Everybody hurts sometimes, or do they?

Dan Berk and Robert Olsen’s 2025 film, ”Novocaine,” poses the question of what life is without pain and what gives the good things in life meaning if not for the pain.

“Novocaine” follows Nathan Caine, a fairly average man at first glance, but he was born with a genetic condition that makes it so he cannot feel pain. This premise makes the viewer ponder how much of human life is dictated by pain. Common everyday things like eating and using the bathroom are greatly affected by pain.

Nathan finds himself falling for his coworker, Sherry, the girl of his dreams. However, their initial romance is short-lived, as she is kidnapped during a robbery committed by a group of Santa-themed criminals. Nathan quickly bursts into action to get Sherry back.

The film is full of whimsical side characters attached to their unique, memorable moments throughout the film, which are some of the story’s highlights. The best example of this is Jacob Batalon’s character, Roscoe. Roscoe always manages to create some much-needed humor in the darkest of times throughout the story.

At times, the basic plot makes the film seem like the average action-adventure story, but the twist of Nathan’s condition allows for lots of drama, humor, and unique visual set pieces. The plot also throws unexpected twists at the audience that even the most experienced viewers may have missed.

While the visuals are nothing special for most of the film, the action and fight scenes are some of the greatest standout elements. Cinematographer Jacques Jouffret perfectly utilizes cuts and longer single-take action scenes to create a raw, more realistic style of action that flows with the story. The way scenes dip in and out of slow motion also allows the viewer to process everything happening in the often convoluted fight scenes without taking away from the fast-paced experience of many of these fights.

The film may not be very gory, but the story being told does lend itself to visuals that are not intended for less mature audiences or those who are squeamish and can not bear the sight of gory violence. The exceptionally realistic visual effects may cause the viewer some moments that are difficult to not cover their eyes for. Still, most of the violence supports the story, improves the film, and works well with the more humorous aspects to bring laughs along with the violence and gore.

Jack Quaids’s performance as Nathan Caine is the film’s true standout. He manages to make the character relatable and comedic, yet also quite serious, depending on what the scene calls for. Quaid’s performance transcends the lines with the way he delivers them; the greatness comes from his mannerisms and ability to convey so much emotion with his eyes and other facial expressions.

“Novocaine” briefly tackles the flaws of Caine’s condition along with familial trauma, self-harm, therapy, and many other far heavier topics. The film’s largest flaw is how it glosses over these elements fairly quickly in the first act. These aspects could have expanded upon the themes of isolation and depression the film was already setting up. The absence of these topics allows the film to have a far lighter tone, making it more suited to a younger audience.

“Novocaine” is a film that has something for everybody. The action enjoyers will love the elaborate fight scenes and unique kills, the romance enjoyer will love the connection Nathan and Sherry share, and those who love to laugh will rarely experience a dull moment while watching. While the film earns its R rating, the aspects that make “Novocaine” a film that is fun for the whole family outweigh the mature visuals and themes explored. As long as you do not have an issue covering the young film enjoyers’ eyes once in a while, “Novocaine” will be a blast for a diverse audience of those who enjoy a variety of genres.

This story was originally published on Lakewood Times on March 17, 2025.