Film Review – Power Ballad (2026)

      Power Ballad, 2026.

      Directed by John Carney.

      Featuring Paul Rudd, Nick Jonas, Peter McDonald, Marcella Plunkett, Rory Keenan, Keith McErlean, Paul Reid, Beth Fallon, Havana Rose Liu, Jack Reynor, Naoimh Whelton, Mae Higgins, Ian Dillon, Kelly Thornton, Ebimie Anthony, Ruby Conway Dunne, Dean Panter, Juliette Crosbie, Robert Mitchell, Martha Breen, Dylan Kelly, Kellie El Mayss, and Alexa Scout Fagen.

      SYNOPSIS:

      Rick, an aging wedding singer, forms a connection with Danny, a waning boy band celebrity, through music during a late-night jam session. When Danny turns Rick's song into a hit, Rick embarks on a journey to reclaim the recognition he feels he deserves.

      Co-writer and director John Carney (collaborating on the screenplay with supporting actor Peter McDonald) has a proven history of contemporary musicals featuring catchy original songs that have often gone unnoticed for Academy Award nominations. However, it is also crucial to note that the appeal of his films lies in their keen focus on the creative process and the characters. This is particularly evident in his latest offering, Power Ballad, which showcases Paul Rudd as Rick Power, an Ireland-based wedding singer cover band leader, seemingly stuck in the past and lamenting the decline of rock and roll in favor of more mainstream pop music.

      Rick’s next performance leads him and his band to Los Angeles for the wedding of a relative of the once-famous musician Danny Wilson (played by Nick Jonas, hinting at the character’s musical style), who struggles to compare himself with his former boy band mates, all of whom have moved on to more successful ventures since their breakup. After the ceremony, they drunkenly brainstorm, explore collaborations in music, and ultimately recognize their differing genres and artistic viewpoints while acknowledging each other's talent. A moment of mutual respect appears to be reached.

      However, just six months later, Rick amusingly discovers while strolling through a mall that Danny has taken his song, "I Can’t Write a Song Without You," added a bridge, and transformed it into a global hit without offering Rick a share of the profits. Compounding Rick’s frustration is the fact that neither his wife (Marcella Plunkett) nor his teenage daughter (Beth Fallon) believes he could have penned those lyrics. It is likely also humiliating for Rick that his daughter, who often teasingly mocks his songwriting, now sings along to the hit.

      As is customary in a John Carney film, the song’s catchiness and rhythms will resonate with viewers, not only for its musicality but also for the personal significance it holds for each character and its emotional depth that only the true creator might fully understand. While the song appears to be a love ballad for Danny, there’s an underlying sense that it carried a different meaning for Rick during their initial writing session. Whenever Danny shows signs of moral awakening about his misconduct, his manager (played by John Carney regular Jack Reynor) urges him to suppress those feelings, cautioning that it would look bad to be known as someone who essentially stole a song from a wedding singer.

      Nonetheless, drawing humor from The Wedding Singer, Rick Power (with Paul Rudd infusing his effortless charm with justified anger) and his devoted bandmate Sandy (Peter McDonald) travel to Los Angeles to confront Danny. As expected, there are plenty of laughs throughout, while the narrative also delves into more emotional territory, shifting the focus from mere fame and fortune to the pursuit of truth and the validation of ambition and talent. Despite one’s urge to physically confront Danny for his justifications, there’s a shred of truth in his claim that the impact of art is also about its presentation and the individuals involved in sharing it.

      This may seem like a film with predictable storytelling, which is somewhat accurate, but only to a degree. Some characters feel frustratingly sidelined, others are completely flat, and several plot devices are employed to initiate conflict. There are also moments that may appear excessive (such as a car accident that is quickly dismissed and feels unnecessary upon reflection). Nevertheless, the story unfolds in genuinely subversive ways, taking unexpected directions and culminating in an intriguing conclusion.

      What makes Power Ballad particularly impactful is its approach: it doesn’t dwell on emotional beats and revelations but instead weaves them into a more understated and minimalist narrative, which ultimately proves to be much more poignant and heartfelt.

      Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★

      Robert Kojder