No pain, yet much to gain for Jack Quaid – Beyond Bollywood

Writer Lars Jacobson and directors Dan Berk and Robert Olsen earn respect for not portraying their protagonist as a superhero but instead showing what it’s like to live with Congenital Insensitivity to Pain. The romance between Jack Quaid and Amber Midthunder is the heart of this action comedy.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3 / 5)

By Mayur Lookhar

A man who feels no pain—he ought to be a superhero. But in the real world, this is not a gift; it’s a condition called Congenital Insensitivity to Pain (CIP). His doctors once predicted he wouldn’t live past 25, but Nathan Caine (Jack Quaid) is now 30, thriving as an Assistant Manager at a prominent bank in San Diego. Growing up, he was naturally bullied at school and college, and had to bear the mental pain of being nicknamed Novocaine—a brand name for a local anesthetic called procaine. His condition and surname, however, only seemed to make the teasing worse.

That was years ago, though. Nathan has come a long way since then, and after moving around, he has settled in San Diego. Due to his condition, he has chosen to be a recluse—until he can no longer resist the charm of a relatively new colleague, Sherry (Amber Midthunder). Clearly, the man has never dated, and he is naturally nervous when she asks him out for lunch. Later that evening, she accompanies him home. He opens up to her, explaining his condition and even revealing his self-tattooed torso. She is curious whether he can feel pleasure. His nervousness soon turns into the greatest moment of his life.

An elated Nathan looks forward to the next day, feeling he has finally found a purpose in life. Just when everything seems rosy, life throws him his toughest challenge. Dressed as Santa, armed robbers storm the bank, kill the manager, and, worse, take Sherry hostage. Surely, he is not prepared to lose the person who now means everything to him. Until yesterday, this gentle soul wouldn’t hurt a fly, but now Nathan Caine is determined to rescue his beloved. As the robbery and violence unfold, there is an air of inevitability, leaving the discerning viewer wondering whether this battle is worth fighting. It is also here that a sudden moral awakening of a character comes into question.

Though predictable, writer Lars Jacobson and director duo Dan Berk and Robert Olsen deliver a thrilling action comedy that stands out for its quality writing and strong performances by Jack Quaid and Amber Midthunder. The early courtship is particularly enticing—an experience that feels deeply personal due to the humility and simplicity of the two characters. There is no showiness, as both Nathan and Sherry openly reveal their true selves and difficult early years, especially Sherry, who grew up in foster care before venturing out on her own. The audience instantly forms an emotional connection with these characters. This love, this battle, is worth fighting for.

The opening sequences are near flawless, setting the expectation for an equally gripping and thrilling resolution to the conflict. The humour works well in the middle of the story but feels somewhat unwarranted in the climax. Much of it stems from Nathan’s condition, with Ben (Ewen Hengst) and later his brother Andre (Conrad Hemp) bewildered by how Nathan feels no pain despite a brutal beating.  Before Andre arrives home, poor Nathan finds himself in a Home Alone-like situation, with various metal objects piercing his body and eventually hanging upside down. He even has the sense of humour to tell Andre that he is just an ordinary thief and quips that the brothers seem fans of Home Alone. The climax features brutal action, with Nathan battered and pushed to his limits as he battles the main antagonist, Simon (Ray Nicholson). Simon is a brute, but he tries a bit too hard to be a sadistic, psychotic villain who revels in inflicting pain.

What consistently works for the film is its engaging writing and top-notch performance by Jack Quaid, Amber Midthunder. This is the first Jack Quaid film we have seen, and one must say that not just us, but even veteran actor Dennis Quaid would be proud of his son’s efforts. Yes, this is just a film, but it takes conviction to play a character who feels no pain.  And it’s here that Quaid wins over the audience.

As we mentioned at the start, directors Berk and Olsen have not portrayed Nathan as a superhero. Instead, the film sensitively acknowledges the plight of those few unfortunate souls born with this condition. Sure, men like Nathan can’t feel pain, but they still bleed. Berk and Olsen are careful not to throw logic out the window, as the final visuals firmly reinforce Nathan’s mortality.

This reviewer was blown away by Amber Midthunder after first watching her in Prey (2022), which many described as perhaps the best Predator film in the franchise since Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 1987 original. Midthunder only adds to her growing reputation with yet another convincing performance. 

At the bar, Nathan is stunned to encounter a former college bully who doesn’t miss the chance to tease him again. As Nathan heads for his usual loo break, Sherry strikes up a conversation with the bully, clearly making Nathan uncomfortable. “You two seem to be getting along fine,” he remarks to Sherry and his old tormentor.  For a moment, Nathan fears his first date night is ruined, but the smart Sherry ensures the bully leaves with a bad taste in his mouth. And speaking of taste, Quaid delights in every bite as he finally indulges in the finest pie in town. Until now, Nathan had avoided such pleasures, fearing he might bite his tongue without realising it. But a good pie is simply irresistible. The Quaid-Midthunder chemistry sizzles and is a sight to behold.

The protagonists are spot on, but Olsen and Berk make a clever choice by casting Jacob Batalon as Roscoe, Nathan’s online gaming partner. They’ve never met or even seen each other, yet in his moment of crisis, Nathan instinctively turns to him. It’s also a subtle reminder to gadget addicts that there’s a world of difference between winning in a video game and facing real-life danger. But the geeks might argue—didn’t all that gaming experience prove useful after all?

The film’s standout moments come from Nathan’s conversations with SDPD senior cop Mincy Langston (Betty Gabriel). Their first exchange happens when Mincy calls to urge Nathan not to take the law into his own hands. Lovestruck and determined, Nathan fires back, “Would you do the same if your daughter were kidnapped?” In the closing moments, Mincy wryly remarks on Nathan’s white privilege, noting how he has walked away with just a suspended six-month sentence. Her daughter never appears on screen, yet in a touching gesture, the young child sends Nathan a handmade get well soon card.

Given the title, Olsen and Berk had to do justice to their no-pain protagonist. Some scenes are brutal, but the dark humour softens the impact of the gore. More than the action, it’s the emotional experience that makes Novocaine a truly delightful romantic, action comedy.  What are you waiting for? Go get your adrenaline fix!

Distributed by Paramount Pictures, Novocaine (2025) releases in theatres worldwide from 14 March.