The defence The Adrenaline Seeker
“It owes the canon nothing.”
The movie pursues immediacy and audience pleasure without begging institutions to certify its worth.
Back to trending 
Novocaine
Comedy · Crime · Thriller · 2001
A dentist finds himself a murder suspect after a sexy patient seduces him into prescribing her drugs.
Movie details
Novocaine
“Getting to the root of the problem is like pulling teeth.”
2001 Comedy · Crime · Thriller 1h 35m
Critical arithmetic
One number, for now.
Scores change. Arguments endure.
TMDB
6.0 / 10
Community rating
A dentist finds himself a murder suspect after a sexy patient seduces him into prescribing her drugs.
CriticWise case file
What this film says about your taste.
Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.
The archetype split
Who fights over Novocaine?
For the defence
The Adrenaline Seeker
“If it slows down, you check your phone.”
Read their case For the prosecution
The Prestige Tourist
“You like your greatness pre-approved.”
Read their objectionThe split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.
Taste neighbourhood
Nearby on the taste map.
TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.
Brake
Crime · 2012
A Secret Service Agent is held captive in the trunk of a car and endures high-speed mental and physical torture as terrorists attempt to extract needed information for their sinister plot.
Smokin' Aces
Action · 2006
When a Las Vegas performer-turned-snitch named Buddy Israel decides to turn state's evidence and testify against the mob, it seems that a whole lot of people would like to make sure he's no longer breathing.
The 51st State
Thriller · 2001
An American master chemist plans to score big on a once in a lifetime drug deal. All does not go as planned and he is soon entangled in a web of deceit.
Redirected
Action · 2014
Four friends become stranded in Eastern Europe and have to become hit men, prostitutes, corrupt cops, smugglers and more to make it home.
Pineapple Express
Action · 2008
A stoner and his dealer are forced to go on the run from the police after the pothead witnesses a cop commit a murder.
Murphy's Law
Action · 1986
A tough police detective escapes from custody after being framed and arrested for the murder of his ex-wife, and must now find the real killer and prove his innocence.
Foxy Brown
Action · 1974
A voluptuous black woman takes a job as a high-class prostitute in order to get revenge on the mobsters who murdered her boyfriend.
Rise of the Footsoldier
Action · 2007
Carlton Leach rises from one of the most feared generals of the football terraces to becoming a member of a notorious gang of criminals who rampaged their way through London and Essex in the late '80s and early '90s.
Accident Man: Hitman's Holiday
Action · 2022
The Accident Man is back, and this time he must best the top assassins in the world to protect the ungrateful son of a mafia boss, save the life of his only friend and rekindle his relationship with his maniacal father figure.
Accident Man
Action · 2018
Mike Fallon, the Accident Man, is a stone cold killer. When a loved one is murdered by his own crew, Fallon is forced to avenge the one person who actually meant something to him.
Where it lives
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Names above the title
The people responsible.
Cast & crew
Directed by
David Atkins
Written by
David Atkins
Steve Martin
Frank Sangster
Helena Bonham Carter
Susan
Laura Dern
Jean Noble
Lynne Thigpen
Pat
Chelcie Ross
Mike
Polly Noonan
Sally
JoBe Cerny
Pharmacist Wayne Ponze
Court is in session
Put Novocaine on trial.
Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.
The prosecution The Prestige Tourist
“Easy pleasure, short half-life.”
It moves efficiently through the moment but offers little reason to keep arguing once the credits end.