The premise of an action movie being the star can’t feel pain isn’t a new idea. If you thought hard enough you could probably imagine Jason Statham starring in it in the early 2000s or maybe some sort of Stallone film in the late 80s. However, that’s not what you get with Novocaine. A movie that doesn’t star your traditional action star in Jack Quaid, and it doesn’t have your traditional action movie feelings. Yes, there are big set pieces and fights, but there’s a heart at the center of the film that sets it apart from the action pack.

The film centers on Nathan Caine (Jack Quaid), who has a rare genetic disorder where he can’t feel pain. It’s led him down a life that is lacking in thrills and he’s got problems connecting with people because of it. He’s an assistant manager at a bank in San Diego, CA and his life gets changed when he goes on a lunch date with the girl of his dreams, Sherry (played by Amber Midthunder). From this point, you’d think that Novocaine would kick into high gear, right (especially if you’ve watched the trailer)? Well, it continues on this path, which isn’t the usual for action movies. Nathan and Sherry go out later that night and build a bond that night. The next day, as he’s going to tell her about how wonderful the date was, bank robbers break in dressed as Santa Claus.

They kill the manager, and Nathan is forced to open the vault. As the cops move in, they take Sherry as a hostage and get away. Nathan has to think either sticking around or chasing after the girl of his dreams, and he makes the sensible choice of chasing after her.

The film also stars Jacob Batalon as Nathan’s online friend Roscoe, Ray Nicholson as Simon the head bank robber, and Matt Walsh and Betty Gabriel as the two detectives on the case. My only real complaint about the film is that Walsh and Gabriel are extraordinarily underused in the film to the point that they don’t really need to be there. It feels like there was more to these two, especially Walsh that ended up being cut, so their scenes feel truncated and choppy.

From there, you get plenty of action, scenes showing off just how a hero who can’t feel pain would be from an action movie standpoint, but also from a comedic aspect. Novocaine is hilarious. Even more than just the odd chuckle, Jack Quaid gives Nathan an everyman feel that makes you want to root for him, but the comedic timing of scenes like him giving first aid advice to a guy who’s trying to kill him or the absolute hilarity of him breaking into a house that is filled with booby traps.

Whatever path you think Novocaine is going to take is a bit different once you get through the entire thing. Whether that’s the villains, the ending, or just the action in general. Looking at the trailer, it looks like they might be going for another John Wick-styled film. You would be wrong. Nathan Caine is a bank manager, he’s not an ass-kicker. What he does though, is take punishment. And even then, he takes a lot of punishment that makes his body shut down or he passes out.

It was so refreshing to see an action movie like this where the protagonist actually gets stopped, by somewhat normal-looking guys too. It doesn’t take a mountain of a man to make Nathan have to think of a different way out, although he does have a fight with an absolute mountain of a man that gives us one of the best set pieces of the film.

I was worried a bit sitting in the theater that Amber Midthunder would be sidelined as the damsel in distress. Her performance in Prey opened up a lot of eyes as to how much ass she can kick. Luckily here, her character does get to kick a bit of ass, AND she’s layered and complex. It’s a blessing to have two protagonists that you can root for and also engage with their flaws and edges as people.

Nathan Caine might not be very good at fighting, but like all of us, when you’re heavily motivated, you can do amazing things. Novocaine also hands out the message that everyone has something to hide, it’s just about finding the people who can help you show it off.

Novocaine is one of the most surprising action films of the year with a star that plenty of audience members will resonate with. Through the whole film, you’ll have a grin from ear to ear while whooping and cheering, and sometimes wincing at some of the bodily pain and harm inflicted.

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