When the girl of his dreams is kidnapped, a man incapable of feeling physical pain turns his rare condition into an unexpected advantage in the fight to rescue her.When the girl of his dreams is kidnapped, a man incapable of feeling physical pain turns his rare condition into an unexpected advantage in the fight to rescue her.When the girl of his dreams is kidnapped, a man incapable of feeling physical pain turns his rare condition into an unexpected advantage in the fight to rescue her.
- Awards
- 1 nomination total
Matt Walsh
- Coltraine
- (as Matthew Walsh)
Jessica Leigh Stanley
- Waitress
- (as Jessica Stanley)
Chioma Antoinette Umeala
- Bartender
- (as Chioma Umeala)
- Directors
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Featured reviews
Okay, this was a police drama suspense, but with comedy. Not a harpooning, nor a parody or spoof. Not sure I've ever seen anything like that before.
It is very cool the female lead, Amy Midthunder, is an actual member of the Sioux Tribe out of NM. A cutie pie and pretty good young actress. Very nice.
Okay, the premise gave us more than a clue as to some crazy stuff. It's was okay. Some of that funny. (Fingernail removal torture, and our lead having to fake Pain.) But the best? Don't know why, after our hero's video game buddy came to rescue him, when he ran out to escape on his buddy's Harley;, and they flashed the picture that Vespa, I laughed out loud. Not just a Vespa, but an old, used, dirty piece of junk that was "misfiring" on its only cylinder; and smoking like a chimney. His getaway attempt didn't last long. Pretty good slapstick that actually worked.
I didn't expect much from this movie. So since my expectations were low, it obviously exceeded them. The twist toward the end was pretty good.
Pretty good departure in many ways. I figure a 7 is a fair score.
Bob R.
It is very cool the female lead, Amy Midthunder, is an actual member of the Sioux Tribe out of NM. A cutie pie and pretty good young actress. Very nice.
Okay, the premise gave us more than a clue as to some crazy stuff. It's was okay. Some of that funny. (Fingernail removal torture, and our lead having to fake Pain.) But the best? Don't know why, after our hero's video game buddy came to rescue him, when he ran out to escape on his buddy's Harley;, and they flashed the picture that Vespa, I laughed out loud. Not just a Vespa, but an old, used, dirty piece of junk that was "misfiring" on its only cylinder; and smoking like a chimney. His getaway attempt didn't last long. Pretty good slapstick that actually worked.
I didn't expect much from this movie. So since my expectations were low, it obviously exceeded them. The twist toward the end was pretty good.
Pretty good departure in many ways. I figure a 7 is a fair score.
Bob R.
We caught Novocaine on Monday Mystery Movie night, and what a ride it was! Starring Jack Quaid and Amber Midthunder, the film starts off almost like a RomCom in the first act-then the second act hits, and it's zoom zoom zoom from there.
This movie is absolutely bonkers, bringing to mind the chaotic energy of Crank (2006). It fully delivers on its promise of an R-rated action/thriller/comedy, with plenty of strong language and graphic violence.
It was definitely a good time, and I'd recommend it to fans of this kind of wild ride-though maybe not for the squeamish.
Enjoy it peeps!
Cheerio!!!
This movie is absolutely bonkers, bringing to mind the chaotic energy of Crank (2006). It fully delivers on its promise of an R-rated action/thriller/comedy, with plenty of strong language and graphic violence.
It was definitely a good time, and I'd recommend it to fans of this kind of wild ride-though maybe not for the squeamish.
Enjoy it peeps!
Cheerio!!!
6/10 STARS - Novocaine was on my list of most anticipated for the year, and I got the chance to watch it in early March for Regal's March 3rd Monday Mystery Movie. It stars Jack Quaid and Amber Midthunder and is about a guy who can't feel physical pain/sensations who embarks on a rescue mission after the girl he likes is kidnapped during a bank robbery. There were several things to enjoy about this movie - the premise was interesting and it was comedic to see some of the situations he got himself into during his rescue mission. While I didn't hate this film, I wasn't super in love with it, which surprised me because the trailer made it look pretty fun. Part of the problem is, I think, the casting of Jack Quaid - who seems to play the same type of character in most of his roles - and the writing of the love interest could have probably been improved in ways to make her character a bit more likable. An unnecessary racially divisive line snuck in at the end was nonsensical too. But as a whole, I've seen worse movies, so I don't consider this a waste of my time. Just wish it could have been a bit better. Video review to come shortly.
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.
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.
A dark comedy that might not be everyone's cup of tea. If you're able to suspend belief and just go with the absurdity of the situations, Novocaine delivers a decent amount of entertainment.
The pacing is strong, with the film keeping a brisk pace that never lingers too long on one thing. It's filled with bizarre twists that are often more laughable than believable, but that's part of its fun. The performances are engaging in a way that helps you overlook the more painful elements.
Ultimately, if you're in the mood for something offbeat with a good pace and a laughable yet strangely compelling plot, Novocaine might be worth checking out. Just don't expect anything too grounded or serious.
The pacing is strong, with the film keeping a brisk pace that never lingers too long on one thing. It's filled with bizarre twists that are often more laughable than believable, but that's part of its fun. The performances are engaging in a way that helps you overlook the more painful elements.
Ultimately, if you're in the mood for something offbeat with a good pace and a laughable yet strangely compelling plot, Novocaine might be worth checking out. Just don't expect anything too grounded or serious.
Did you know
- TriviaDirectors Dan Berk and Robert Olsen visualized Jack Quaid as the perfect lead for this movie. After watching his performance on the subversive superhero series The Boys (2019), Berk and Olsen saw an energy in his everyman comedic performances that inspired them to dub him his generation's Tom Hanks. Yet to perfect this role took an unconventional skill set. "Jack had to rewire his brain so that he could get punched and not flinch," Olsen says. "Your whole life as an actor, you're told to sell the hit, and when you get punched, you flinch, you wince, you sell the pain. He had to work with our stunt coordinator, Stanimir Stamatov, to untrain himself from that."
- GoofsThe film is set in San Diego, yet much of it was clearly shot in South Africa. This is especially evident in the police cars and taxis, which appear to be models from twenty years ago. In reality, San Diego police primarily use modern Ford Police Interceptor SUVs (Explorer-based) and sedans (Taurus-based). The older, generic non-Ford vehicles - combined with the distinctly different roads and scenery - make the setting feel noticeably inconsistent.
- ConnectionsFeatured in The Project: Episode dated 4 April 2025 (2025)
- SoundtracksEverybody Hurts
Written by Bill Berry (as William Thomas Berry), Peter Buck (as Peter Lawrence Buck), Mike Mills (as Michael E. Mills) and Michael Stipe (as John Michael Stipe)
Performed by R.E.M.
Courtesy of Craft Recordings, a division of Concord
Details
- Release date
- Countries of origin
- Official site
- Language
- Also known as
- Novocaine sin dolor
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $18,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $19,861,854
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $8,809,436
- Mar 16, 2025
- Gross worldwide
- $34,536,061
- Runtime1 hour 50 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 2.39 : 1
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