Novocaine (2001)

Novocaine is the kind of wicked little gem that weaponizes Steve Martin’s wholesome, anxious persona and drops it into a sleek, noir-ish nightmare where every “reasonable” decision somehow makes things worse. David Atkins keeps the tone perched on a razor’s edge—part screwball comedy, part crime thriller—so you’re laughing even as the movie tightens the screws with stylish shocks and morally slippery turns. Helena Bonham Carter brings a dangerously playful charge to the proceedings, while Laura Dern adds a grounded, human counterweight that makes the madness feel even more deliciously off-kilter. It won’t be for everyone—if you don’t like your comedy dark, your sexuality frank, and your fate cruelly ironic—but if you do, this is a brisk, nasty, surprisingly funny ride that knows exactly how to grin while it twists the knife.

Novocaine is clearly aiming for a slick, darkly funny “nice guy makes one bad choice and everything spirals” crime thriller, with Steve Martin playing against type and a cast that’s game for the sleaze. The problem is it can’t decide whether it wants you to laugh, squirm, or take the suspense seriously, so the tone lurches and the plot starts to feel more like a string of nasty twists than a gripping escalation. The pacing is oddly plodding for a movie this lurid, and the violence and sexuality can come off coarse rather than clever, especially if you’re expecting a sharper, more controlled black comedy. If you enjoy mean-spirited noir farce and don’t mind an ending that some viewers find more “what?” than satisfying, there are moments here for you; if you want tight suspense or consistent comedy, you’ll likely be irritated.