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Novocaine

Novocaine

Getting to the root of the problem is like pulling teeth.

200195 minRMidcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films
Director
David Atkins
Starring
Steve Martin, Helena Bonham Carter, Laura Dern, Lynne Thigpen

A dentist finds himself a murder suspect after a sexy patient seduces him into prescribing her drugs.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Novocaine?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Novocaine streaming on Lionsgate+ via Prime Video, STARZ via Apple TV and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Novocaine?

Novocaine earns 6 badges, led by Seriously scary and Heavy for an R-rated film.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Content

Reception

Is Novocaine worth watching?

Novocaine's Midcredits score is the 33rd percentile of all films, from 18K ratings across 6 sources. 35% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

33rd percentile

Better received than 33% of films

36th percentile among Comedy32nd percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)37th
Approval (how many liked it)30th

58 /100

37th percentile of all films

41st percentile among Comedy37th percentile among 2000s

Critics 45 · Audience 59

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 5.9 — solid but not unanimous.

Approval

How many liked it

35% liked it

30th percentile of all films

32nd percentile among Comedy28th percentile among 2000s
35% rated it 7–1065% rated it 1–6

Critics 38% · Audience 38%

On Rotten Tomatoes, critics and audiences approve at similar rates.

82nd percentile

18K ratings across platforms

80th percentile among Comedy75th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 27% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$8M
Opening weekend$418K
Domestic gross$2M
Worldwide gross$2.5M

Returned 0.3× its budget — 54th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A stylish, twisty neo-noir with a strong cast whose tonal identity crisis—torn between black comedy and thriller—divides viewers.

Fans praised

  • spirited cast anchored by Martin, Dern, Bonham Carter, and a scene-stealing Bacon cameo
  • Elfman's haunting opening theme and stylized score
  • twists build to a satisfying, unpredictable finale

Detractors panned

  • plot holes so large they break credibility
  • muddy, indecisive tone that is neither funny nor dark enough
  • protagonist's idiotic decisions and contrived plot mechanics

What stands out

ActingDivisive78

cast praised as spirited and versatile, but detractors call Martin miscast and wooden

Sound and musicDivisive72

Elfman's opening theme and noir-inflected score widely praised

AtmosphereDivisive62

creepy dental-office environment and noir dread impress, but tonal whiplash hurts immersion

EndingDivisive52

unpredictable twist delights fans, but detractors call it far-fetched and unsatisfying

TensionDivisive48

thrills build in the final act, but earlier stretches lack suspense

CharactersDivisive45

femme fatale and supporting oddballs come alive, but leads under-written and paper-thin

Plot and storyDivisive42

intriguing setup undermined by huge holes and implausible character decisions

HumorDivisive38

dark comedy lands for some, but most find it neither funny nor dark enough

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 10 points higher than women.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Critics vs users 1 point apart
  • US vs non-US 1 point apart

Watch experience

What is Novocaine like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Feel-good: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something that leaves you smiling.

It is funny, swings between moods and leaves you entertained.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Nothing out of the ordinary.

What it feels like

Feel-good.

Moods
TenseAbsurdThrilling
Heaviest: middle
Dark humor
Register
Wry · 7% of films: Amused and slightly dry about it.Absurdist · 7% of films: Deliberately illogical; embraces nonsense.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its noir descent with a wry, satirical edge, treating the absurdity of the situation with deadpan humour.
The rideTension builds from the moment of the scam through the murders and police interrogation, with comic absurdity puncturing the dread; the heaviest stretch is the middle act of mounting danger and false accusation.
StructureThe story unfolds in a conventional beginning-middle-end narrative, following Frank from his ordinary life through the escalating crisis and eventual resolution.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Entertained.

The answer rests on this: FunBittersweet
Why it leaves you this wayThe film's twisty, comic resolution and escape to France leaves a sense of amused satisfaction, but the absurdity and implausibility give it a slightly bittersweet aftertaste.
How it ends · evidence
Ambiguous endingTwist

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).VoyageDescent
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4% (this title): Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1% (this title)
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Voyage and return: Into a strange world and back again, changed. · Descent: A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).

4% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeFrank Sangster's ordinary life descends into a nightmare of drugs, sex and murder after a femme fatale cons him, leading to a desperate attempt to escape a frame for murder. This is a voyage into a criminal underworld (descent) with a return to freedom in France.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfDeception
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% (this title) · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16% (this title): Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% (this title) · Deception 9% (this title)
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Morality

Deception · 9% of filmsGreed · 3% of filmsBetrayal · 5% of films
Satirizes its theme: Attacks its theme through ridicule.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe story revolves around a web of lies, scams, and double-crosses involving seduction, forged prescriptions, and murder-for-money schemes.
StanceThe film treats deception and greed as absurdly self-destructive forces, mocking everyone involved rather than condemning or celebrating them.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanDomesticInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score · Steve Bartek
SettingA Chicago dentist's office and surrounding city, with a brief escape to rural France

Content guide

Is Novocaine okay for kids?

R

Novocaine is rated R: “Rated R for violence, sexuality, language and drug content” (MPAA). As of August 31, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at severe (88/100), sexual content at moderate (54/100), language at severe (83/100), drug and alcohol content at intense (76/100) and frightening material at severe (91/100). Overall it is heavier than 95% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 2 other countries
  • CanadaR
  • JapanR18+
Overall
Severe · all five categories
Heavier than 97% of all filmsHeavier than 95% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Severe
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 81%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 63%
Profanity
Severe
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 79%
Alcohol & Drugs
Intense
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 91%
Frightening / Intense
Severe
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 95%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Heavy almost across the board: frightening material, violence, language, and drug and alcohol content. Everything else sits at or below what R-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Novocaine have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Novocaine?

Cast

1 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Steve Martin
as Frank Sangster
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Helena Bonham Carter
as Susan
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Laura Dern
as Jean Noble
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Lynne Thigpen
as Pat
Chelcie Ross
as Mike
Polly du Pont Noonan
as Sally
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
JoBe Cerny
as Pharmacist Wayne Ponze
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Elias Koteas
as Harlan Sangster
Yasen Peyankov
as 'Sunshine Lounge' Bartender
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Scott Caan
as Duane
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Novocaine?

Movies like Novocaine include Zola (2020), Ca$h (2010) and Blue Velvet (1986). Of the 12 closest matches, most are films set in the American Midwest, and most are films that feel dark.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

7 of these 12 share its world: the criminal underworld. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Novocaine?

1.3K other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: neo-noir. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.