Paramount’s “Novocaine,” released on March 14, will keep a viewer on the edge of your seat — not from excitement, but from the sheer intensity of its gore and blood.
Jack Quaid stars as Nathan Caine, an awkward assistant manager with Congenital Insensitivity to Pain with Anhidrosis (CIPA): a disorder that makes him immune to pain, and unfortunately, incapable of appreciating a good plate of spicy wings. This also makes him an excellent punching bag for a gang of robbers who kidnaps his lover.
The film starts off strong: Caine’s condition gives him a superhuman-like edge, and the fight scenes are fun to watch until they become more and more unrealistic. Stabbed? No problem. Burned? He’ll walk it off. Thrown through a glass window? Barely an inconvenience. CIPA means you don’t feel pain — it doesn’t make you immortal.
By the third act, it feels less like a high-stakes action flick and more like a medical show gone wrong. While the film tries to be clever with its premise, it ultimately stretches believability to the breaking point — unlike Nathan’s bones, which apparently never break.
The entire plot revolves around Caine risking his life to save Sherry Margrave (Amber Midthunder), a woman he had one date with. While “Novocaine” wants us to believe this is a grand romantic gesture, it comes across as laughably forced. Caine’s relentless pursuit of someone he barely knows feels less like love and more like an exaggerated case of main character syndrome.
With that being said, the movie does have its moments. It brings awareness to a rare genetic disorder, and the movie is actually quite humorous. It’s entertaining enough to keep watching, and there is a twist that will keep you on your toes. Though it is not worth a theater experience, it is still enjoyable enough for TV.
Near the end of the movie, law enforcement finally makes an appearance. Throughout the film, Caine’s relentless chase to save Margrave leaves chaos in his wake, yet only two officers with nothing but pistols are assigned to the case. Meanwhile, Nathan manages to take on notorious criminals, which seems completely unrealistic.
Quaid often portrays socially awkward characters who seek approval and revenge. In “The Boys,” he plays a nervous, socially awkward man driven by vengeance for his girlfriend. While this character archetype has worked for him in the past, it is starting to feel repetitive, making “Novocaine” just another cog in the world of action movies.
The film grossed $8.7 million during opening weekend, making it the slowest movie in 2025, despite having a budget of $18 million. While the film attempts to blend action, humor and a unique medical condition into an engaging story, it ultimately struggles to find its footing. “Novocaine” may have solidified its place as one of the year’s biggest disappointments already.
If a viewer can ignore the laws of biology and physics, it’s a fun ride when one doesn’t think too hard about it — because unlike our hero, viewers will feel the pain.
