When the girl of his dreams is taken hostage, a man turns his inability to feel pain into an unexpected strength in his fight to get her back. A film by Dan Berk & Robert Olsen, starring Jack Quaid, Amber Midthunder, Ray Nicholson, Betty Gabriel, Matt Walsh, Lou Beatty Jr., Evan Hengst, Conrad Kemp, and Jacob Batalon.
NOVOCAINE
Dan Berk • Robert Olsen
(2025)
Nathan “Nate” Caine (Jack Quaid), an assistant manager at San Diego Trust Credit Union, has been quietly harboring feelings for Sherry (Amber Midthunder), one of the tellers. Despite seeing her nearly every day, he hasn’t found the courage to ask her out.
His hesitation stems from a mix of low self-confidence and limited dating experience, complicated further by his rare CIPA condition — a disorder that prevents him from feeling physical pain.
Congenital Insensitivity to Pain with Anhidrosis (CIPA), also known as Hereditary Sensory and Autonomic Neuropathy Type IV (HSAN IV), is a rare genetic disorder that affects the ability to feel pain and temperature and prevents sweating. People with CIPA cannot perceive pain or temperature, which often leads to severe injuries, burns, or self-inflicted harm, such as biting their tongues or fingers without realizing it. Additionally, the inability to sweat disrupts the body’s ability to regulate temperature, causing frequent high fevers and increasing the risk of overheating. The condition is caused by mutations in the NTRK1 gene, which affects sensory nerve development and function. It is inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern, meaning both parents must carry the mutated gene for their child to inherit CIPA. Though extremely rare, early diagnosis and careful management are essential to prevent complications and improve quality of life.
In his office, Nate meets with his client Earl (Lou Beatty Jr.), who’s about to lose both his hardware store and house after falling behind on payments. Earl’s situation has worsened since his wife of 50 years recently passed away. Nate explains that the bank will have to foreclose on both properties if payment isn’t made. However, seeing Earl’s distress, Nate offers a small reprieve by suggesting he can delay filing the paperwork until after Christmas. This would give Earl additional time to find the money he needs, with Nate mentioning that he might be able to prioritize arrangements that would at least allow Earl to keep his home, even if the store cannot be saved.
At the pantry, Nate is startled when Sherry suddenly appears behind him, causing him to splash hot coffee over his hand. Though the liquid is scalding, he shows no reaction to the burn. Sherry immediately apologizes, offering to help clean the coffee stains on his shirt. Despite her genuine concern, Nate becomes visibly frustrated, insisting everything is fin. He abruptly cuts their interaction short, telling her not to worry about it before quickly leaving the pantry.
Later, Sherry visits Nate’s office, knocking hesitantly on his door. When he invites her in, she asks if she’s getting fired, explaining that she’s only been working at the bank for four months and is worried about the earlier incident. Nate quickly assures her that her job is secure. Still feeling guilty, she offers to buy him a new shirt to replace the coffee-stained one. When Nate politely declines, Sherry suggests taking him to lunch instead to make up for what happened. Nate initially turns down her lunch invitation too, but after she leaves, he reconsiders. Against his usual cautious nature, he changes his mind, allowing himself to hope that Sherry could potentially be someone special in his life.
At the diner, Nate only orders a vanilla milkshake, which puzzles Sherry. She enthusiastically recommends the cherry pie, insisting it’s the best she’s ever tasted, but Nate keeps refusing. Finally, he explains his CIPA condition. He reveals that since childhood, his parents discouraged him from eating solid foods, fearing he might accidentally bite his tongue or cheek without realizing it. Sherry listens attentively, then gently encourages him to try just a tiny piece of pie, promising to watch carefully in case anything goes wrong. After hesitating, Nate eventually gives in to her persuasion and takes a small bite of cherry pie, stepping outside his comfort zone for the first time in years.
Nate returns to his apartment still undecided about Sherry’s invitation to an art show later that night. During his scheduled online gaming session, he mentions the invitation to his gaming buddy, Roscoe (Jacob Batalon). Roscoe immediately encourages him to go, pointing out that Nate has nothing to lose. Roscoe then reveals that based on how often Nate has talked about Sherry over the past few months, it’s obvious he’s basically in love with her already.
At the art show, Nate meets Sherry and learns that she has been making art with the therapy group she attends, inspired by the people who also attend the sessions with her. Later, at the bar, Sherry opens up about growing up in foster care until she was finally adopted at twelve. Their conversation is suddenly interrupted when Nate’s childhood friend (Tristan de Beer) recognizes Nate. He expresses shock at seeing Nate, remarking that he thought Nate”would be dead by now.” Before leaving, he punches Nate and yells to his friends across the room that he just ran into “Novocaine.” After he leaves, Nate explains to Sherry that the guy used to bully him mercilessly in middle school.
After Nate returns from the restroom, he is surprised to see that the bully has returned to talk to Sherry. She convinces both Nate and the bully to drink shots together as a way to put the past behind them. What Nate doesn’t realize until afterward is that the bartender (Chioma Umeala) filled both shot glasses with hot ghost pepper sauce instead of alcohol. Nate is both surprised and impressed by Sherry’s protective act of revenge on his behalf. Nate takes Sherry back to his apartment where they become intimate.
The next day, three robbers wearing Santa Claus suits storm into San Diego Trust Credit Union. When bank manager Nigel (Craig Jackson) refuses to cooperate with the group leader Simon (Ray Nicholson) who demands he open the vault, Simon shoots him in the head.
Simon then turns to Nate, the assistant manager, demanding the vault combination. Nate, still in shock from witnessing the murder, freezes and doesn’t respond. Simon grows impatient and begins assaulting Sherry, then threatens to shoot her in the head. Unable to watch her suffer, Nate breaks down and reveals the vault’s combination. After the robbers collect all the cash from the vault, they take Sherry with them as a hostage as they flee the scene.
Outside, the robbers are surrounded by two San Diego police officers, but they use Sherry as a human shield and open fire with their machine guns, killing both officers. When another patrol car arrives with two more officers, one is shot dead while the other suffers a leg wound. Nate follows the robbers outside, only to discover the chaotic aftermath of the shootout. By chance, he overhears a police radio transmission and learns backup won’t arrive for another eight minutes. Realizing it will be too late, since the robbers will have escaped by then, Nate takes matters into his own hands. He steals a police car and speeds after the robbers’ two fleeing vehicles. Nate is determined to rescue Sherry.
With police officers spread thin during the holidays, Detective Barbara Mincy (Betty Gabriel) and her partner Coltraine (Matt Walsh) are assigned to the bank robbery case. They follow the trail of destruction to a kitchen, where they discover the body of Ben (Evan Hengst), one of the robbers. Unsure of what actually happened, they begin to suspect a double-cross, and that Nate might be involved.
Directed by American filmmaking duo Dan Berk & Robert Olsen from a screenplay by Lars Jacobson, NOVOCAINE is a thrilling action-comedy about a bank employee with a rare genetic disorder that prevents him from feeling pain. When his workplace is robbed during Christmas, he must use his unique condition to save his coworker turned love interest from the dangerous criminals.
Though the film has flaws, including a somewhat predictable narrative and an underdeveloped romantic subplot between Nathan and Sherry that could have made their love story more convincing, it redeems itself with visceral, brutally satisfying fight sequences that become instantly iconic. Ray Nicholson once again delivers an exceptional performance, crafting a character who is as terrifying as he is fascinating.
Jacob Batalon gives a notable performance as Roscoe, Nathan’s longtime online gaming buddy. Until the crisis, the two had never met face-to-face. Batalon brings such natural charm to their friendship that it feels instantly believable. Roscoe not only helps Nathan but eventually becomes his sidekick. Fans of his work as Ned in the Spider-Man films will recognize the same lovable supportiveness.
NOVOCAINE had a special screening “Early Access Adrenaline Rush” at AMC Theatres on 8 March 2025. The film was theatrically released in the United States on 14 March, by Paramount Pictures.
