IT General
Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 10, 2026
Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you always bounce back.
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.
SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 10, 2026 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.
SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for April 10, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:A rebound.
Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?There are no recurring letters.
Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today
Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...Today's Wordle starts with the letter C.
SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. 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...
CAROM
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.
Hurdle hints and answers for April 10, 2026
If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.
There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.
An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.
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If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.
SEE ALSO: Hurdle: Everything you need to know to find the answers Hurdle Word 1 hintA bike part.
SEE ALSO: Apple’s new M3 MacBook Air is $300 off at Amazon. And yes, I’m tempted. Hurdle Word 1 answerPEDAL
Hurdle Word 2 hintAnimal part.
SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 10, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 AnswerOFFAL
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Hurdle Word 3 hintTo mix.
SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for April 10 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 10, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answerBLEND
Hurdle Word 4 hintBaloney.
Hurdle Word 4 answerCROCK
Final Hurdle hintAn area.
SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Games available on Mashable Hurdle Word 5 answerSPACE
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
NASAs moon crew will hit 25,000 mph tomorrow. Thats not the scariest part.
Orion will slam into Earth's atmosphere at more than 30 times the speed of sound, in what NASA expects to be the most demanding part of the Artemis II moon mission.
On landing day, Artemis II entry flight director Rick Henfling and his team in mission control will run the final leg home of the 10-day spaceflight. After wake‑up, controllers will brief the four astronauts — Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen — on weather at the splashdown zone, then clear them to secure loose gear and climb into their pressure suits.
A small final steering burn in space will aim the Orion spacecraft at a targeted patch of the Pacific Ocean, west of San Diego, California, where a Navy ship will be waiting Friday evening. On the ground, engineers will also arm backup flight software so the capsule can still guide itself through the atmosphere if its main computers fail.
This home stretch carries extra tension following Artemis I, when pieces of Orion's heat shield unexpectedly broke off during the uncrewed test flight’s descent. Engineers later attributed the problem to hot gas building up faster than it could escape during that mission's so-called "skip" entry. But rather than redesign the shield, NASA chose to change the capsule's path through the atmosphere to avoid the hottest temperatures.
SEE ALSO: After splashdown, brutal obstacle course awaits the Artemis II crewLong before launch, the heat shield was Wiseman's top concern for Jim Free, who led NASA's Artemis rocket and spacecraft programs in 2023.
"Every time you see me come in, you take a step back," Wiseman told Free at a news conference, "because I'm coming about the heat shield."
After NASA recovered the Orion spacecraft following Artemis I, engineers stripped the heat shield off the crew module to inspect the charring damage. Credit: NASAInstead of repeating the same deep bounce from the inaugural flight, Artemis II will use a gentler "lofted" approach, Henfling said. Orion will still dip in and out of the atmosphere before the final plunge, but with a less dramatic climb and fall. That change shortens the distance to splashdown and keeps the gas‑pressure spikes seen on the first flight in a tolerable range. NASA brought in an independent review team before approving the revised plan.
Glover said he's been thinking about re-entry since April 3, 2023: the day he was assigned to the Artemis II crew.
"At one of the first press conferences, we were asked what are we looking forward to, and I said, 'Splashdown,'" he said during a very long-distance call with reporters from the capsule Wednesday night. "Riding a fireball through the atmosphere is profound."
Artemis II pilot Victor Glover, third from left, looks pleased with himself after positioning the microphone in front of Rise, the moon mission's zero-gravity indicator, during a call with reporters on Wednesday, April 8, 2026. Credit: NASA / Youtube screenshotThough alarming, NASA officials said in 2024 that the damage to Artemis I's heat shield would not have harmed a crew.
"They would have not sensed any disturbance inside the vehicle, there would not have been any excessive heating on the structure, and the guidance would have put them exactly where the Navy needed to recover them," said Amit Kshatriya, a senior NASA official.
As Orion nears Earth, communications will switch from the giant moon‑tracking antennas of the Deep Space Network to near‑Earth relay satellites. About 20 minutes before entry, the service module — the section with solar arrays and the main engine — will separate and burn up over the ocean, leaving only the crew capsule to face the punishing heat.
Following Artemis I, engineers redesigned the reentry and descent path for the Orion spacecraft during Artemis II. Credit: NASA infographicEntry begins roughly 75 miles up, with Orion moving at 25,000 mph. Air piling up in front of the capsule will heat to about 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit, engulfing it in plasma that may briefly cut off radio contact. Inside, the crew will feel about 3.9Gs — a crushing pressure of four times his or her own weight.
Though the astronauts have often described potential records as mere distractions, Wiseman admitted there is one he has mentally clocked during their training — potentially beating previous reentry speeds by perhaps 200-or-so miles per hour. Apollo 10's velocity translated to about Mach 37, according to its 1969 press kit.
"We still giggle a little bit when we see a click over Mach 39 on entry," he said months before the April 1 launch.
Once Orion is slow enough, a tight parachute sequence will take over. A cover over the nose will blow off, two small drogues will pop out to steady the capsule, then three large orange parachutes will open in stages to cut its speed to a survivable splashdown. Small thrusters will tip the capsule so it hits the waves at the safest angle near the California coast.
After splashdown, NASA will keep Orion powered for roughly two hours to monitor how temperatures inside the capsule change as it cools in the Pacific, even after the astronauts are on the recovery ship.
Dan Flores, who is on the recovery team, may be biased but calls this his favorite part of the mission.
"We have our friends flying around the moon," he said. "This is when we get to bring our friends back home to their families."
The latest Microsoft Visual Studio is on sale for just $43
TL;DR: The 2026 MS Visual Studio version is a powerful, AI-enhanced IDE for just $42.97 (reg. $499.99).
Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2026 $42.97$499.99 Save $457.02 Get Deal
For a lot of developers, the IDE isn’t just a tool — it’s the workspace where everything happens. And when that workspace slows down, everything else follows. Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2026 is built to keep that from happening, and it’s on sale.
As a fully 64-bit IDE, it’s designed to handle larger solutions and heavier workloads without the slowdowns that used to come with complex projects. Whether you’re working across multiple repositories, building cloud-connected apps, or managing enterprise-level codebases, performance stays consistent.
Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up!Where things get more interesting is the deeper AI integration. Instead of just basic autocomplete, Visual Studio 2026 uses AI-assisted suggestions to help you write, refactor, and optimize code with fewer issues. It understands context — your variables, functions, and structure — and offers smarter next-step recommendations that can actually speed up development without getting in the way.
It’s also built for how development works now, not five years ago. You can build cross-platform apps with .NET MAUI, create web interfaces with Blazor, and deploy across Windows, Linux, and containers, all from the same environment. Integration with GitHub and Azure keeps everything connected to your existing workflows.
Collaboration is another strong point. Live Share allows teams to jump into shared coding sessions without complicated setup, making it easier to debug, review, and iterate together in real time. The overall experience feels streamlined: fewer context switches, fewer slowdowns, and more time actually writing code.
If your current setup feels like it’s lagging behind your workload, this is one way to bring it back up to speed. Get MS Visual Studio Pro 2026 for just $42.97 (reg. $499.99) through April 19.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Gmail finally offers end-to-end encryption for email on Android and iPhone
Fully encrypted email has been available in at least some form for Gmail since the end of 2022, but now it's finally ready for mobile. Google is now offering end-to-end encryption (E2EE) for Gmail on Android devices and iPhones through the official email app.
These American brands are now more reliable than some Japanese rivals
Buying a vehicle seems to get more expensive each year. On top of the purchase price, you have to factor in gasoline, diesel, or electricity to keep it running. Insurance, registration fees, and depreciation only add to the overall cost. The last thing you need is an expensive repair bill.
5 new shows to watch this weekend across Netflix, HBO Max, and more (April 10-12)
Now that the calendar has turned to April, streaming services are rolling out new and returning shows every week. These next two months are always a crowded time for television because the eligibility period for the 2026 Emmys ends on May 31, 2026. The fifth and final season of an HBO Max comedy show will certainly be vying to take home awards this fall.
Waymo robotaxis will help cities fix potholes by sharing data
You might need to thank a self-driving car the next time your city patches a hole in the road. Alphabet's Waymo is launching a pilot program that will share data from its robotaxis to help municipal and state governments identify and fix potholes.
Kindle owners are furious over Amazons plan to end support for older devices
Amazon is facing backlash from Kindle owners after notifying users this week that support for Kindle devices released in 2012 or earlier will end on May 20.
The email sparked immediate panic online, with many readers initially fearing their beloved e-readers were about to stop working entirely — and others expressing frustration that devices they have used for more than a decade are effectively being pushed toward obsolescence.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.Much of the frustration seems less about the devices themselves and more about what they represent. Kindle owners repeatedly pointed out that their 2010 or 2011 devices still do the one thing they need them to do: read books.
On Reddit, many users framed Amazon's move as another example of planned obsolescence and unnecessary e-waste, especially because these devices are otherwise fully functional. Some commenters on X and Threads said they were considering switching to Kobo rather than buying another Kindle, while others called the change "a nightmare" and "a hostile act of predatory capitalism."
Across social media, readers described the move as a money grab. Some users said being nudged toward buying a new device, even with Amazon offering trade-in discounts, feels especially out of touch for people who cannot easily justify replacing something that still works.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. View on Threads This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.There is also a very specific kind of outrage coming from longtime Kindle loyalists who love the quirks of older models, especially devices with physical page-turn buttons. For some readers, older Kindles are more comfortable, more durable, and easier to use than newer touchscreen models. Losing access to the Kindle Store on those devices feels less like an inevitable software update and more like losing a favorite object that has been part of their daily routine for years.
For others, though, the news was less about outrage and more about amazement that some 15-year-old Kindles are still working well enough to make replacing them feel unnecessary. That's an unusually long lifespan in consumer tech.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.At the same time, some users online have been quick to point out that this is not exactly the end of the road. Many are already sharing workarounds involving jailbreaking, USB transfers, sideloading, and programs like Calibre, which allow readers to manually move books onto their devices.
As Mashable's resident e-reader expert, Samantha Mangino, noted, "The affected Kindles aren't necessarily being deactivated; service will just be limited. You can still read the books you have already downloaded to your Kindle per usual... Who's really losing out are Libby users, who have benefited from the Send to Kindle feature."
For some longtime Kindle devotees, this change might be enough to sour them on Amazon altogether — and to consider whether it might finally be time to try a different e-reader.
Stop wasting money on these 5 phone accessories
Nearly everyone has an Android phone or iPhone in their pocket—if a company can get a sizable portion of those people to buy its accessory, that’s a lot of potential profit. But just because a product exists, that doesn’t mean you should buy it.
Can Waymo and Waze fix cities potholes?
Transportation companies Waymo and Waze announced a new, pothole-patching pilot today, harnessing their troves of street data to map out areas in need of fixing.
The program will rely on the perception and physical feedback systems built into Waymo's autonomous fleet vehicles to detect the location and condition of city potholes. That data will then be sent to city and state Departments of Transportation through the free Waze for Cities program, which provides real-time road data to partners.
SEE ALSO: Using ChatGPT Health? Read this first.Waze users will be able to access and verify the data in the app, starting with riders in Los Angeles, when driving through areas with Waymo fleets.
Waymo will pilot the data partnership in five cities to start: San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Austin, and Atlanta, and plans to expand to cities with more complex transportation conditions, including harsh winters and freeze-thaw cycles. The company says it has already identified 500 potholes in need of filling. It says the partnership will "help fill reporting gaps and support cities’ efforts to maintain safer streets."
Waymo recently launched its driverless fleet to riders in Nashville, part of an aggressive expansion across the U.S., including cities like Chicago and Charlotte — it's expected to debut in dozens more cities this year. Waymo is in direct competition with Tesla's robotaxi fleet and recently had a $16 billion financing round. Tesla, meanwhile, is reportedly accelerating its autonomous fleet plans outside of its base in Austin, Texas.
Stop trusting your TV's night mode: What happens when you're not watching
When you've woken up after falling asleep while watching Netflix, and you turn your TV off and go to bed for real, your day may have ended, but your TV still has business to conduct.
I stopped using desktop icons on Windows, and you should too
The Windows desktop is iconic. Some of the backgrounds, the green rolling hills featured in Windows XP, have even become a bit of a meme. However, I do one thing very differently: I have completely removed all desktop icons from my desktop.
5 ways I use presence sensors with Home Assistant to automate my morning routine
My smart home morning routine has evolved a lot over the years. It used to be triggered at the same time each morning, but life isn't always that predictable. I now use presence sensors to help automate my mornings.
Motorolas Moto G budget phone prices spike up to 50 percent
Motorola is usually a pretty dependable manufacturer of affordable budget phones in the U.S., but that's changing a bit this year.
As noted by Ars Technica, several 2026 revisions of Motorola's usual low-priced lineup have gotten significant price hikes.
Take the Moto G, Moto G Play, and Moto G Power phones, for example. All three have risen in price by anywhere from 33 to 50 percent year-over-year in 2026. The Moto G Play used to be $180, but now it's $250. On top of that, the slightly higher-end 2026 Moto G Stylus just made its debut at $500, a $100 price increase from last year.
SEE ALSO: Apple iPhone 17e review: Ticks every box but oneIn response to Mashable's questions about the price changes, a Motorola spokesperson provided this statement: "Pricing is always subject to change based on market conditions. We regularly assess pricing to remain competitive and continue to offer strong bundle and promotional offers to give consumers the strongest value possible."
Of course, phone prices tend to rise year-over-year to account for hardware or software improvements. However, the new Moto G Stylus, for instance, has the same display and memory specs as the previous year's model, and brands typically offer improved specs along with higher prices.
The most obvious potential culprit here is the ongoing memory shortage driven by AI data center construction around the world. It's caused everything from game console price increases to shortages in SD cards, and there's no sign of it ending anytime soon. (Not to mention pressure from tariffs and inflation.)
Is a more expensive phone acceptable if it has new AI features? Consumers will have to make that choice for themselves, but Motorola, like most other tech companies, is all-in on artificial intelligence.
UPDATE: Apr. 9, 2026, 2:15 p.m. EDT We've updated this article with a statement from Motorola.
Milk, tears, and Digimon: BTS Hot Ones episode was pure chaos
Some things can feel so specific, so perfectly engineered in a lab to appeal directly to me. Today, that thing is the members of BTS singing "Butter-Fly" by Kōji Wada, the iconic opening theme to Digimon Adventure, during an appearance on Hot Ones.
The members approached the hot wings challenge with wildly different strategies. V called it quits a few wings in — smart! — and spent the rest of the episode slamming pints of milk. Jin attempted to expel the chili demons from his body through a series of guttural screams, while j-hope tried to walk it off. RM kept his tears hidden behind his sunglasses, while Jimin and Jung Kook mostly played it cool, rallying themselves every round with an enthusiastic "come on, wing!" And then there was Suga: the silent wing assassin, who only showed his weakness at the very end.
SEE ALSO: 19 best 'Hot Ones' episodes to binge-watchAs the wings got hotter, the conversation only got more charming. Jin talked about his love of fishing, Jung Kook shared his perfect tteokbokki recipe, and the group reflected on their latest album, Arirang, and the world tour that just kicked off in Seoul.
Even through sweat dabbing, milk chugging, and increasingly desperate reactions to the wings, the episode doubled as a reminder of why spending time with BTS is always such a delight: No matter how chaotic things get, they never stop being deeply themselves — especially when it comes to their favorite anime OSTs.
5 Ryobi lighting products you didn’t realize you needed
Ryobi tools are a popular option for DIYers and homeowners for several reasons. And while you probably have all sorts of Ryobi tools, one thing a lot of buyers forget about is lighting. If you're looking to upgrade your garage for less, get these affordable Ryobi lights that outperform the rest.
Your DNS server knows every website you visit—here's why Google's 8.8.8.8 is different
At some point, you've probably been told that switching your DNS server to 8.8.8.8—or some other alternative—might be the cure for your internet problems.
Outcome review: Keanu Reeves puts his nice guy rep on the line
Hollywood actors playing fictionalised versions of themselves isn't new. George Clooney in Jay Kelly, Nicolas Cage in The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, Bruce Campbell in My Name Is Bruce, Paul Giamatti in Cold Souls, Larry David in Curb Your Enthusiasm, and hell, the entire cast of This Is the End. Keanu Reeves, widely known as one of Hollywood's nicest actors, already played a fictional version of himself in Ali Wong and Randall Park's Always Be My Maybe, exaggerating his affable attributes as a disarmingly wonderful date.
However, in Outcome, Reeves explores a more earnest approach to a life in Hollywood, leaning into a desperation to be seen as a good person — and to maintain that public reputation amid a turbulent private life. Directed, starring, and co-written by Jonah Hill (with Ezra Woods), the latest of Hill's Strong Baby productions, Outcome sends Reeves on an apology tour through the past, in a framework reminiscent of Noah Baumbach's Jay Kelly, Jim Jarmusch's Broken Flowers, or Neil LaBute's Some Girl(s).
A star-studded affair with opulent production design, Outcome often swims on the surface of the tale it's trying to tell, while still giving sharply written consideration of what it means to be a famous person looking down the barrel of reputational threat.
Outcome sees Keanu Reeves as himself, kinda, not really. Keanu Reeves and a a near-unrecognisable Jonah Hill. Credit: AppleReeves plays a fictionalised version of himself as Reef Hawk, a child star who's grown into one of Hollywood's most beloved movie stars. Unlike Reef, who has been working since he was six, Reeves made his big screen debut at 21 in Youngblood. But what is relatable to Reeves is his character's reputation as a nice guy, with the John Wick star's congeniality well-documented on the internet.
However, as always with public life, there's a private reality. Reef is now five years sober from a heroin addiction, one the public never saw (nor do we), but a time his high school best friends Kyle (Cameron Diaz) and Xander (Matt Bomer) helped him through. An actor who began his career pre-internet, Reef is now paranoid about his reputation. He's desperate to cling to this down-to-earth facade. His friends have to pull him away from talking to set crew, referring to it as "MOPing… Man-of-the-People-ing," and he's constantly googling himself to luxuriate in People headlines like "Reef Hawk still beloved by fans."
Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today
And it's this cherished rep that's threatened in one phone call from his lawyer Ira (a near-unrecognisable Hill): "There's a video."
Who is extorting Hollywood's most beloved star? No one hates this guy, right? Well…maybe his first manager (Martin Scorsese!) or his first girlfriend (Welker White), his reality star mother (All My Children icon Susan Lucci) or perhaps former crew, studio executives, his old trainer, his new trainer, the three shelter dogs he returned…
Yes, that's Martin Scorsese. Credit: AppleSo begins an apology tour for the screen star, one that sees him making amends with people from his past. With a set-up like this, it's impossible not to compare Outcome to Baumbach's Jay Kelly, which saw Clooney as an actor facing similar realities. As Mashable entertainment editor Kristy Puchko wrote in her Jay Kelly review, that film interrogates movie stardom in "an odd love letter to the industry, one that recognizes its warts and still declares devotion." In contrast, Outcome seems to hold little love for Hollywood, instead presenting Reeves as a former child star surrounded by yes people, whose bad behaviour has gone unapologised for now that he's an adult. We never actually see this behaviour — we only hear about it — but it's clear his experiences with addiction and substance abuse have burned some bridges.
Outcome's cast is heavily star-studded. Cameron Diaz and Matt Bomer are a dream team. Credit: AppleMake no mistake, Outcome is brimming with names, all of whom know a thing or two about Hollywood. As Reeves' obnoxious, fast-talking, pop culture-referencing crisis lawyer, Hill is undoubtedly why many people will watch the film, having made headlines for his character's appearance in prosthetics. Like Adam Sandler's exceptional performance in Jay Kelly as the protagonist's long-suffering manager Ron, Hill's Ira upstages Reeves' Reef as the well-connected friend on the payroll who makes everything happen or go away. Ira is the one who's been there through the ups and the downs — and making sure the downs don't hit the papers. Hill understands his own penned assignment here, hurtling Ira through a flurry of unsettling one-liners. If you need clarity on Ira's moral compass, his office is filled with portraits of former clients Kanye West and Kevin Spacey, and the bumper sticker on his car reads, "Honk if you can separate art from the artist."
And then there's Cameron Diaz and Matt Bomer. As Reef's besties Kyle and Xander, it's entirely possible they deserve the biggest apology of all. These two actors seem to be having the best time, bringing heart and hilarity to these literal supporting roles. "I love outlandish humor with my friends!" Kyle chuckles, pretend-smoking on the highway with Xander. They're the base Reef often overlooks, though the film does not, giving the pair plenty of heartfelt and meme-able scenes.
Meanwhile, the parading lineup of names here gives The Studio, another industry satire from Apple, a run for its money. Scorsese (who also appeared in The Studio) is straight-up wonderful as Reef's first manager, Richie "Red" Rodriguez, who convincingly muses on Hollywood heydays — after being almost upstaged by Weapons' Cary Christopher as straight-talkin' child star. Making up Ira's crack team of lawyers ("Reef Unit") that cover what might be on the video is the all-star lineup of Laverne Cox, Roy Wood Jr., and Atsuko Okatsuka. Whether it's racist behaviour or sexual misconduct, Reef's team is prepared for every possible outcome. They sit through probably the most jaw-dropping dialogue in the film, an unsettling satirical monologue about "victim capitalism" by Cox's character that's sure to spark opinion pieces. Plus, Drew Barrymore makes a fitting cameo as herself, in a frankly missed opportunity for the film. Though Barrymore briefly connects with Reef about being a child star and growing up in Hollywood, Outcome doesn't move beyond a surface-level moment here.
Outcome boasts sublime production design. Lush. And also Susan Lucci! Credit: AppleOutcome is extremely beautiful to look at. Production designer and frequent Sofia Coppola/Spike Jonze collaborator K.K. Barrett (Her, Lost in Translation, Being John Malkovich, Adaptation) works with art director Jourdan Henderson (Madame Web) to craft a kaleidoscopic aesthetic for Outcome that feels one degree removed from reality. Every scene in Outcome feels somewhat like it takes place on a set, or is revealed to actually be a set. Everything is drenched in saturated light, with backgrounds that often look like backgrounds, hammering home the perpetual nature of Hollywood's conflict with the real world.
"Just because it's performative doesn't mean it's not the truth," declares Reef's reality star mother Dinah. "Why can't it be both?"
The film is a wash of iridescent hues, all beautifully captured by Gaspar Noé's go-to cinematographer Benoît Debie, whose Enter the Void energy works strangely well in Outcome. Every scene in Reef's home or Ira's office seems permeated with golden glows or neon gradients, which make them feel just a little bit unreal.
Through this vivid aesthetic, Outcome dabbles in questions of fame, acknowledging the village of people it takes to support (or protect) a movie star, as Reeves plays a man full of reluctant apology. It's a crowded space, movies seeing major stars explore fictionalised versions of themselves, and Reeves playing on his nice guy reputation makes for a strong drawcard. Though the film could have dived even deeper, it's a shimmering pool for consideration.
Linux does these 3 things better than Windows, and the gap is widening
As Microsoft leans harder into the "OS-as-a-Service" model with Windows 11, the philosophical and technical divide between Windows and Linux really only keeps growing more and more.


