Everyone’s favorite “nepo baby,” Jack Quaid, plays “Novocaine” in this action-packed thriller that doubles as a modern romantic comedy. Quaid plays Nathan Caine, an average guy with an interesting genetic disorder: he cannot feel any pain. His condition proves itself useful for Nate when he has to fight armed thieves to save the girl he loves.
Quaid is the son of respected actor Dennis Quaid and landed his breakout role in the 2019 series, “The Boys.” Quaid is also recognized for playing Ghostface in “Scream” (2022) and a leading role in the 2025 thriller, “Companion.” In “Novocaine,” Quaid shines as a charismatic protagonist that is easy to root for. He steals every scene, flip-flopping from an awkward and comedic ordinary guy to a determined fighter and superhero-type.
This film has the freedom to go beyond where most action movies can because of Nate’s condition. Occasionally, in action movies or the like, scenes are deemed unrealistic because of how much the average character can withstand, such as dramatic falls or horrific pain. In “Novocaine,” it makes sense for Nate to be able to catch a knife blade-first or stick his hand in boiling oil and still continue to get up and fight.
This unique aspect of the film also gave insight into how much an actor actually has to act in a thriller like this. In one scene, Nate has an arrow sticking out of his leg and one of the villains vigorously shakes it to cause him more pain. Nate, feeling no pain, initially forgets he has to have a reaction and fakes a scream. In moments like these, you appreciate how much actors can realistically depict something that isn’t actually happening. The effect remains the same for an actor that does have to depict pain, except the reliance is on the actor to play it believably.
Nate gets creative with his surroundings and the film provides solid gore effects. From Nate’s fried hand to a bone sticking out of his arm, the special effects are great and they hold up throughout the film. Being that Nate has no real superpower and cannot regenerate or self-heal, he carries his injuries around for the duration of the film, and they look realistic the whole time.
One flaw of the film is the lack of chemistry between Nate and the girl he loves, Sherry, on their first date. Their relationship felt incredibly rushed and underdeveloped, which makes it slightly harder to imagine Nate fighting so hard for her. However, feelings and chemistry are subjective, and it does not take anything away from the movie.
“Novocaine” has a plot twist about halfway through, revealing that Sherry has been working with the thieves. Unbeknownst to Nate, she only pursued him to get information about their workplace. In true rom-com fashion, she ended up genuinely falling in love with him and could not follow through with the plan.
“Smile 2” actor and son of Jack Nicholson, Ray Nicholson, is the other “nepo baby” featured in this movie. He plays Sherry’s brother, one of the villains, pushing Nate to the brink and forcing him to fight until the very last second. Nicholson delivers a menacing performance, excelling at the villain role, following in his father’s footsteps.
In theaters, a clip of Quaid, Amber Midthunder and Jacob Batalon plays before the movie. They thank the audience for viewing their film on the big screen, the way it was meant to be seen. From the performances to the fun effects and lighthearted tone, “Novocaine” is definitely worth seeing in theaters.
