by Anthony O'Connor
Worth: $15.00
FilmInk rates movies out of $20 — the score indicates the amount we believe a ticket to the movie to be worth
Cast:
Jack Quaid, Amber Midthunder, Ray Nicholson, Jacob Batalon, Betty Gabriel, Matt Walsh
Intro:
… has a lot of heart and is considerably more wholesome than you might expect from a movie that features its protagonist deep frying his own hand.
Pain is hard to like. If you’ve stepped on a rusty nail with bare feet or copped an errant cricket ball to the ballbag, you’ll know the sensation is anything but pleasant. However, life without pain would be no picnic either. You’d never know if the pan you were holding was red hot or if you’d inadvertently sat on a tack. And if the condition lasted long enough? It could be downright life threatening.
Such is the grim reality of Nathan Caine aka “Novocaine” (Jack Quaid), an assistant bank manager who lives a life avoiding anything that could damage his numb, unloved body. However, one day he finally manages to strike up a romantic relationship with co-worker Sherry (Amber Midthunder) and things are looking up… that is until the next day, when the bank is robbed and Sherry kidnapped. It’s now up to ol’ mate Novocaine to save the day, and hopefully not die in the process.
Novocaine – No Pain has two main things going for it: an utterly charming pair of leads in Quaid and Midthunder. The central romance that underpins all the chaotic action that occurs in the 110 minute journey actually works, you really do root for these crazy kids, and you want Nate to succeed in his extremely ill-advised quest. Quaid is a delight in the main role and Midthunder proves that she shines even when she’s not battling Predators.
The action too is a big draw, with focused, impactful fight scenes that never drag on too long and always feel personal. Some of the creative ways in which Nathan is horribly injured may have all but the most desensitised of gore hounds hiding behind their fingers or gagging in disgust. And yet, for all the queasy blood nuggets on display, Novocaine – No Pain has a lot of heart and is considerably more wholesome than you might expect from a movie that features its protagonist deep frying his own hand.
Directing duo Dan Berk and Robert Olsen (Villains, Significant Other) deliver a fast-paced, frequently funny, wince-inducing action comedy flick with plenty to recommend it. Sure, the plot doesn’t stand up to a great deal of scrutiny, but in terms of purely cinematic splattery slapstick, there’s a lot to like about Novocaine – No Pain.
Significantly more enjoyable than a cricket ball to the goolies.
