Now Available to Rent: "Paddington in Peru" and "Novocaine"

by Nathaniel R

Herewith belated reflections on a couple of titles from the first quarter that are now rentable. We meant to cover them at the time of theatrical release but we had writers block then. Oopsie. If you've seen them, do sound off.

NOVOCAINE
When I showed up at the critics screening of this action comedy, an old journalist acquaintance of mine said to me "I haven't seen you in forever! This is what brought you back out?" I may have been being called out for jumping off the hamster wheel of the tenuous writer's life but, also, it's a valid question...

The boring answer is that though I vastly prefer to see movies in theaters, from roughly late December to February, screening links fly fast and furious and are 1000% more convenient given the insanity of holiday/awards season scheduling. The other answer --probably just as boring, oops -- is that I was curious. Hollywood releases so few programmers today (one-offs of various genres that are seeking neither a billion dollar gross nor a golden statue, just out trying to entertain and return a profit) that this felt like a surprise.

Novocaine's premise is so high-concept, a man who can feel no pain is thrust into reluctant violent heroism, that it's remarkable that nobody thought of it in the late 1980s or early 1990s when 'high concept' was all the rage. It's amusingly fitting then, that the star is Jack Quaid, who was born to superstars of that era in progress, Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan. That Quaid looks like an exact AI fusion of both of his parents' megawatt faces is a half endearing half creepy feat. On the other hand maybe only Gen Xers know how strange a win this is. But I digress. 

The leading actor effortlessly carries the action comedy, which is perhaps no surprise since his claim to fame, Amazon's The Boys, belongs to the same genre despite its more violent satirical bite. Quaid is believable and endearing as both the meek assistant bank manager and the novice but determined action hero he becomes. If the plot is predictable to a fault, Quaid's chemistry with his would-be onscreen girlfriend (Prey's find Amber Midthunder), his comic timing, and the occasionally clever flourishes within the action setpieces keep this popcorn contraption humming along until the satisfying but forgettable end. The torture sequence is a comic highlight and that is surely a novelty statement! Novocaine is hardly great cinema but you could do a lot worse if you wandered into a movie theater and randomly bought tickets to whatever had just opened. It's the kind of minor moviegoing pleasure that used to be the norm before Hollywood shot itself in the foot by refusing to nurture every-weekend audience curiosity by damming up their previously steady stream of theatrical fare. Novocaine wasn't successful in theaters but it's easy to imagine that it would have been a modest hit pre-pandemic when the majors were still releasing new movies every week and people knew there would always be something new to see if they left their house. B-
 

[Available to rent on most platforms. No Paramount+ streaming date as of yet.]

PADDINGTON IN PERU
The most famous fictional bear outside of Winnie is now 66 years old. You wouldn't know that from his own film franchise which remains fresh, funny, and charming three films in. The third adventure, blessed with a less banal title than its predecessor, is nevertheless and understandably inferior. That's not a complaint but merely a reality check; sequels as pleasurable and perfect as Paddington 2  are a special kind of movie miracle. Paddington in Peru is surely content to be a good-hearted family entertainment of well above average quality. 

Not much has changed since we last spent time with the Browns but for facial reconstruction for the Missus. Emily Mortimer steps in for Sally Hawkins (what happened there?). The true highlight of each Paddington film, apart from the radiant warmth of the central family and Ben Whishaw's lovely voice as the titular bear, are the one-off wily antagonists. Nicole Kidman kicked things off in the launch of this series. For the third adventure Antonio Banderas attempts to fill Hugh Grant's impossibly clever second film shoes. But, surprise, surprise, it's not the second lead that's the highlight this time but a supporting character. Olivia Colman steals the entire show this time out as a  blatantly suspicious, ever-cheerful Mother Superior at a Peruvian nursing home for old bears. Paddington's beloved Aunt Lucy goes missing one fateful day from the home, kicking off this travelogue rescue mission cum treasure-hunting adventure.

A solid B but joy is in such short supply that it absolutely feels like a B+
[Available to rent on most platforms. No Netflix streaming date as of yet.]