Add Novocaine to the growing list of inspired titles wasted on numb films.
Comment
11/16/01
Rate this Movie 
Novocaine (2001)
37
%
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work
Reviews Counted:105
Fresh:39
Rotten:66
Average Rating:4.6/10
Consensus: The quirky Novocaine flirts with both dark comedy and noir suspense, but the result is a jarring mix of tones which never quite mesh.
Theatrical Release:Nov 16, 2001 Limited
Box Office: $1,512,342
Synopsis: Novocaine, Artisan Entertainment’s edgy, unpredictable crime thriller, stars Steve Martin as a prosperous dentist whose well-ordered existence is thrown into turmoil when an alluring new patient... [More]
Starring: Steve Martin, Helena Bonham-Carter, Laura Dern, Kevin Bacon
Director: David Atkins
Get This Movie
Reviews for Novocaine
Although Novocaine isn't filled with cavities, its smile and bite aren't perfect.
11/16/01
Is never broad enough to be funny nor stylish enough to satisfy its film noir aspirations.
11/16/01
Might best be described as modest. It is modestly comic, modestly inventive and modestly entertaining.
11/16/01
Top CriticA hilarious Kevin Bacon cameo almost makes up for this disappointing trip to the doc.
11/16/01
Novocaine isn't the kind of movie you can really sink your teeth into, but it is a nice passing fancy, a creative spin on a classic crime form that has just enough bite.
11/16/01
Some Martin fans may be unnerved by the movie's mix of lethal medicine and laughing gas, but unlike most recent comedies and thrillers, Novocaine will not leave you numb.
11/16/01
Top CriticA collection of film noir cliches and outlandish plot conniptions, it keeps straining for ironic wit in an effort to appear more cleverly modern than it really is.
11/16/01
Watching this very talented cast wasted on this rubbish is almost as painful as a root canal.
11/15/01
The mystery is terribly plotted and the satirical elements are limited and not very funny.
11/15/01
While this is in theory a great cast, they manage to completely screw the thing up.
11/15/01
One of the slickest and most skillful black comedies of the year in the blistering thriller Novocaine.
11/15/01
Much like my last trip to the dentist, this was really painful.
11/15/01
Like an appointment spent in the hands of a capable dentist, there are certainly worse experiences to be had, but there are also much better.
11/15/01
The plot takes a few unexpected twists, and Martin and Bonham Carter sustain our interest throughout.
11/15/01
Atkins wants to expose hidden moral decay, but his slack direction fails to touch a nerve.
11/15/01
Top CriticA cracked piece of storytelling -- a funny and constantly surprising exercise in comic tension.
11/15/01
The performances are terrific, it's stylishly directed, and the script does a clever job of setting us up to expect one thing and then delivering something completely different.
11/15/01
Proves initially intriguing in a junky sort of way, but in the end is just plain numbing.
11/15/01
Top CriticLatest News for Novocaine
December 21, 2005:
Critical Consensus: "Dick & Jane" Not Much Fun; "Cheaper" Is Bankrupt
This week's wide releases include a remake ("Fun With Dick and Jane") and a sequel to a remake ("Cheaper By the Dozen 2"). Will critics be laughing at these... More...
RT On Current TV
What’s Hot On RT
Fresh Links
Featured
Best Dozen of the Decade 
Last week, MSN gave us their top 09 films. Now see what their favorites of the decade are!
Top 50 of 2009
Here's a list of the 50 best movies of 2009, according to the good people over at Moviefone.
Santa's Naughty List
Hollywood.com takes a stab at determining who in movies will be on Santa's naughty list in 2009.
Top 10 Movies of 2009
TIME chimes in with their own list of the best films released this year.
Top 20 of the Decade
Click through to see which movies BuzzSugar placed in their Best-of-Decade list!
Promos
Follow RT on Twitter
Get the latest Tomatometer updates on upcoming movies!
RSS Feeds