SUBMITTED BY katystarlet

October 5, 2001 — CGX's Peter Pasyk attended the TIFF gala opening of Novocaine:

Steve Martin revisits the role of the dentist but don’t expect another Little Shop of Horrors. Perhaps when I was going to the Gala screening of Novocaine I was a little naove, as I did not read up on the film beforehand. I expected another Steve Martin goof ball, sometimes over-the-top, comedy. I was quite wrong and pleasantly surprised.

Novocaine is in fact a ‘dark comic thriller’ and a very well crafted and unpredictable one at that. Steve Martin plays the straight role of Dr. Frank Sangston. Sangston is a dentist with a perfect life but he happens to tell little white lies like all the rest of us do on occasion. Unfortunately these lies are not always forgiven by the gods and have potential for a snowballing effect greater than any predictable proportions.

In Steve Martin’s narration at the beginning of the film, he compares a lie to tooth decay. It starts off very small and unnoticeable in the middle of the tooth. Soon it becomes very painful, until it is too late and the entire tooth rots.

This film is director David Atkins’ first feature and he appears to be a strong emerging talent. The film really shines in two areas in particular. The first is the wonderfully unpredictable and disturbing story, and the second is the theme of dishonesty and deceit tightly woven into the picture through the sharply accurate metaphor of dentistry.

Be prepared to cringe at times – you might want to schedule any upcoming dentist appointments before you see this film.