{"id":1000075240,"date":"2026-07-25T23:28:54","date_gmt":"2026-07-26T04:28:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cinesist.com\/?post_type=cdb_movie&p=1000075240"},"modified":"2026-07-25T23:29:03","modified_gmt":"2026-07-26T04:29:03","slug":"novocaine-2025","status":"publish","type":"cdb_movie","link":"https:\/\/cinesist.com\/db\/movie\/novocaine-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"Novocaine (2025)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Forget supersoldier serums or special forces training; Nathan Caine\u2019s superpower is a rare genetic disorder called Congenital Insensitivity to Pain (C.I.P.). A sheltered, ultra-cautious bank executive living on liquid diets to avoid biting his own tongue off, Nate\u2019s fragile, heavily regimented life is shattered when a crew of psychotic bank robbers\u2014led by a delightfully unhinged Ray Nicholson\u2014storms his branch and kidnaps his co-worker crush, Sherry (Amber Midthunder).<\/sup> Driven by pure adrenaline and romantic obsession, Nate abandons his safety protocols and transforms into a human battering ram. What follows is a deliciously gratuitous, high-octane cross-city chase where Nate takes point-blank gunshots, deep third-degree burns, and shattered bones straight to the chin without flinching, using his total immunity to physical agony as an brutal, unpredictable weapon to dismantle a criminal syndicate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Think you have the stomach for a hero who ignores broken bones like papercuts? Check out our full critical breakdown, view the high-impact trailers, and explore the CinesistDB profile for Novocaine!<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What happens when you take a guy who sets phone alarms to remind himself to use the restroom so his bladder doesn’t burst, and force him into a John Wick-level hostage rescue? Declassify the full CinesistDB entry for Novocaine to break down Jack Quaid\u2019s pain-immune wrecking ball, Amber Midthunder\u2019s badass hostage arc, and why this mid-budget action comedy punches way above its weight class\u2014unlock the dossier, stream the trailers, and claim the lore now!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":1000075241,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","ai_generated_summary":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1547,1546],"tags":[],"cdb_character":[3628,3633,3635,3629,3639,3626,3638,3631,3636,3641,3625,3622,3640,3630,3637,3627,3623,3624,3634,3632],"cinescore":[2617],"cdb_genre":[3202,3383,3351],"cdb_job_role":[3234,3230,3231,3233,3229,3232],"cdb_mpa_rating":[3460],"cdb_network":[3481],"cdb_platform":[3621],"release-year":[831],"cdb_studio":[3567,3538,3566,3549,3565],"universe":[],"class_list":["post-1000075240","cdb_movie","type-cdb_movie","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","category-db-movies","category-db","cdb_character-andre","cdb_character-asshole","cdb_character-bartender","cdb_character-ben","cdb_character-call-trace-officer","cdb_character-coltraine","cdb_character-downed-officer","cdb_character-earl","cdb_character-elderly-woman","cdb_character-emt-1","cdb_character-mincy","cdb_character-nate","cdb_character-news-reporter","cdb_character-nigel","cdb_character-officer-1","cdb_character-roscoe","cdb_character-sherry","cdb_character-simon","cdb_character-waitress","cdb_character-zeno","cinescore-trash","cdb_genre-action","cdb_genre-comedy","cdb_genre-thriller","cdb_job_role-director","cdb_job_role-director-of-photography","cdb_job_role-executive-producer","cdb_job_role-original-music-composer","cdb_job_role-producer","cdb_job_role-writer","cdb_mpa_rating-r","cdb_network-prime-video","cdb_platform-paramount","release-year-831","cdb_studio-circle-management-production","cdb_studio-domain-entertainment","cdb_studio-infrared-pictures","cdb_studio-paramount-pictures","cdb_studio-safehouse-pictures"],"acf":{"cdb_tmdb_id":1195506,"cdb_tmdb_id_source":{"label":"TMDB ID","type":"number","formatted_value":"1195506"},"cdb_imdb_id":"tt29603959","cdb_imdb_id_source":{"label":"IMDB ID","type":"text","formatted_value":"tt29603959"},"cdb_external_id":"movie_1195506","cdb_external_id_source":{"label":"External Import ID","type":"text","formatted_value":"movie_1195506"},"cdb_release_date":"20250303","cdb_release_date_source":{"label":"Release Date","type":"date_picker","formatted_value":"2025-03-03"},"cdb_runtime":110,"cdb_runtime_source":{"label":"Runtime (minutes)","type":"number","formatted_value":"110"},"cdb_tagline":"Nathan Caine can't feel pain.","cdb_tagline_source":{"label":"Tagline","type":"text","formatted_value":"Nathan Caine can't feel pain."},"cdb_rating":6.784,"cdb_rating_source":{"label":"TMDB Rating (0\u201310)","type":"number","formatted_value":"6.784"},"cdb_vote_count":1664,"cdb_vote_count_source":{"label":"Vote Count","type":"number","formatted_value":"1664"},"cdb_popularity":11.733,"cdb_popularity_source":{"label":"TMDB Popularity Score","type":"number","formatted_value":"11.733"},"cdb_budget":18000000,"cdb_budget_source":{"label":"Production Budget (USD)","type":"number","formatted_value":"18000000"},"cdb_revenue":34536061,"cdb_revenue_source":{"label":"Box Office Revenue (USD)","type":"number","formatted_value":"34536061"},"cdb_original_language":"","cdb_original_language_source":{"label":"Original Language","type":"text","formatted_value":""},"cdb_synopsis":"When the girl of his dreams is kidnapped, everyman Nate turns his inability to feel pain into an unexpected strength in his fight to get her back.","cdb_synopsis_source":{"label":"Synopsis","type":"textarea","formatted_value":"

When the girl of his dreams is kidnapped, everyman Nate turns his inability to feel pain into an unexpected strength in his fight to get her back.<\/p>\n"},"cdb_status":"Released","cdb_status_source":{"label":"Status","type":"text","formatted_value":"Released"},"cdb_cinescore":"4","cdb_cinescore_source":{"label":"Movie Cinescore","type":"text","formatted_value":"4"},"cdb_poster":1000075241,"cdb_poster_source":{"label":"Movie Poster","type":"image","formatted_value":1000075241},"cdb_backdrop":1000075669,"cdb_backdrop_source":{"label":"Backdrop \/ Banner","type":"image","formatted_value":1000075669},"cdb_gallery":[1000075670,1000075671,1000075672,1000075673,1000075674,1000075675],"cdb_gallery_source":{"label":"Stills Gallery","type":"gallery","formatted_value":[1000075670,1000075671,1000075672,1000075673,1000075674,1000075675]},"cdb_trailer_url":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=umRCyzjQttA","cdb_trailer_url_source":{"label":"Trailer (YouTube URL)","type":"oembed","formatted_value":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=umRCyzjQttA"},"cdb_cast":[{"cdb_cast_tmdb_person_id":1030513,"cdb_cast_person_name":"Jack Quaid","cdb_cast_character_name":"Nate","cdb_cast_order":0,"cdb_cast_profile_image":1000075811},{"cdb_cast_tmdb_person_id":1654001,"cdb_cast_person_name":"Amber Midthunder","cdb_cast_character_name":"Sherry","cdb_cast_order":1,"cdb_cast_profile_image":1000075812},{"cdb_cast_tmdb_person_id":60960,"cdb_cast_person_name":"Ray Nicholson","cdb_cast_character_name":"Simon","cdb_cast_order":2,"cdb_cast_profile_image":1000075813},{"cdb_cast_tmdb_person_id":1660452,"cdb_cast_person_name":"Betty Gabriel","cdb_cast_character_name":"Mincy","cdb_cast_order":3,"cdb_cast_profile_image":1000075814},{"cdb_cast_tmdb_person_id":59841,"cdb_cast_person_name":"Matt Walsh","cdb_cast_character_name":"Coltraine","cdb_cast_order":4,"cdb_cast_profile_image":1000075815},{"cdb_cast_tmdb_person_id":1649152,"cdb_cast_person_name":"Jacob Batalon","cdb_cast_character_name":"Roscoe","cdb_cast_order":5,"cdb_cast_profile_image":1000075816},{"cdb_cast_tmdb_person_id":228372,"cdb_cast_person_name":"Conrad Kemp","cdb_cast_character_name":"Andre","cdb_cast_order":6,"cdb_cast_profile_image":false},{"cdb_cast_tmdb_person_id":2387576,"cdb_cast_person_name":"Evan Hengst","cdb_cast_character_name":"Ben","cdb_cast_order":7,"cdb_cast_profile_image":1000075817},{"cdb_cast_tmdb_person_id":1587571,"cdb_cast_person_name":"Craig Jackson","cdb_cast_character_name":"Nigel","cdb_cast_order":8,"cdb_cast_profile_image":1000075818},{"cdb_cast_tmdb_person_id":168924,"cdb_cast_person_name":"Lou Beatty Jr.","cdb_cast_character_name":"Earl","cdb_cast_order":9,"cdb_cast_profile_image":1000075819},{"cdb_cast_tmdb_person_id":1050405,"cdb_cast_person_name":"Garth Collins","cdb_cast_character_name":"Zeno","cdb_cast_order":10,"cdb_cast_profile_image":1000075820},{"cdb_cast_tmdb_person_id":2527924,"cdb_cast_person_name":"Tristan de Beer","cdb_cast_character_name":"Asshole","cdb_cast_order":11,"cdb_cast_profile_image":1000075821},{"cdb_cast_tmdb_person_id":4771756,"cdb_cast_person_name":"Jessica Stanley","cdb_cast_character_name":"Waitress","cdb_cast_order":12,"cdb_cast_profile_image":1000075822},{"cdb_cast_tmdb_person_id":3616915,"cdb_cast_person_name":"Chioma Antoinette Umeala","cdb_cast_character_name":"Bartender","cdb_cast_order":13,"cdb_cast_profile_image":1000075823},{"cdb_cast_tmdb_person_id":2328190,"cdb_cast_person_name":"Margot Wood","cdb_cast_character_name":"Elderly Woman","cdb_cast_order":14,"cdb_cast_profile_image":1000075824},{"cdb_cast_tmdb_person_id":2092026,"cdb_cast_person_name":"Dylan Skews","cdb_cast_character_name":"Officer 1","cdb_cast_order":15,"cdb_cast_profile_image":1000075825},{"cdb_cast_tmdb_person_id":1368127,"cdb_cast_person_name":"Keeno Lee Hector","cdb_cast_character_name":"Downed Officer","cdb_cast_order":16,"cdb_cast_profile_image":1000075826},{"cdb_cast_tmdb_person_id":1610859,"cdb_cast_person_name":"Maria Vos","cdb_cast_character_name":"Call Trace Officer","cdb_cast_order":17,"cdb_cast_profile_image":1000075827},{"cdb_cast_tmdb_person_id":2387567,"cdb_cast_person_name":"Dominique Maher","cdb_cast_character_name":"News Reporter","cdb_cast_order":18,"cdb_cast_profile_image":1000075828},{"cdb_cast_tmdb_person_id":1343741,"cdb_cast_person_name":"DeVille Vannik","cdb_cast_character_name":"EMT #1","cdb_cast_order":19,"cdb_cast_profile_image":1000075829}],"cdb_cast_source":{"label":"Cast","type":"repeater","formatted_value":[{"cdb_cast_tmdb_person_id":"1030513","cdb_cast_person_name":"Jack Quaid","cdb_cast_character_name":"Nate","cdb_cast_order":"0","cdb_cast_profile_image":1000075811},{"cdb_cast_tmdb_person_id":"1654001","cdb_cast_person_name":"Amber Midthunder","cdb_cast_character_name":"Sherry","cdb_cast_order":"1","cdb_cast_profile_image":1000075812},{"cdb_cast_tmdb_person_id":"60960","cdb_cast_person_name":"Ray Nicholson","cdb_cast_character_name":"Simon","cdb_cast_order":"2","cdb_cast_profile_image":1000075813},{"cdb_cast_tmdb_person_id":"1660452","cdb_cast_person_name":"Betty Gabriel","cdb_cast_character_name":"Mincy","cdb_cast_order":"3","cdb_cast_profile_image":1000075814},{"cdb_cast_tmdb_person_id":"59841","cdb_cast_person_name":"Matt Walsh","cdb_cast_character_name":"Coltraine","cdb_cast_order":"4","cdb_cast_profile_image":1000075815},{"cdb_cast_tmdb_person_id":"1649152","cdb_cast_person_name":"Jacob Batalon","cdb_cast_character_name":"Roscoe","cdb_cast_order":"5","cdb_cast_profile_image":1000075816},{"cdb_cast_tmdb_person_id":"228372","cdb_cast_person_name":"Conrad Kemp","cdb_cast_character_name":"Andre","cdb_cast_order":"6","cdb_cast_profile_image":false},{"cdb_cast_tmdb_person_id":"2387576","cdb_cast_person_name":"Evan Hengst","cdb_cast_character_name":"Ben","cdb_cast_order":"7","cdb_cast_profile_image":1000075817},{"cdb_cast_tmdb_person_id":"1587571","cdb_cast_person_name":"Craig Jackson","cdb_cast_character_name":"Nigel","cdb_cast_order":"8","cdb_cast_profile_image":1000075818},{"cdb_cast_tmdb_person_id":"168924","cdb_cast_person_name":"Lou Beatty Jr.","cdb_cast_character_name":"Earl","cdb_cast_order":"9","cdb_cast_profile_image":1000075819},{"cdb_cast_tmdb_person_id":"1050405","cdb_cast_person_name":"Garth Collins","cdb_cast_character_name":"Zeno","cdb_cast_order":"10","cdb_cast_profile_image":1000075820},{"cdb_cast_tmdb_person_id":"2527924","cdb_cast_person_name":"Tristan de Beer","cdb_cast_character_name":"Asshole","cdb_cast_order":"11","cdb_cast_profile_image":1000075821},{"cdb_cast_tmdb_person_id":"4771756","cdb_cast_person_name":"Jessica Stanley","cdb_cast_character_name":"Waitress","cdb_cast_order":"12","cdb_cast_profile_image":1000075822},{"cdb_cast_tmdb_person_id":"3616915","cdb_cast_person_name":"Chioma Antoinette Umeala","cdb_cast_character_name":"Bartender","cdb_cast_order":"13","cdb_cast_profile_image":1000075823},{"cdb_cast_tmdb_person_id":"2328190","cdb_cast_person_name":"Margot Wood","cdb_cast_character_name":"Elderly Woman","cdb_cast_order":"14","cdb_cast_profile_image":1000075824},{"cdb_cast_tmdb_person_id":"2092026","cdb_cast_person_name":"Dylan Skews","cdb_cast_character_name":"Officer 1","cdb_cast_order":"15","cdb_cast_profile_image":1000075825},{"cdb_cast_tmdb_person_id":"1368127","cdb_cast_person_name":"Keeno Lee Hector","cdb_cast_character_name":"Downed Officer","cdb_cast_order":"16","cdb_cast_profile_image":1000075826},{"cdb_cast_tmdb_person_id":"1610859","cdb_cast_person_name":"Maria Vos","cdb_cast_character_name":"Call Trace Officer","cdb_cast_order":"17","cdb_cast_profile_image":1000075827},{"cdb_cast_tmdb_person_id":"2387567","cdb_cast_person_name":"Dominique Maher","cdb_cast_character_name":"News Reporter","cdb_cast_order":"18","cdb_cast_profile_image":1000075828},{"cdb_cast_tmdb_person_id":"1343741","cdb_cast_person_name":"DeVille Vannik","cdb_cast_character_name":"EMT #1","cdb_cast_order":"19","cdb_cast_profile_image":1000075829}]},"cdb_crew":[{"cdb_crew_tmdb_person_id":1361389,"cdb_crew_person_name":"Dan Berk","cdb_crew_job":"Director","cdb_crew_profile_image":1000075830},{"cdb_crew_tmdb_person_id":1283526,"cdb_crew_person_name":"Robert Olsen","cdb_crew_job":"Director","cdb_crew_profile_image":1000075831},{"cdb_crew_tmdb_person_id":544863,"cdb_crew_person_name":"Lars Jacobson","cdb_crew_job":"Writer","cdb_crew_profile_image":false},{"cdb_crew_tmdb_person_id":3393932,"cdb_crew_person_name":"Drew Simon","cdb_crew_job":"Producer","cdb_crew_profile_image":1000075832},{"cdb_crew_tmdb_person_id":74569,"cdb_crew_person_name":"Joby Harold","cdb_crew_job":"Producer","cdb_crew_profile_image":1000075833},{"cdb_crew_tmdb_person_id":1162589,"cdb_crew_person_name":"Paul Barbeau","cdb_crew_job":"Executive Producer","cdb_crew_profile_image":false},{"cdb_crew_tmdb_person_id":2379438,"cdb_crew_person_name":"Josh Adler","cdb_crew_job":"Executive Producer","cdb_crew_profile_image":false},{"cdb_crew_tmdb_person_id":1186279,"cdb_crew_person_name":"Jacques Jouffret","cdb_crew_job":"Director of Photography","cdb_crew_profile_image":1000075834},{"cdb_crew_tmdb_person_id":929145,"cdb_crew_person_name":"Lorne Balfe","cdb_crew_job":"Original Music Composer","cdb_crew_profile_image":1000075835},{"cdb_crew_tmdb_person_id":1826909,"cdb_crew_person_name":"Andrew Kawczynski","cdb_crew_job":"Original Music Composer","cdb_crew_profile_image":1000075836}],"cdb_crew_source":{"label":"Crew","type":"repeater","formatted_value":[{"cdb_crew_tmdb_person_id":"1361389","cdb_crew_person_name":"Dan Berk","cdb_crew_job":"Director","cdb_crew_profile_image":1000075830},{"cdb_crew_tmdb_person_id":"1283526","cdb_crew_person_name":"Robert Olsen","cdb_crew_job":"Director","cdb_crew_profile_image":1000075831},{"cdb_crew_tmdb_person_id":"544863","cdb_crew_person_name":"Lars Jacobson","cdb_crew_job":"Writer","cdb_crew_profile_image":false},{"cdb_crew_tmdb_person_id":"3393932","cdb_crew_person_name":"Drew Simon","cdb_crew_job":"Producer","cdb_crew_profile_image":1000075832},{"cdb_crew_tmdb_person_id":"74569","cdb_crew_person_name":"Joby Harold","cdb_crew_job":"Producer","cdb_crew_profile_image":1000075833},{"cdb_crew_tmdb_person_id":"1162589","cdb_crew_person_name":"Paul Barbeau","cdb_crew_job":"Executive Producer","cdb_crew_profile_image":false},{"cdb_crew_tmdb_person_id":"2379438","cdb_crew_person_name":"Josh Adler","cdb_crew_job":"Executive Producer","cdb_crew_profile_image":false},{"cdb_crew_tmdb_person_id":"1186279","cdb_crew_person_name":"Jacques Jouffret","cdb_crew_job":"Director of Photography","cdb_crew_profile_image":1000075834},{"cdb_crew_tmdb_person_id":"929145","cdb_crew_person_name":"Lorne Balfe","cdb_crew_job":"Original Music Composer","cdb_crew_profile_image":1000075835},{"cdb_crew_tmdb_person_id":"1826909","cdb_crew_person_name":"Andrew Kawczynski","cdb_crew_job":"Original Music Composer","cdb_crew_profile_image":1000075836}]},"cdb_imdb_url":"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt29603959\/","cdb_imdb_url_source":{"label":"IMDb URL","type":"url","formatted_value":"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt29603959\/"},"cdb_tmdb_url":"https:\/\/www.themoviedb.org\/movie\/1195506","cdb_tmdb_url_source":{"label":"TMDB URL","type":"url","formatted_value":"https:\/\/www.themoviedb.org\/movie\/1195506"},"cdb_homepage":"https:\/\/www.paramountmovies.com\/movies\/novocaine","cdb_homepage_source":{"label":"Official Homepage","type":"url","formatted_value":"https:\/\/www.paramountmovies.com\/movies\/novocaine"},"cdb_facebook_url":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/NovocaineMovie","cdb_facebook_url_source":{"label":"Facebook Page","type":"url","formatted_value":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/NovocaineMovie"},"cdb_instagram_url":"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/novocainemovie","cdb_instagram_url_source":{"label":"Instagram Profile","type":"url","formatted_value":"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/novocainemovie"},"cdb_twitter_url":"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NovocaineMovie","cdb_twitter_url_source":{"label":"Twitter Profile","type":"url","formatted_value":"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NovocaineMovie"},"cdb_amazon_asin":"https:\/\/amzn.to\/4fAG","cdb_amazon_asin_source":{"label":"Amazon ASIN","type":"text","formatted_value":"https:\/\/amzn.to\/4fAG"},"cdb_affiliate_clicks":0,"cdb_affiliate_clicks_source":{"label":"Affiliate Click Count","type":"number","formatted_value":"0"},"movie_review_post":[1000062295],"movie_review_post_source":{"label":"Movie Review Post","type":"relationship","formatted_value":[{"ID":1000062295,"post_author":"36","post_date":"2026-07-26 00:00:00","post_date_gmt":"2026-07-26 05:00:00","post_content":"\n

We finally dove into Novocaine<\/em> <\/a>on Paramount+<\/a>! With a premise like \"can't feel pain\" and Jack Quaid<\/a>, we had hopes. Did it deliver? Well, it was... alright. Here's the unfiltered truth on this middle-of-the-road action-thriller. \ud83e\udd37\u200d\u2640\ufe0f<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/99BLnkAlC1M?si=Q8-NcoV2CX7HG6eI\n<\/div>
They say Novocaine lets you feel no pain. After watching this trailer, you might just feel... no excitement. \ud83d\ude09<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Alright, Operatives, gather 'round, because we just took one for the team. We plunged into the depths of Novocaine<\/em>, a film promising a protagonist who \"can't feel pain\" \u2013 which, let's be real, sounds like a recipe for MAXIMUM SNARK<\/strong><\/mark>, chaos and some gloriously stupid action sequences. Unfortunately, much like its namesake, this movie left us feeling... mostly numb. It's that kind of 'alright' that makes you question your life choices, but also wonder if you actually saw something worthwhile in the haze. We rate it a 5<\/strong>, and trust us, that's being generous<\/em>. Prepare for a rollercoaster of mediocrity, punctuated by one genuinely Oscar-Worthy twist we might<\/em> just forgive the rest for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Jack
When you realize being immune to pain means you're just really good at getting into trouble. Jack Quaid, living his best (and most violently chaotic) life in 'Novocaine'. Still just 'alright,' though.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Premise: More Painful Than Promised?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The core concept of Novocaine<\/em> \u2013 a guy who literally can\u2019t feel pain \u2013 sounds like PURE CINEMA!<\/mark><\/strong> for a gritty, over-the-top action thriller, right? You imagine him shrugging off bullet wounds, walking through fire, perhaps using a live grenade as a party favor. And for a glorious, fleeting moment, the film flirts<\/em> with this concept, delivering some moderately creative action sequences where Jack Quaid\u2019s character, Nate, shrugs off hits like he\u2019s just spilled coffee. Quaid himself does a commendable job, proving he can carry a film even when the film itself feels like it\u2019s dragging concrete boots.
This film seems almost afraid<\/em> of its own premise. It promises glorious, uninhibited chaos born from a superpower, but then backs off, delivering something strangely\u2026 safe. It\u2019s like being promised a Hollywood Demon and getting a moderately grumpy accountant. (Speaking of accountants, did you see our Review of the Accountant 2<\/em>? That one had explosions!<\/a><\/strong>) We were ready for the full blunt force trauma, but Novocaine<\/em> opted for a gentle pinch. UGHHHH!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n[cinesist_spoiler_warning]\n\n\n\n

The Twist: A Shot of Adrenaline in a Sea of Meh!<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Now, for the Oscar-Worthy moment that almost, almost<\/em>, made us forget the preceding mediocrity. You follow Nate as he tears through the city, dodging bullets and breaking bones, all for a girl he\u2019s apparently smitten with. You expect the typical damsel-in-distress, ride-or-die scenario. And then\u2026 BAM!<\/strong> The big reveal hits harder than a concrete block to the face (which Nate would probably just shrug off). The girl he\u2019s been tearing up the city for(Amber Midthunder<\/a>)? Yeah, she was in on the whole scam and robbery<\/strong> from the very beginning.

It\u2019s a clever, genuinely surprising twist that injects a much-needed jolt of sharp take into an otherwise predictable plot. It reshapes everything you thought you knew, making you reconsider every single one of her sweet smiles and helpless glances. It\u2019s the kind of betrayal that makes for PURE CINEMATIC GOLD! and leaves you muttering, \u201cWell, I<\/em> didn\u2019t see that coming!\ud83d\udc40\u201d This single plot twist elevates the film from a complete bad decision to something that at least has one memorable, Hollywood Demon-level moment. Thank you for your service, plot twist!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There was a few other things to point out, like Nates gamer friend Roscoe(Jacob Batalon<\/a>), Yea... he talks a big game and comes through on a few occasions, especially with the Fuzz<\/em>. But the twist of the friend is the definition of Online persona.. You have to see it, I dont want to ruin it for you. Remembber the Spoiler\ud83d\udea8 warning from earlier. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Verdict: Should You Watch This? Meh... But That Twist Though!<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

So, where does Novocaine<\/em> land on the Cinesist judgement scale? It\u2019s a film with flashes of brilliance (the twist, Jack Quaid\u2019s commitment) surrounded by a generous helping of \u201cjust alright.\u201d It\u2019s not offensively bad, but it\u2019s not going to set your world on fire, like Nate does through the entire movie. It\u2019s the cinematic equivalent of elevator music \u2013 it exists, it fills a space, and you\u2019ll forget it five minutes after you\u2019ve left. If you\u2019re scrolling through Paramount+ with absolutely nothing else calling your name, and you\u2019re curious about one surprisingly clever betrayal, then sure, inject Novocaine<\/em> into your watchlist. But don\u2019t expect a high-octane rush. Just a dull ache with one surprising, satisfying sting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When the girl of his dreams (Amber Midthunder) is kidnapped, everyman Nate (Jack Quaid) turns his inability to feel pain into an unexpected strength in his fight to get her back.<\/p>Paramount Pictures<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n","post_title":"Novocaine Review: Numbly Mediocre, But With One Clever Jab! \ud83d\udc89\ud83d\ude35","post_excerpt":"In Novocaine: Jack Quaid promises pain but delivers mostly mediocrity. Yet, one clever twist almost made us forget the numbness. \ud83d\ude35\u200d\ud83d\udcab\ud83d\udc89","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"novocaine-review","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2026-07-26 02:31:28","post_modified_gmt":"2026-07-26 07:31:28","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/cinesist.wordpress.com\/?p=848","menu_order":0,"post_type":"cinesist-review","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}]},"movie_trailer_reactions":"","movie_trailer_reactions_source":{"label":"Movie Trailer Reactions","type":"relationship","formatted_value":""},"related_movie_takes":"","related_movie_takes_source":{"label":"Related Movie Takes","type":"relationship","formatted_value":""}},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/cinesist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/xmMHGz9dVRaMY6rRAlEX4W0Wdhm.webp",780,1170,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/cinesist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/xmMHGz9dVRaMY6rRAlEX4W0Wdhm-150x150.webp",150,150,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/cinesist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/xmMHGz9dVRaMY6rRAlEX4W0Wdhm-768x1152.webp",768,1152,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/cinesist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/xmMHGz9dVRaMY6rRAlEX4W0Wdhm.webp",780,1170,false],"cinesist-hero":["https:\/\/cinesist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/xmMHGz9dVRaMY6rRAlEX4W0Wdhm-780x450.webp",780,450,true],"cinesist-square":["https:\/\/cinesist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/xmMHGz9dVRaMY6rRAlEX4W0Wdhm-700x700.webp",700,700,true]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"Cinesist","author_link":""},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"What happens when you take a guy who sets phone alarms to remind himself to use the restroom so his bladder doesn't burst, and force him into a John Wick-level hostage rescue? Declassify the full CinesistDB entry for Novocaine to break down Jack Quaid\u2019s pain-immune wrecking ball, Amber Midthunder\u2019s badass hostage arc, and why this…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cinesist.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/db\/movie\/1000075240","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cinesist.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/db\/movie"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cinesist.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/cdb_movie"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cinesist.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1000075240"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/cinesist.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/db\/movie\/1000075240\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1000075839,"href":"https:\/\/cinesist.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/db\/movie\/1000075240\/revisions\/1000075839"}],"acf:post":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cinesist.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/review\/1000062295"}],"acf:attachment":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cinesist.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1000075675"},{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cinesist.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1000075674"},{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cinesist.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1000075673"},{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cinesist.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1000075672"},{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cinesist.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1000075671"},{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cinesist.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1000075670"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cinesist.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1000075241"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cinesist.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1000075240"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cinesist.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1000075240"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cinesist.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1000075240"},{"taxonomy":"cdb_character","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cinesist.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcdb_character&post=1000075240"},{"taxonomy":"cinescore","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cinesist.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcinescore&post=1000075240"},{"taxonomy":"cdb_genre","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cinesist.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcdb_genre&post=1000075240"},{"taxonomy":"cdb_job_role","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cinesist.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcdb_job_role&post=1000075240"},{"taxonomy":"cdb_mpa_rating","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cinesist.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcdb_mpa_rating&post=1000075240"},{"taxonomy":"cdb_network","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cinesist.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcdb_network&post=1000075240"},{"taxonomy":"cdb_platform","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cinesist.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcdb_platform&post=1000075240"},{"taxonomy":"release-year","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cinesist.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Frelease-year&post=1000075240"},{"taxonomy":"cdb_studio","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cinesist.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcdb_studio&post=1000075240"},{"taxonomy":"universe","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cinesist.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Funiverse&post=1000075240"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}