I’ve long thought that Hollywood had an opening for a quirky, cute, every-man sort of actor. Kind of an American version of Hugh Grant in the 1990s (minus the scandals). Apparently, I hoped hard enough, because Jack Quaid answered the call. If I was ever uncertain about him deserving a spot in the limelight due to his nepo-baby status, those doubts have been squashed with Novocaine – an action-comedy that he makes markedly better simply by being in it. 

​

Quaid plays Nathan Caine, an assistant manager at a bank who, despite having his own office and a megawatt smile, struggles to connect with others. Born with a rare condition that makes it impossible for him to feel pain, Nathan is a social pariah. Growing up, he was made to feel like a weirdo at school – with his condition earning him the nickname “Novocaine” by playground bullies who got their kicks by beating him up.

​

Nathan lives a humdrum existence until one day, a band of bank robbers led by a guy named Simon (Ray Nicholson) terrorizes his branch and takes the girl of his dreams, Sherry (Amber Midthunder) hostage. For the first time, Nathan learns to use his bizarre syndrome to his advantage – putting up a fight to get her back while taking punch after punch without nary a flinch. It’s easier to believe this crazy premise than it is to believe a guy who looks like him would have trouble wooing girls, but I digress.

​

I’m someone who suffers a bit from superhero fatigue, so it is nice to see a “regular dude” save the day outside of the Marvel Machine. It’s a cute enough premise that Quaid elevates with just the right amount of quirkiness I couldn’t help but love. Novocaine really is a romp from start to finish, but as fun as it is – it’s equally gory. Some scenes had me squirming in my seat and audibly groaning, particularly one involving a handgun in a deep fryer. If you’ve ever wondered what a human hand looks like extra crispy, this movie has your answer. 

​

While Novocaine sometimes falls victim to silly scripting tropes, it’s held together by a solid cast of character actors and a ridiculously charming Jack Quaid. It’ll be impossible for you to be numb to Novocaine’s charms.