Release CalendarTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV News
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsCannes Film FestivalStar WarsAsian Pacific American Heritage MonthSummer Watch GuideSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • FAQ
IMDbPro

Novocaine

  • 2001
  • R
  • 1h 35m
IMDb RATING
5.8/10
12K
YOUR RATING
Steve Martin in Novocaine (2001)
Home Video Trailer from Artisan
Play trailer1:32
1 Video
44 Photos
Dark ComedyComedyCrimeDramaThriller

A dentist finds himself a murder suspect after a sexy patient seduces him and steals all of the drugs from his practice.A dentist finds himself a murder suspect after a sexy patient seduces him and steals all of the drugs from his practice.A dentist finds himself a murder suspect after a sexy patient seduces him and steals all of the drugs from his practice.

  • Director
    • David Atkins
  • Writers
    • Paul Felopulos
    • David Atkins
  • Stars
    • Steve Martin
    • Helena Bonham Carter
    • Chelcie Ross
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    5.8/10
    12K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • David Atkins
    • Writers
      • Paul Felopulos
      • David Atkins
    • Stars
      • Steve Martin
      • Helena Bonham Carter
      • Chelcie Ross
    • 106User reviews
    • 40Critic reviews
    • 45Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    Novocaine
    Trailer 1:32
    Novocaine

    Photos44

    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    + 36
    View Poster

    Top cast36

    Edit
    Steve Martin
    Steve Martin
    • Frank Sangster
    Helena Bonham Carter
    Helena Bonham Carter
    • Susan
    Chelcie Ross
    Chelcie Ross
    • Mike
    Laura Dern
    Laura Dern
    • Jean Noble
    Lynne Thigpen
    Lynne Thigpen
    • Pat
    Polly du Pont Noonan
    • Sally
    • (as Polly Noonan)
    JoBe Cerny
    JoBe Cerny
    • Pharmacist Wayne Ponze
    Elias Koteas
    Elias Koteas
    • Harlan Sangster
    Yasen Peyankov
    Yasen Peyankov
    • 'Sunshine Lounge' Bartender
    Scott Caan
    Scott Caan
    • Duane
    Teri Cotruzzola
    • Attractive Complaining Patient
    Lucina Paquet
    • Mrs. Langston
    Preston Maybank
    • Gelding
    Sally Kao
    • Chinese Wife
    Quincy Wong
    • Chinese Husband
    George Lugg
    • Liquor Store Owner
    Tyler Rostenkowski
    • Billy
    Tom Milanovich
    Tom Milanovich
    • 'Blue Sands' Bartender
    • Director
      • David Atkins
    • Writers
      • Paul Felopulos
      • David Atkins
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    More like this

    Bringing Down the House
    5.6
    Bringing Down the House
    Shopgirl
    6.3
    Shopgirl
    You Kill Me
    6.4
    You Kill Me
    Permanent Midnight
    6.2
    Permanent Midnight
    Who Is Cletis Tout?
    6.3
    Who Is Cletis Tout?
    My Blue Heaven
    6.2
    My Blue Heaven
    All of Me
    6.7
    All of Me
    Novocaine
    Novocaine
    Novocaine
    Novocaine
    Joe Somebody
    5.6
    Joe Somebody
    Novocaine
    6.5
    Novocaine
    Love Lies Bleeding
    5.6
    Love Lies Bleeding

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Steve Martin and Scott Caan did not get along during filming because of Caan's reckless behavior toward a stuntperson in a scene in which his character smashes a beer bottle over the head of a man in a bar.
    • Goofs
      When Frank enters the bathroom for the first time, the reflection of a cameraman is visible in the shower door.
    • Quotes

      Frank: [Pulling his own teeth to fake his death] Strange as it may seem, it didn't hurt like I thought it would. In fact, with each tooth I pulled, I felt a little better... a little less trapped... a little more free. Until I felt so free that what I had to do didn't seem so bad at all.

    • Crazy credits
      Opening credits are shown over X Ray images of people.
    • Connections
      Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone/Heist/Shallow Hal/Maze (2001)
    • Soundtracks
      Concerto No. 3 in G for Violin and Orchestra, K.216
      Written by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

      Performed by Takako Nishizaki

      Soloist Capella Istropolitana, Conducted by Stephen Gunzenhauser (as Stephen Gunzehauser)

      Courtesy of Naxos of America by arrangement with Source/Q

    User reviews106

    Featured review

    Steve Martin plays it straight and I like it

    Let's get something clear real quick - this is NOT a comedy. Don't try to watch it as a comedy, don't try to laugh at things that are not supposed to be funny, and don't complain if you didn't laugh a lot.

    Now, I like to see an actor take a chance and do something out of his/her comfort zone. I like to see an actor expand his/her range, explore other genres, flex their actual acting muscles once in a while. And, I like to see an actor want to do a script that might not score them points either in the box office or with critics, so long as they feel they can bring something to a role. (Tom Hanks is the best example of this; Michael Keaton is close behind, and even Bruce Willis falls into this category, in my humble opinion).

    That said, this film is fairly good. A pretty tame dentist is drawn into a downward-spiralling vortex of sex, drugs and murder. He is clearly over his head as his world crumbles down around him, and he doesn't suddenly become an action hero at all.

    This movie has some classic femme fatale elements but does not pursue that vehicle to the common extreme. However, it also captures some film noir ideas - the first-person narrative, the slippery-slope downwards, the protagonist who just can't stop himself from falling under the spell of the vamp who's bad news from the word "go"...

    It's not Double Indemnity or Sunset Blvd, but hey, for what it is, it was somewhat engaging.
    • MovieMusings
    • Dec 21, 2002
    • Permalink

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    FAQ18

    • How long is Novocaine?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 14, 2001 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • French
    • Also known as
      • La seducción
    • Filming locations
      • Chicago, Illinois, USA
    • Production companies
      • Artisan Entertainment
      • Numb Gums Productions Inc.
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $8,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $2,036,682
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $418,098
      • Nov 18, 2001
    • Gross worldwide
      • $2,534,372
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 35 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • DTS
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Steve Martin in Novocaine (2001)
    Top Gap
    What is the Spanish language plot outline for Novocaine (2001)?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb app
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb app
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb app
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2025 by IMDb.com, Inc.