Paul Magne Haakonsen
While labeled as a comedy "Novocaine" is not your typical Steve Martin comedy. And while there are elements of comedy throughout the movie this was actually more of a crime mystery. And it was actually a quite nice change of pace for Steve Martin.The movie is about Frank Sangster, a dentist whose life is rosy red and dandy. When he, against his better judgment, prescribes Demetol to an unusual client, he suddenly finds himself under suspicion and murder. One thing leads to the other and Franks is well in over his head.The storyline was actually quite good and well thought through, keeping the audience guessing at what is going on. Director David Atkins actually managed to put together a very entertaining movie.One of the things that really lifted up this movie was the impressive cast, which included Steve Martin, Laura Dern, Elias Koteas and of course Helena Bonham Carter. There is also two great cameos by Kevin Bacon and Keith David."Novocaine" is a unique Steve Martin movie that should definitely be seen if you enjoy Steve Martin movies.
Python Hyena
Novocaine (2001): Dir: David Atkins / Cast: Steve Martin, Helena Bonham Carter, Elias Koteas, Laura Dern, Scott Caan: Very disturbing and sometimes unpleasant black comedy about dentistry with an underlining theme of numbing pain associated with the job and symbolic with the screenplay. Steve Martin plays a dentist engaged to his hygienist until Helena Bonham Carter plunks down in his chair. She is obviously bad news and when her brother storms in threatening his life he realizes that he has gotten himself in too deep. It gets even more complicated when he discovers a dead body in his house. Intriguing concept full of plot twists with director David Atkins exploring the world of dentistry. Martin is seen as a guy who apparently took his ordinary life for granted until it spirals out of control leaving him with no other choice than to begin again. Carter is wonderfully mysterious whose motives are not always clear until the conclusion. Laura Dern is well cast as the sexually aggressive hygienist. Elias Koteas plays Martin's drunken brother whose initial appearance conceals alternative motives that lead to severe consequences and disturbance. Scott Caan plays Carter's enraged and violent brother who confronts Martin at his practice and threatens him. Intelligent dark comedy about careless risks and consequences as well as supplying a useful dose of dental knowledge. Score: 8 / 10
dead47548
A very, very fun little film. It's got a pretty simple noir story but it executes it so flawlessly. It's pretty quick paced, so you never lose interest, but it isn't quick enough to where it loses the audience. I've always enjoyed Steve Martin's comedic talents, but it was great to see him in a much more mellow role. Helena Bonham Carter was absolutely amazing, as always. It's pretty hard to make me fall in love with a drug addict, but she did exactly that. Easily the most, well only, adorable drug addict I've ever seen. Laura Dern is, of course, also great. In what I've come to expect from her, she becomes so immersed into her character that you don't even realize she's acting. Elias Koteas was very good as well. I also really loved the twist. It had a great, mysterious build up to it throughout the film, and was completely unpredictable. One of the rare times that I was genuinely shocked by a twist in a mystery. But, for some odd reason, they felt the need to completely spoon-feed you how everything happened...about 15 minutes after you know everything that happened. My only other complaint were the very gimmicky x-ray shots used throughout. They felt extremely unnecessary and really drew me out of the film. Other than those two things though, I really loved it. Just remarkably fun and easy to watch.
rbrb
Just seen by me on cable,and having read in the film mag that Steve Martin led the cast,I expected a funny film, or at the least, an interesting one.I was wrong. And all this picture does is suggest that some of the people who control feature films are a bunch of selfish, perverse and greedy egotists.Apart from 'Royal Tenenbaums' which for me is one of the unfunniest movies of all time, "Novacaine" comes very close to out-ranking it.The plot: Dentist has a female drug addict patient whom he fancies, leading to a whole series of bizarre and ridiculous events, mainly because of her addiction.Not only is the female lead totally mis-cast,most sane people would not, nor could not, in the context of the way this film is made, find anything remotely funny about drug addiction, quite apart from the nonsensical killings and unnecessary violence in this picture.I got the impression that whoever wrote and directed this film has no idea whether to create a comedy or a drama, as from my perspective it was neither........ just a total mess; looking to me like it was made up as it went along, wholly uneven,lacking any merit, humour or sense, and the actors much of the time suggest they are ad-libbing with mostly half-hearted performances. 1 out of 10.
AD
