Film Review – Novocaine

Directors Dan Berk and Robert Olsen like the dark stuff. They’ve explored human misery and troubled relationships in features such as “Villains,” “Body,” and “Significant Other.” They graduate to a more visceral level of body horror in “Novocaine,” as screenwriter Lars Jacobson (“Day of the Dead: Bloodline”) cooks up a special recipe of pain that’s sold as something of a romance with bits of superhero cinema as well. It’s the tale of a man who can’t feel pain faced with a seemingly impossible task of rescue, marching into danger for love, only to encounter extreme violence from those who don’t understand what keeps him upright. It’s a formula for a vicious night at the movies, and “Novocaine” gets most of the way there, thanks to a charming lead performance from Jack Quaid. Berk and Olsen launch the picture with enthusiasm and surprises, and while they can’t keep up this momentum, it’s enough to secure an entertaining viewing experience, but not a film for the squeamish. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com