Film and literary history are rich with examples of the wild things people would do for love. Romeo and Juliet sees cursed young lovers choose death instead of being separated. Troy has nations go to war over Helen (Diane Kruger). The John Wick franchise follows Keanu Reeves’s assassin as he massacres essentially everyone for the love of a woman and a dog. Chris (Robin Williams) broke into Hell for Annie (Annabella Sciorra) in What Dreams May Come. In Novocaine, an action comedy from Significant Other directors Dan Berk and Robert Olsen, love causes a man to risk his whole life for love, with one catch: thanks to a useful but dangerous medical condition, he can’t feel pain. It’s a gory, bonkers action-comedy premise anchored by a set of strong performances and a surprisingly poignant meet-cute, making for a wildly memorable action outing.
What Is ‘Novocaine’ About?

Nathan Caine (Jack Quaid) is an assistant bank manager at a local credit union living a humdrum life. His medical condition keeps him from feeling pain, so Caine is exceedingly cautious, lest he dangerously and unknowingly injure himself. His office crush on Sherry (Amber Midthunder) seems to be unrequited, until one day when she takes him out to a lunch that becomes so much more. It spirals into a life-changing romantic interlude. He’s on cloud nine the next day, at least until a bank robbery leaves his boss dead and his new paramour taken hostage. The risk-averse Nathan has to trek across the city to save her at any cost to himself… or anyone in his way.
‘Novocaine’ Takes Liberties With The Human Body, But Not With Our Hearts

Image via Paramount Pictures

As Nathan “Novocaine” Caine, Jack Quaid maintains an every-man charm that lands the uniqueness of his condition for both action and comedy purposes, here dialed up in gore as the limits of the human body are stretched. Amber Midthunder exudes an easy, alluring, yet vulnerable charm, and it’s easy to see how the isolated Caine connected so easily and fell so hard in light of the specificity of the set-up. It’s a meet-cute that’s smartly written to get deeper in the introduction than these sorts of films typically allow: she has issues to match Nathan’s own, allowing a deeper investment in the characters that justified Caine’s extreme choice, and it pays off certain surprises as they arise. Jacob Batalon makes for a complex friend and ally to Caine, bettering each scene he’s in, while Ray Nicholson is great as the charming psychopath who leads the robbers.
The script makes good use of the premise throughout, finding comical uses of Caine’s pain-free condition that also give him badass action moments, even if they’re unadvisable or accidental. The film’s antagonists are set up as believable villains, and Quaid capably embodies a character a little out of his depth minus his extraordinary motivation. There are surprises in the film (but try and avoid spoilers and the main trailer if you can), and it is a breezy action outing that excels in the ways you would hope an action-comedy with an absurd premise would. While the film does implausibly stretch the limits of what a human body can survive in practice, it does at least acknowledge physical and practical consequences, so for the most part, it gets a pass on the realism question.

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The film does take an excess of license when it comes to police behavior and choices, and a few segments lose momentum when we’re spending time behind the scenes with the criminals. It also allows some major red flags in certain character interactions to pass by too easily. Still, it’s a charming film with an absurd premise that takes a beat or two extra to ensure the audience is grounded in concern for the characters. It’s a small detail, but it adds a layer of real vulnerability that is often absent in action comedies with absurd premises, which is an inspired choice.
Jack Quaid Excels as a Painless Action Hero in ‘Novocaine’

Image via Paramount Pictures

Altogether, Novocaine is a fun romp that uses body horror trappings to deliver hard-hitting action. It dials the adrenaline up to intentionally absurd action and horror-movie-levels of gore, while maintaining humor and heart. Jack Quaid kills it as the mostly-every-man putting his body on the line for a woman who changed his life, and he sells the hell out of the premise. Amber Midthunder delivers a complex and enticing charm and badassery when needed, for a layered character. The stunt work is well conceived and executed, the editing is timed well for both hard-hitting damage and capably handled comedy. It’s a good time at the movies with enough heart for an emotionally connected core. The squeamish among us might want to be encased in a protective bubble for safekeeping, but if you want a romance with a side of bodily destruction (who doesn’t?), look no further.
Novocaine comes to theaters on March 14.

Novocaine

A beautifully bonkers action-rom-com that leans into body horror territory for laughs, finding love.

Release Date

March 14, 2025

Runtime

110 Minutes

Director

Dan Berk, Robert Olsen

Writers

Lars Jacobson

Pros & Cons

Jack Quaid lands both the action and comedy as the painless but vulnerable Nathan Caine, and Amber Midthunder is a wonderfully complex romantic interest.
The film makes ample use of its premise for both action and comedic purposes, backed by strong stunt choreography and great editing.
The film’s set up makes it easy to care for the characters and invest in their relationship, a must for the film that’s rarely done so well in action-comedies.

There are moments, both physical and emotional, that stretch believability fairly far as written.