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Novocaine review: Jack Quaid crushes as an unlikely action hero who cant feel pain

Over the last few years, Novocaine star Jack Quaid has carved himself a niche by playing the everyman archetype with a genre twist.

In The Boys, he’s a nobody thrust into a world of superheroes. In Star Trek: Lower Decks, he’s an ambitious worker bee on a starship. And in 2025’s Companion, he’s a sinister (yet all too familiar) “nice guy” with a robot girlfriend.

Quaid’s leading role in Novocaine feels like a natural continuation of these genre-bent everymen. He plays Nathan Caine, a mild-mannered assistant bank manager who has congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis (CIPA), a genetic disorder that impacts his nervous system to the point that he can’t feel pain or temperature.

Usually, Nathan’s CIPA causes everyday annoyances that he takes careful steps to manage. He can’t eat solid food for fear of biting his tongue off, so he blends it. He can’t feel pressure in his bladder, so he sets timers for bathroom breaks. But when his crush Sherry (Amber Midthunder) is taken hostage, he unleashes his CIPA as a superpower, fighting his way through stabs, gunshot wounds, and more to get to her. The ensuing ride is the perfect showcase for Quaid’s charms, as he elevates a serviceable action comedy to a damn great time.

What’s Novocaine about?

Amber Midthunder and Jack Quaid in "Novocaine."

Amber Midthunder and Jack Quaid in “Novocaine.”
Credit: Paramount Pictures

The first act of Novocaine sees Quaid in prime “regular guy” mode. As Nathan, he wakes up, goes about his morning routine, heads to the bank, and crushes on bank teller Sherry from afar. After a coffee spill meet-cute, Sherry invites him out to lunch, then to an art gallery opening. They open up to each other about things they hide from the world: He tells her about how his CIPA led to him being a punching bag at school and causes him to withdraw from social gatherings. She tells him about her self-harm and her upbringing in a troubled foster home. The night culminates in a tender hookup that has Nathan hearing wedding bells.

At face value, this opening sequence is just a run-of-the-mill first date, one that can’t hold a candle to the rom-com greats. But Quaid’s game combination of daffiness and vulnerability lends a pleasant sweetness to Nathan’s conversations with Sherry. As Sherry, Midthunder is saddled more with a manic pixie dream girl-type role — look, she encourages him to eat his first bite of pie! — but don’t worry. Novocaine features its fair share of twists that allow Midthunder to showcase more of the star power she displayed in 2022’s Prey.

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Speaking of star power, Quaid’s kicks into high gear when Nathan begins his quest to take down the trio of bank robbers who kidnap Sherry. Once again, he’s the everyman stuck in a high-stakes situation. He’s never shot a gun, and he doesn’t really know how to fight, resulting in some hysterical scenes in which a hapless Nathan bumbles through intimidating his adversaries. He can’t bluff to save his life, but my goodness, does he commit.

Crucially, though, Nathan also doesn’t know how to feel pain, and that proves to be the secret sauce Novocaine needs.

Jack Quaid brings humor to Novocaine‘s fun fights.

Jack Quaid in "Novocaine."

Jack Quaid in “Novocaine.”
Credit: Paramount Pictures

Turns out all you need to do to freshen up some tried-and-true fight scene tropes is to take away one fighter’s ability to feel pain. Take Novocaine‘s restaurant kitchen fight scene, Nathan’s first real one-on-one test. Kitchen fights are an action movie mainstay. Recent blockbusters like 2023’s John Wick 4 and 2024’s Monkey Man delivered scorching kitchen-set battles, and of course, who can top the kitchen showdown in The Raid 2?

But Novocaine manages to find its own kitchen fight magic by removing Nathan’s pain from the equation. Now, you’ve got someone who’s unafraid to reach into a vat of boiling oil or use a red-hot skillet as a weapon. Nathan may not be a physical match for his opponent, but his ability to withstand agony levels the playing field.

Directors Robert Olsen and Dan Berk stay trained on Nathan for much of the fight, highlighting Quaid’s aptitude for physical comedy and every little surprised expression that crosses his face as he realizes just how much his CIPA can benefit him in this life-or-death situation.

Thanks to that realization, Nathan finds consistently more inventive ways to take down his foes, no matter the physical damage they do to him. The disconnect between his normal guy vibes and his gnarly appearance makes for some of Novocaine‘s best comedy. Case in point: Nathan casually slicing his arm open in order to remove a bullet. Quaid keeps talking through it like everything is normal, but the blood oozing from his arm suggests otherwise.

That’s only the tip of Novocaine‘s gnarly iceberg, which puts Nathan’s body through the ringer, even if he may stay chipper for quite a bit of it. And while I don’t actively wish harm on movie protagonists, I will say that thanks to Quaid, it’s never been more fun watching someone get hurt.

Novocaine hits theaters March 14.


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Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love

Mother figures are the backbone of the world. Yours may be your biological mother, or maybe she’s your mother-in-law, your best friend’s mom, or simply someone whose motherly instinct has helped you through hard times.

Moms teach you the adulting necessities, give advice even if the problem is your fault, and above all, they put up with your shit and (almost) never complain.

The game plan here isn’t just to snag the last bouquet at CVS just so you’re not the kid who forgot Mother’s Day (but definitely also get flowers). And you don’t even need to spend a lot of money. (Peep our list of Mother’s Day gifts that cost less than $50. Want even more cheap gift ideas?

Skip the generic mugs and show your appreciation with a gift picked just for her: Whether it’s something to make a part of her life easier, something she’s mentioned wanting in passing, or simply something to make her feel like a damn queen, you can’t put a price on everything she’s done for you, but heartfelt gifts certainly help.

After all, they say “No matter how hard you try, you always end up like your mother.” But is that even a bad thing?


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Ban subscriptions and get Microsoft Office 2024 for life for just £121

TL;DR: Grab Microsoft Office 2024 Home and Business for PC or Mac for just £120.54 through June 1.


You wouldn’t keep paying for Netflix if you could own your favorite shows, right? So why are you still subscribing to Office apps you use every day? Microsoft 365’s price keeps going up, but there’s finally a way to break free — and it’ll cost you way less in the long run.

Microsoft Office 2024 is the answer you’ve been looking for. Instead of monthly payments, simply pay £120.54 once and be set for life (reg. £188.37). It’s that simple. And, yes, this lifetime download works for PC or Mac.

What’s included?

This license comes with: 

  • Word

  • Excel

  • PowerPoint

  • Outlook

  • OneNote 

The newest version of Microsoft Office is a little different from Microsoft 365. But just because you’re switching to a lifetime license doesn’t mean you’ll miss out on some of the most recent updates. Word and Excel both still have AI integrations for text suggestions and smart data analysis, and PowerPoint still has improved tools for recorded presentations. 

Once you’ve redeemed your purchase, you can install your apps on one computer. After that, they’re yours to use however you want. No more subscription fees or sudden price hikes to worry about. 

Why rent when you can own? 

Mashable Deals

Get a Microsoft Office lifetime license on sale for £120.54 with no coupon needed.

StackSocial prices subject to change.


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Wordle today: Answer, hints for May 9, 2025

Oh hey there! If you’re here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we’re serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today’s answer.

If you just want to be told today’s word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today’s Wordle solution revealed. But if you’d rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

Where did Wordle come from?

Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once

Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.

What’s the best Wordle starting word?

The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.

What happened to the Wordle archive?

The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website’s creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.

Is Wordle getting harder?

It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn’t any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle‘s Hard Mode if you’re after more of a challenge, though.

Here’s a subtle hint for today’s Wordle answer:

Gibberish.

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Does today’s Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

Today’s Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with…

Today’s Wordle starts with the letter T.

The Wordle answer today is…

Get your last guesses in now, because it’s your final chance to solve today’s Wordle before we reveal the solution.

Drumroll please!

The solution to today’s Wordle is…

TRIPE.

Don’t feel down if you didn’t manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we’ll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today’s Strands.

Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.

If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to yesterday’s Wordle.


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