Director: John Carney
Writers: John Carney, Peter McDonald
Stars: Paul Rudd, Nick Jonas, Peter McDonald
Synopsis: Rick, a washed-up wedding singer, and Danny, a fading boy band star, bond over music and a late-night jam session. When Danny turns Rick’s song into a hit, Rick sets out to reclaim the recognition he believes he deserves.
Sometimes, a film comes along where you gladly overlook its flaws because you become swept up in its enjoyable, even rousing, nature. That’s the best way to sum up Power Ballad; a joyous, heart-swelling crowd-pleaser. From writer-director John Carney, the film is effective, almost devastatingly so, when it comes to poignancy. This is a trait in most of Carney’s work that has struck a chord, over and over again.
This all culminates in a moment that tugs at your heartstrings in a way that may depend heavily on the stage of life you’re currently in. What cannot be argued, however, is that Power Ballad features two very strong performances at its center, exploring both sides of the price of fame, ambition, and recognition. That is especially true when it comes to its star, Paul Rudd, who finds the earnestness in pity.
Rudd is a performer who specializes in man-child roles that often come full circle, revealing what is truly important in life. That comes full circle in his latest, which is by no means revolutionary. Yet, when done well, Power Ballad is that type of movie; offering an experience that, for me, is the type of movie made for a lazy Sunday afternoon. The kind that makes you appreciate what you have or long for what you don’t.
The story follows Rick Power (Rudd), the lead singer of a wedding band based in Dublin, Ireland. An American who found himself migrating to the Land of Saints and Scholars when he met Rachel (Marcella Plunkett), started a family, and had a daughter, Aja (Beth Fallon), now a jaded teenager. Rick gave up his dream of headlining Madison Square Garden with his ’90s rock band, Octagon, and is now relegated to the scrap heap of history.
Now plying his trade by celebrating the nuptials for those across the Emerald Isle with The Bride and Groove, alongside his best mates, including his goofball pal Sandy (The Penguins’ Peter McDonald). While performing at a castle wedding, they meet Danny Wilson (Midway’s Nick Jonas), a guest working on a solo album after a successful career with a famous boy band. The bride begs Rick to let Danny perform, impressing the group with his ability.
However, what Rick doesn’t realize is that the young pop star is equally taken with his talent. After the wedding, the two share a drink and a smoke, trading stories, swapping melodies, and smoothing out the rough edges of unfinished songs, including a ballad he wrote years ago, “How to Write a Song (Without You).” They part ways the next morning, with Danny leaving behind a prized guitar, but taking something far more valuable in return.
Power Ballad has its detractors, many of whom point to the film’s and much of Carney’s work’s reliance on sentimentality. However, the script, written by Carney and McDonald, explores different facets of reinvention, ambition, and, in Rick Power’s case, legacy. More broadly, the film is funny, soulful, and joyous, placing its two lead characters in unfamiliar territory: one chasing fame and success, the other seeking fulfillment.
What makes Carney and McDonald’s script so satisfying, and distinct from others like it, is that both men ultimately discover that fame and success mean little without fulfillment. The film does rely on coincidences and remarkably understanding characters to move the story along and reach its third-act revelation, but the finale is so wondrous and emotionally fulfilling that you almost forgive whatever contrivances the script employs to get there.
Whatever you think of Power Ballad, it is rare to find a film that is both smart and sweet without falling face-first into the easy trap of cynicism. Nick Jonas is electric, but he also finds nuance in a character who could have easily been one-note. Rudd is wonderful here, bringing warmth to a man living with regret without ever resorting to playing him as a sad sack, instead finding the bittersweet beauty of contentment. Rudd and Jonas shine throughout, with a wondrous finale delivering an emotional payoff that earns its encore.
You can watch Power Ballad exclusively in theaters on June 5th!
