Protraph Lack of good storyline.

Voxitype Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

InformationRap This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

Sanjeev Waters A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

doug-697 I rented Novocaine because I like Steve Martin and Helena Bonham Carter and also because I knew nothing about the movie. I enjoyed it and it never bored me at any moment.The movie seems to be characterized as a "black comedy", but I felt it was more of a satire. I think Novocaine is commenting on the struggle we all quietly face between living a safe, conventional life and pursuing our fantasies. Frank Sangster (Steve Martin) seems to have it all, money and a beautiful fiancé, with the only glimpse of discontent being and old French movie he plays for the patients, but which is probably more for him. When the sultry Susan (Helena Bonham Carter) sits in his dental chair, his fantasies are suddenly triggered. While most men (all?) would sympathize with Frank for his temptation, we are led to believe its cause is more of a gigantic moment of weakness, not because he's unhappy with his fiancé, Jean (Laura Dern). Also, while Frank is certainly a victim, there's nothing particularly noble about his actions during the film and you don't completely sympathize with him. And even when he achieves his "fantasy", it is so clichéd and paid for at such a high price, the movie doesn't ennoble Frank's fantasy. On one hand, the movie seems to be about pursuing one's dreams, but it's fairly cynical about it.One of the best aspects of the movie is the effort given to the minor characters. It felt like they tried to give everyone something interesting to do. Even Kevin Bacon shows up for a small, but very funny part. Some of the movie is predictable and implausible, but there were enough surprises to keep it interesting and if I want complete believability I'll watch a documentary.If there was any weakness in the movie, it's that, while we can understand Frank falling for Susan, there's not enough effort given to make it convincing that Susan had really fallen for Frank. This may have been on purpose early in the movie, to keep you guessing about Susan's intentions, but there should have been one scene before the movie is over which tells you why she wants to be with him. And the movie is a bit thin overall on the motivations and personality of Susan. She is apparently a drug addict and having a "difficult" relationship with her brother, but this is passed over too little.If you want to watch something a bit different, sort of an "anti-Roxanne", this might be worth renting. On the other hand, if you fear going to the dentist, you may wish to take care.

elshikh4 A lot of questions will accumulate in your mind after this movie : is it the biggest miscasting ever ?, did (Steve Martin) find no comedy to do ?, or did he desperately want to be an actor more than a comedian ?, or the movie's low budget just selected him simply ?, is it one of the weediest noir movies ?, moreover what's the meaning of this title anyway "Novocain" ??, is it an add for it as an anesthetic ?! ..And finally what could be loved in here ? Well, the thing that I'm sure about it (other than this movie's fact as not my cup of tea !) is that ugly truth which the movie enjoyed showing through its dark world and its mysterious atmosphere : don't trust in the ones you love ! In fact the movie confirms in a rare time that your happiness and your own true love are in your caprices ! So the one who you really love (his fiancée the doctor), along with the nearest and dearest (the bum brother) are the actual unfaithful yours ! Therefore the main concept of this little noir is to rely on the one who lies on you a bit not the one who lies on you that much otherwise you're living the Novocain ! I loved some of the thrill, the performance of (Helena Bonham Carter) which was exceptional, and that I didn't pay any money to rent it..Thank god for the TV ! I think I answered the most important questions, and as for the most earlier one; I think after watching (Martin) as a dentist who uproots all of his teeth one by one by himself qua the only solution to runaway.. I'll give the title's question a full YES !

jason_13 Steve Martin stars in an usual kind of movie and the expectations are failure, but this is not true and the movie is great. The story follows a dentist getting in deep troubles with a whore while he is married.Well, the movie has many merits. It has great thrills, great suspense moments and of course black humor which is something I liked a lot and I believe Novocaine wouldn't have been the same movie without it. It's just Martin and you connect him with humor and laughs and I really started respecting him as a comedian after watching his classic roles in The Jerk and The Lonely Guy. His acting is superb while his role is casual. More of those characters that are on the line between positive and negative, but after all interesting for the audience.The movie itself as I said is indeed something to remember and something fresh, mostly cause of the successful mixture between most entertain kind of movie genres and of course every day life drama scenes which are of course garbage, but the movie is not supposed to be a drama after all and this is why I close my eyes for the failed try of dramatic influence over the viewer.Rating:8/10

ONenslo If this movie had been labeled "A disturbing modern film noir," I would not have been expecting to be amused or entertained, and it would not have ruined my evening the way it did. True, I admired the direction and production values even as I loathed everything else and almost everyone in it. After about ten minutes I said, "I hope I stop hating this pretty soon," and after another twenty minutes I just quit trying to watch it. If I'd had any reason to suspect that I would be seeing a creepy violent Blood Simple or Red Rock West type of drama instead of a "comedy" of any kind it would have been a different matter entirely. I knew a Steve Martin movie was a crapshoot but this possibly interesting and obviously well made crime drama was appallingly mislabled. BEWARE!!!