Mr. No Pain

I thought the reviews were a bit hard on the movie. And they kind of are, but kind of aren't, I guess.

If you turn your brain completely off it can be relatively fun. There is a lot of action, there is the chase, there is gore, there is some silliness. The humor could have been closer to Deadpool franchise, IMHO, but it was not even close, and was kind of mediocre for the most part.

If you do turn you brain on, you probably will notice some inconsistencies here and there. Like, people in banks are generally instructed to comply with robbers' requests (source: worked in a bank for 12 years). And people with CIPA probably would still be affected by an electric shock.

I do not think you are meant to turn your brain on. You are supposed to enjoy the shenanigans on the screen and somewhat decent soundtrack. And then forget everything you so within the next couple of hours. Sometimes, that's enough.

I saw Novocaine early as this week's selection for Marcus's Mystery Movie. I had already planned on watching it so I was happy with the choice. And while I enjoyed the experience, it feels like most of the other 2025 releases I've seen: good but not great.

The premise is interesting and is used somewhat well. The action scenes are solid. The comedic attempts are hit or miss. I laughed at some but others fell flat. And my investment/engagement was... medium?

I can't fully explain why it didn't work better. Maybe it's because none of the aspects excel. Maybe it's because the entire cast outside of the lead is weak (most of them are TV actors, not movie actors).

I just didn't feel that spark. I definitely didn't mind watching it. But it's not something memorable that I see myself revisiting.

Hopefully 2025 can turn itself around because this is the worst start to the year I can remember.

P. S. Someone brought a noisy baby to my screening so my experience was a bit tainted. Some people are so inconsiderate.

(1 viewing, early screening Marcus Mystery Movie 3/3/2025)

"Imagine if "Home Alone" grew up, got a medical condition that made it impervious to pain, and then decided to rescue a kidnapped crush by essentially becoming a human crash test dummy. Jack Quaid is fantastic as he takes every punch, stab, and vehicular impact like a champ, making you wince for him even as he's just shrugging it off. It's a good film for what it is overall. It's gloriously gory and surprisingly sweet. If you like your action with a side of "ouch, that's gotta hurt!" and a healthy dose of dark humor, then this one's for you. An 8/10 for making me feel all the pain so he didn't have to.

Nate, also known by his childhood nickname Novocaine, lives with CIPA, a condition that means he cannot feel any pain, but also lives a somewhat quiet life. Things get better for Nate when he meets Sherry, and begins to fall in love with her, unfortunately during a robbery she is kidnapped, he does whatever it takes to get her back.

I can't lie, I was looking forward to this, the storyline really did appeal to me, I love the idea of CIPA being used as a plot device, a nice idea, unfortunately it doesn't quite work.

It's an action thriller come black comedy, the trouble is it doesn't know what it wants to be, and it blurs between daft, violent thriller and lame attempt to copy Die Hard.

The shoot 'em up sequences were so bad, once again we have Police who have issues with aiming guns, it just feels daft, with poor Nate slotted in as some sort of mortal superhero.

Jack Quaid is actually really good, I hate dissing the film because he puts in a good performance, but he's up against it with a weak script and confused narrative.

There are some further positives, the tattoos are immense, I'll say that, truly a work of art and the movie's general pacing is good, it does actually move by quickly, sadly it's all a bit jumbled.

5/10.

Novocaine meaningfully shows the extent you would go to save who you care about. It's filled with hopes, amid lots of action that could easily annihilate the underdog at any moment. There's some romance, more violence, and much more audience concern for the wellbeing of the intended rescuer. As part of displaying heartless crime, be forewarned that Novacaine lacks positive humor. The twists and reveals are nicely unpredictable, though.

Best seen with others for how many challenges and opportunities are dramatized. It's less about guessing what's next, and more about relating and somehow surviving, with the main character's hopes and standards intact.