Review by jakethesnake-18813

Honestly, this is everything Love Hurts should've been. A movie about a likable protagonist who becomes an action hero to save the girl and beat the bad guys. It's very easy to enjoy, even if it isn't perfect! I think what hurts it the most is the writing on many fronts. One, as great as Jack Quaid is at playing it, Nathan's dorky nice guy schtick gets old after a while. Secondly, the final act does lose a ton of steam and just overall doesn't really hold a candle to the first two. Thirdly, the cops feel very superfluous and there to just fill screentime (and I guess maybe add some realism to this rather larger than life plot). Finally, and most importantly, is the character of Sherry. As good as Amber Midthunder's performance and chemistry with Quaid are, the character herself just isn't that well developed and feels more like a plot device more than anything. That being said though, everyone in the cast does a great job, especially Jacob Batolon and Ray Nicholson (honestly imo one of the better villains to come out of a modern action movie in recent years) in addition to our two leads. The concept itself is pretty cool and interesting. And at the end of the day, it is a ton of fun to watch, with lots of brutal but exciting action the whole way through. Overall, in what hasn't been that spectacular a year of cinema so far, Novocaine isn't necessarily going to change that but proves there is still entertainment to be had.