Novocaine Has One Big Heart!

Despite the frequency of characters beating each other to a pulp and seeing their odds flip in a flash, Novocaine - the latest action-comedy-romance Hollywood flick starring the ever-loveable Jack Quaid of The Boys fame - wants to one-two punch its viewers with something else entirely: A reminder that better things await beyond the comfort zone.

In this film, our main character, Nathan Caine (played by Jack Quaid), is an introvert, mainly due to his CIPA syndrome, which causes him to feel no pain. His days are not only simplistic but also drably safe - working as an assistant bank manager by day and gaming online with his friend Roscoe (Jacob Batalon) by night.

Then comes the reason for Nathan to break out of his shell: his teller colleague Sherry (Amber Midthunder) who feeds him cake, and also is a capable bar wingwoman. But not long after that, comes the moment Nathan must play knight in shining armor because a trio of Santa Claus-costumed robbers have kidnapped Sherry.

Basically, Nathan must be more risk-prone if he wants to retrieve the love of his dreams and the fulfillment in his life.

Novocaine opens in theaters on March 14th, also known as White Valentine's Day, making it a perfect film for date nights with its unique blend of genres and entertaining premise. Before its release, I had the chance to sit down with the cast and crew to discuss their experiences, the film’s creative process, and what other exciting surprises audiences can expect from the film.

A chain of firsts

Much like Nathan, Jack Quaid found himself leaving a comfort zone by accepting the Novocaine gig. The actor, known for the series The Boys, and films such as Companion and Oppenheimer, revealed that this was his first time as a leading man, and his first time performing extensive stunts too.

“Also, the fact that we shot this in Cape Town, South Africa, which was so far away from home for us. I think being away from home that way made us all bond a lot more, much more than if we had shot it stateside,” he added.

What must be noted about Nathan is that he is neither a superhero nor a former assassin. He’s only human, and love mixed with adrenaline is all that’s required to strengthen him. He might feel no pain, but he can still feel hurt (as hinted in the opening song from R.E.M.). These details help distinguish Novocaine from other “killer guy with a kind heart” tales seen in John Wick, Nobody, Love Hurts or even Deadpool.

At a glance, Amber Midthunder is a notch above Jack because 2022’s Prey saw her leading the cast and handling action sequences. But she shared that Sherry is her first time being a romantic interest.

“I took on this role because Sherry’s journey rests on her vulnerability. It was a bit intimidating to think that was the most emotionally bare I’ve ever been in a project,” she said.

(I also took the opportunity to tell Amber this is her second time, after Hell or High Water, playing a character working in a bank that gets robbed. She burst into laughter and said that she would never work at a bank!)

One of Novocaine’s two directors, Dan Berk, added: “Nathan can’t feel physical pain while Sherry is numb, and so they must find each other and open up to one another to find their power. Our goal is, first and foremost, to make an entertaining film, but, if you want to peel back the layers, you can find some thematic nutrition there as well.”

The warmest set

Jacob Batalon, best known as Tom Holland’s Spider-Man’s “guy in the chair,” agreed with me that his Roscoe has much more street cred than the hero — being able to ride a bike, having the same shade of skin as Jason Momoa. However, Batalon said, having never been to South Africa before, he in truth “had to commit to this whole bit of being a selfless best friend out of nowhere when I didn’t know that person at all.”

Ray Nicholson, the son of actor Jack Nicholson, understood what Batalon meant. The Smile 2 actor may be playing the loudmouth of the Santa Claus robbers in Novocaine, but he was smiling and talking most gently throughout the interview.

“It was exciting that the whole cast was young and a little wet behind the ears,” he said. “We really had each other’s backs because this was a big opportunity for all of us and, as you said it, we were all out of our comfort zones [...] There was something special about the last day where everyone all cried. We love this project and each other.”

That very care had helped the film’s two directors in maneuvering the action component. Robert Olsen said this is his introduction to the action genre, and that his and Dan’s previous experience in horror and thriller would only assist to a certain extent.

“We did little physical altercation scenes here and there, but we had never done these long fight scenes or multiple fight scenes before,” Olsen added. “But we’d be able to lean on people with experience, those who have done dozens and dozens of action films. Even though we were stepping into a new genre, we felt incredibly supported throughout.”

Some other names in the Novocaine crew include those who have worked on large-scale action titles such as composers Lorne Balfe and Andrew Kawczynski (Gran Turismo), editor Christian Wagner (of the Fast & Furious series) and the South Africa-based stunt team of Avengers: Age of Ultron.

Novocaine (Vietnamese title: Anh Không Đau, T18 (18 and above) rating, 110 minutes) will be shown in cinemas beginning March 14.