Elias Koteas, Helena Bonham Carter, James Chisem
A screwball noir comedy that marks a promising directorial debut by first-timer David Atkins, Novocaine has a knack for the offbeat, beginning with the casting of Steve Martin as Frank, a denti...( read more
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Directed by: David Atkins, Elias Koteas, Helena Bonham Carter, James Chisem, Kevin Bacon, Laura Dern, Lynne Thigpen, Marcello Robinson, Scott Caan, Steve Martin
Release Date: November 16, 2001
DVD Release Date: April 23, 2002
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Stats: 235 reviews
Flixster Reviews (235)
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March 9, 2009Dr. Frank Sangster (Martin) is a respected dentist who seems to have it all: his own practice, a loving fiancée (Dern), and a house filled with nice things. In Dr. Sangster's life, everything is going great until his 7:30 appointment shows up. Suddenly Dr. Sangster's life is turn...( read more)
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October 5, 2008Nicely perverse crime comedy featuring Martin as a dentist. This is why Hitchcock was so successful. Normal people in over thier head.
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September 22, 2007This has been a quite entertaining movie. Not really a top notch movie, not really working as a comedy, but still pretty entertaining. It started out veeery slow and boooring - it took a little too long for it to evolve. But when it started to it got better and better. There's th...( read more)
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May 4, 2006A friend of mine MADE me watch this when it first came out, in hope it would freak me out enough and make me choose a different...ahem... line of work. It didn't...haha, now, a few years later, i can say that, far fetched as it may seem, it actually had a few realistic bits. For ...( read more)
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April 23, 2006While I'm not going to say I'd defend this movie to the death, I will say that if you like Steve Martin, you might be willing to see everything he tries. This like, say, The Spanish Prisoner , is something different for Martin, and while it is not an entirely successful ...( read more)
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August 17, 2009i think i like this film. i never rated 4.5 in a long time and this movie deserves it. well - at least for me.
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February 27, 2009An ordinary who-done-it? that is strengthened by the presence of Steve Martin and a comical turn from Kevin Bacon.
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February 2, 2009Exceptionally unlikeable for a Steve Martin movie. He should stick to laughing gas.
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January 31, 2009i luved it it was a really good movie helena played a really awesome character she was so cool and i luved her hair so much it was so cute and steve martin did a good job too all together it turned out amazing
Critic Reviews
November 20, 2001
Stephanie Zacharek, Salon.com
November 16, 2001
Claudia Puig, USA Today
With Bonham Carter's been-there, done-that performance and a plot that spins out of control, we end up with a movie that you can't quite sink your teeth into. full review
November 16, 2001
Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail
The laughs aren't warm enough, or the crimes cold enough, to move anyone to shake or shiver. full review
November 16, 2001
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
A screwball film noir with a lot of medium laughs and a few great big ones. full review
November 16, 2001
A.O. Scott, The New York Times
By the end you may need an aspirin to dispel the hectic racket Novocaine becomes. full review
November 16, 2001
Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times
A decidedly odd thriller that's basically one big extended dental metaphor, and a rather unappetizing one at that. full review
November 15, 2001
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone
Atkins wants to expose hidden moral decay, but his slack direction fails to touch a nerve. full review
Comments
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February 23, 2008is not like comedy is more drama and is not the best of steve is not even close to be the best so you decide if you want to see it
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