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Novocaine is a fun thrill-ride movie that’s entertaining and action-packed. I only heard of this Jack Quaid film a few weeks before its premiere, due to the viral promotional campaign. However, it was one of the rare new action movies that caught my eye.
Based on the NBA Novocaine promo, I made assumptions that the film involved someone who got hurt a lot and used that to fight criminals. I was mainly right about the unique premise, but there was a little more to the film than expected.
It has a lot more heart than initially thought, and that’s why I need to talk about it.
Warning: Novocaine spoilers are ahead. Proceed with caution.
Novocaine Made Me Reflect On How An Illness Can Be A Strength
Novocaine quickly shows us that Nathan (Jack Quaid) lives a very isolated and lonely life. It seems this way by natural anti-social behavior and decisions. However, on his date with Sherry (Amber Midthunder), he talks about how having congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis (CIPA) has affected his life. He hasn’t even eaten pie before, because of the fear of biting his tongue and bleeding to death.
Nathan allows CIPA to stop him from making the most of his life, but falling for Sherry allows him to finally not let it hold him back. There are many chronic illnesses and disabilities that millions of people live with every day. Some may seem like minor inconveniences, while others require constant compromise, attention, and care. Having any sort of illness or disability can seem like a burden to the person and sometimes those around them.
However, at its core, this feels like a movie that honors those who may be suffering from chronic illnesses and disabilities. They can be the hero just as much as those who don’t have to deal with an ongoing condition. We don’t often see films treat a chronic illness or disability this way, and that really made me enjoy Novocaine.
Nathan Turns His Problem Into A Superpower
Nathan uses the fact that he can’t feel pain to help him defeat a slew of bad guys, including a nearly Invincible main foe. This turns him into a superhero who could rival Superman, not with power and abilities, but with his unwavering bravery and maneuvering of an issue. It turns into a strength. I thought this was a cool concept, because if you apply it to real life, it’s even more fascinating. For example, some illnesses force people to be very cautious with everything from the sun to food to protection from injuries, and so forth. This can cause some physical, emotional, or mental turmoil to have to live with restrictions. They may feel like they’re missing out on a lot.
However, with compromise comes other developments and strengths. Maybe, for example, because you can’t eat certain foods due to diet restrictions or allergies, you become good at cooking because you have to work within your limitations. Or maybe you have arthritis, so you can’t write as much as others, but are good at verbal communication or oral storytelling. Maybe your eyesight isn’t the best, but you have really strong other senses.
Every limit also has a strength. Nathan figures out how to turn his physically painless life into something positive, useful, and helpful. It allows him to save and help himself and others. Not only can a disability or illness become a strength, but it can also change someone’s perspective of the world. It might make the more empathetic, careful, kind, and other things that people without these illnesses or disabilities take for granted or ignore.
But Also Not Push Their Limits
Novocaine has a lot of hard-to-watch moments, especially due to the seemingly endless array of injuries that Nathan endures. This is a movie after all, so you shouldn’t take it too seriously or mimic it. However, Nathan is also a cautionary tale when it comes to how you treat yourself and your body. He puts his through a lot to save Sherry. It’s honestly a miracle he doesn’t die or permanently damage himself.
I think this film makes it clear that you shouldn’t let an illness or disability stop you completely, but you shouldn’t ignore it or do things that could cause some damage. You should not go balls to the wall like Nathan, but find some respectable balance of not letting it hold you back, and also not completely ignoring it to the point of almost no return.
It Made Me Think About Things I See As Limits Being Assets
I think I connected with this story more than I expected because I have chronic illnesses. When I was first diagnosed, I was a bit devastated because it would greatly affect my life. It’s an illness that needs a lot of time and attention, or it could cause permanent damage, death, or both. Now, I immediately sprang into action when diagnosed, but I am not always the best at managing it because it can feel burdensome.
Novocaine acted as a reminder that there are some positives that came out of this illness. I became overall better at taking care of my health and developed some useful skills because of it. Additionally, it reminded me of what I am capable of when up against something rather serious.
Though I would hope everyone wouldn’t need to have a chronic illness or disability to see their full potential, it can be a motivation to achieve something or become a stronger person. My main chronic illness can be stressful, but I also think it helps me sometimes really care about my life and health.
I Also View Novocaine As A Live Your Life To The Fullest Movie
The plot really kicks off when one of the customers at the credit union talks about losing his wife, and time not mattering, which motivates Nathan to talk to Sherry. This conversation makes him realize that he can’t let this illness stop him from experiencing life, and Sherry further motivates him.
Novocaine is one of those “life is too short” movies. It’s all about living it to the fullest, even if that means a lot of injuries. We’re all going to die someday, so that can’t be what keeps you from living. I am a sucker for a living-to-the-fullest movie, so that’s also why I enjoyed this one so much.
Though I didn’t watch the Novocaine trailer before watching, I assumed it would be a silly little action movie. It is action-heavy, but I connected with it on a deeper level than expected. It’s a simple concept that says so much without being heavy handed.