Steve Martin is Dr. Frank Sangster, a normal dentist who just wants to do the job he loves and go home to his lovely girlfriend Jean (Laura Dern).  However, Martin is soon enticed by a pill popping patient (Helena Bonham Carter), which sends him on a downward spiral which ultimately implicates him in everything from drugs to murder.  Elias Koteas turns in a fabulous performance as Martin's brother Harlan, but the funniest role in the film goes to Kevin Bacon, who stars as an actor who is following cops around to rehearse a future role.  The performances are genuinely funny and nobody misses a cue.  Then, what's wrong with this picture, you might be asking?  I'll tell you--it is too forgettable.

      Two days after watching "Novocaine", I doubt anyone will remember having gone seen it.  There are no memorable scenes to recall and there is just ultimately nothing special about it.  It seems as if I can remember at least one scene in every Steve Martin film that was memorable--something that stood out as either a show stopper or just plain good comedy.  "Novocaine", however, is too much noir and not enough comedy.  Now, don't get me wrong--there is plenty of comedy--but a dry, drab kind of comedy--not something you would expect from an entertainer like Steve Martin.