards attached to idle pencils inside his supply holder. The film subtly introduces us to Nate’s limitations. He pours hot coffee into a mug of straight ice to ensure no third-degree mouth burns. Additionally, he has to set a timer to make sure he empties his bladder, or it might explode. He feels insecure about dating because of the aggravation of having to explain these routines to someone new—an authentic situation for many with disabilities while dating.
Amber Midthunder of Prey plays Sherry, a bank teller from work who Nate has feelings for, and Sherry likewise finds his mystery and quietness intriguing. She eventually breaks the ice with him. The film does a tremendous job of slowly setting up their dynamic. The gradual build allows the audience to invest in their connection before the inciting incident.
There is a funny bit in the film about chewing food. Sherry wants him to try a dessert, but Nate having zero feeling might chew something else in his mouth. The sequence makes us fall in love with her while being extremely concerned about Nate taking solid foods from Sherry.
Once the romantic hook is established, a group of bank robbers invade their location, and as they escape, Sherry is taken hostage. Nate has zero fighting skills, nor has he ever shot a gun at someone. He feels nothing and begins a wildly humorous chase to save the one person who makes him feel anything.
The slapstick edition of John Wick
Filmmakers Dan Berk and Robert Olsen incorporate impressive action scenes balancing comical physical violence and enthralling tension. Nate gets put through the wringer and arguably should be dead in several moments of the film. The exaggeration of the enduring violence makes the film increasingly funny. Nate is the equivalent of a crash test dummy for the film to inflict pain upon. At the same time, the choreography proves that style can exist within the gags.
Novocaine manages to maintain the physical comedy appeal without the protagonist feeling pain. The approach is unlike Chris Farley or The Three Stooges, where the reaction to the injury gets the laugh. Nate throws his body through hell, and watching him perceive a massive cut or a third-degree burn as a mild inconvenience generates a real chuckle. It’s a testament to Jack Quaid, who truly goes for broke here.
The same is true of the action, which incorporates a lot of hand-to-hand choreography. Trying to craft an action scene where the audience feels the genuineness of the fight is complicated, let alone convince the moviegoer that the two opponents have any fight skills. Directors Berk and Olsen face an added problem. The directing duo must convince the viewer Nate has no experience facing threats. Simultaneously, he must stand a chance against Sherry’s kidnappers. As filmmakers, they pull it off, and it’s a joy to watch the main character continuously fail upward.
The feel-good, bone-crunching, body-horror action comedy of the season
The movie has a slight issue with length. As we approach the finale, one can feel the lunacy begin to overstay its welcome. The impression becomes that the film is about to reach a climactic conclusion. Then, another elaborate set piece ensues. The sequence itself lacks the same freshness as the rest of the film. Furthermore, the climax takes the villain into over-the-top, cartoonish territory. However, the overall experience remains resilient, like Nate’s fiercely injured body.
The rules are hastily rushed in the design of Nate’s condition. There is a grown-up scenario where Nate implies a certain amount of existing feeling in his body. Yet, somehow, as a character, he cannot feel when he requires a restroom break. Feel free to unpack the last part as you wish.
Regardless, no one will care this coming weekend. Novocaine aims to give the moviegoer a big, goofy, bloody time, and it successfully hits the mark. Novocaine has all the high-concept goofball gimmickry of ’90s Jim Carrey with a viscerally violent action twist. Between Companion and Novocaine, the case for Quaid being a movie star might be further cemented. It’s rare to call a gratuitously violent action movie “feel-good and wholesome,” but it must be the Jack Quaid charm.
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