Novocaine (2001)

38% of critics liked it
(107 reviews)
37% of users liked it
(7,177 ratings)

In this darkly comic film noir from writer/director David Atkins, Steve Martin revisits dentistry -- an occupation he'd explored 15 years prior, in the camp musical Little Shop of Horrors. Novocaine casts Martin as a much more mild-mannered D.D.S., Dr. Frank Sangster. Engaged to a prim and delicate… More In this darkly comic film noir from writer/director David Atkins, Steve Martin revisits dentistry -- an occupation he'd explored 15 years prior, in the camp musical Little Shop of Horrors. Novocaine casts Martin as a much more mild-mannered D.D.S., Dr. Frank Sangster. Engaged to a prim and delicate hygienist, Jean (Laura Dern), Sangster leads a placid, upper-middle class existence, save for the occasional visit from his deadbeat artist brother Harlan (Elias Koteas). But Sangster finds his life turned inside out from the moment the alluring Susan (Helena Bonham Carter) plops down in his reclining vinyl chair: Complaining about her molars, she's really more interested in the refrigerator of narcotics the good dentist keeps on hand for his patients in pain. Once they manage to get Sangster's guard down, Susan and her brother (Scott Caan) rob him blind -- and worse yet, frame him for the theft. When a dead body turns up in Sangster's sleek suburban home, he finds that clearing his name will be a difficult proposition indeed. Novocaine marks the directorial debut of screenwriter Atkins, who first made his mark with the script for Emir Kusturica's oddball cult favorite Arizona Dream (1993). ~ Michael Hastings, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 35 min.
Directed By: David Atkins
Written By: David Atkins
Genres: Drama, Comedy

In Theaters: Nov 16, 2001 Wide
On DVD: Apr 23, 2002
Studio: Artisan Entertainment

Critic Reviews

Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle
The casting is peculiar, the tone is off, the plot is uninteresting and the ending is sorry.
Jay Boyar, Orlando Sentinel
Plays like the sort of silly shared fantasy that a group of dental students might come up with late one night, after too much coffee and cramming for finals.
Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper
This movie was not effective.
Stephen Hunter, Washington Post
A coarse, witless and stunningly violent black comedy.
Stephanie Zacharek, Salon.com
Atkins never finds the right tone for Novocaine. It's not dark enough to be either viciously funny or unsettling.
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.
Nell Minow, Common Sense Media
This dark, stylish tale isn't for kids.
Dragan Antulov, Draxblog Movie Reviews
It is entertaining enough to arouse imagination of post-Tarantino audience.
Pablo Villaca, Cinema em Cena
Prejudicado por um roteiro previsível e que jamais opta por um gênero claro, o filme traz uma ótima atuação de Steve Martin, que deveria fazer mais filmes "sérios".
Ellen Marshall, Film Threat
The film and site offer an offbeat trip, but this is certainly not recommended for anyone who's currently thinking about major dental work.
Jean Lowerison, San Diego Metropolitan
To say this is black comedy is to understate the case, but the fun parts really are a hoot.
Margaret A. McGurk, Cincinnati Enquirer
While the plot does work in mechanical terms, its multiple ins and outs never achieve more than plodding motion.
Forrest Hartman, Reno Gazette-Journal
In a world filled with technically beautiful dogs, every once in awhile it's nice to see a film that bets the bank on great storytelling and a whole lot of soul.
David Noh, Film Journal International
Filled with dark, edgy details and atmosphere, but ultimately becomes a very cold enterprise because you simply don't care about any of the characters.
Brent Simon, Entertainment Today
Intriguingly straddles genres a bit, but a faint sliver of the film it could have been... [with a] lame, roundly unsatisfying motivation and ending.

Read all 15 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Cassandra M

This 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… More
This 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 that very freaky story and a wrecked Bonham-Carter (she's good playin such characters ;-) adding most to this film. However the ending was a little too fantastic since it shouldn't be a problem for the forensics to ... no, I won't spoil hehe. My favourite scene was Martin's call where he spoke to that guy who answered the phone with "barbie's bakery. it's mr. muffin man speakin." LOL My overall rating is: 6.5/10 - if you're not sure what to watch, try this one. It works pretty well as entertainment
Lanning :

While 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, <i> The Spanish Prisoner </i>, is something different for Martin, and while it is not an… More
While 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, <i> The Spanish Prisoner </i>, is something different for Martin, and while it is not an entirely successful movie, it is not unwatchable. Big points to Carter and Laura Dern for enhancing the experience with memorable characters. The ending is a bit much, it's true, but the story of lies compiling and coming back to bite you is told in an unusual, sometimes surprising and sometimes entertaining way.
Fascade F

My all time favorite movie...Come to think of it... being that I love my dentist so much...I am going to get him and his assistants a copy! LOL See it to believe it! I LOVED IT!
Eduardo C

A slapstick modern film-noir (if that makes any sense) that caught me entirely unprepared and made me fall in love. Great performances (even Steve Martin, who I am not a fan of), and a decidedly wicked script make up the core of this unique experience.

Cast

            Steve Martin as Dr. Frank Sangster

            Helena Bonham Carter
            
            Laura Dern as Jean Noble

            Scott Caan as Duane

            Keith David as Detective Lunt

            Lynne Thigpen as Pat

            Kevin Bacon as Hip movie star [uncredited]

            Mindy Suzanne Bell as Trooper Bunch

            Jobe Cerny as Pharmacist Wayne Ponze

            Roy Hytower as Skinny Sheriff

            Rich Komenich as Detective

            Elias Koteas as Harlan Sangster

            George Lugg as Liquor Store Owner

            Rom Milanovich as "Blue Sands" Bartender

            Lucina Paquet as Mrs. Langston

            Chelcie Ross as Mike

            Quincy Wong as Chinese Husband

            Preston Maybank as Gelding

            Polly Augusta Noonan as Sally

            Eddie Bo Smith Jr. as Motel Security Guard

            Eric Lane as Officer Chuck Smith

            Yasen Peyankov as "Sunshine Lounge" Bartender

            Teri Cotruzzola as Attractive Complaining Patient

            Sally Kao as Chinese Wife

            Tyler Rostenkowski as Billy

            Karol Kent as Detective Lily Pons

            Mary Ann Childers as Anchorwoman

            James Chisem as Harris

            Joe Kasala as Officer Peter Reilly

            Kwame Amoaku as Visiting Room Guard

            Len Bajenski as Trooper Jarvis

            Roderick Peeples as Storch

            Christian Stolte as Court guard
See full cast