SALT LAKE CITY — “Power Ballad” is directed by music comedy genius John Carney and stars Paul Rudd as Rick, the lead singer of a wedding band who one night crosses paths with former boy band star Danny, played by Nick Jonas.
Plot Premise
The two spend a night making music, creating, and collaborating together, only for Rick to discover months later that Danny has taken one of his songs and turned it into a massive hit. With no proof of his authorship or any recording of the song before meeting Danny, Rick sets out to prove he wrote it, no matter what it takes.
Director's Emotional Style
John Carney speaks directly to my creative soul with his films. I’ve always said that if I were ever lucky enough to make a movie, his work is what I would aspire to come even 1% close to because of how real his stories feel, and how earnest and refreshing the tone is across all of them. Here, Carney stretches his signature feel-good charm into emotional territory he hasn’t fully explored before.
Character Conflict and Stakes
Rick feels bitter, sidelined and robbed by Danny. It impacts every part of his life, from his merry and hilarious Irish bandmates to the relationship with his wife and daughter, who can see the pain and desperation inside him as he tries to prove the song came from him.
Danny's Internal Struggles
Danny is also wrestling with complicated emotions. He’s deeply insecure about his own talent, especially after his manager, played by Jack Reynor, tells him he’s on borrowed time following the exit of his boy band career and his attempt at going solo. That fear of irrelevance drives him toward desperation, sacrificing his own voice in favor of someone else’s, one he knows deep down is better than his own.
Emotional Depth of Film
These are darker and more personal emotions than we’ve seen in something like “Sing Street,” but Carney once again pulls them off beautifully in a funny, deeply human story that is a genuine crowd-pleaser.
Lead Actor Performances
Nick Jonas and Paul Rudd share dynamic chemistry from their very first scene together. “Power Ballad” is easily Jonas’s best performance to date, while Rudd delivers one of the most sincere performances of his career. Even if he can’t quite match Jonas musically, his performance still feels grounded, authentic and relatable.
The music in a John Carney film is often just as important as the story itself, and “Power Ballad” delivers an absolute earworm that will stay stuck in your soul days after seeing it. I can already tell this soundtrack will live in my summer rotation, and alongside “Flora & Son” and “Sing Street,” this may be the best work Carney and co-writer Gary Clark have created together.
Where the film stumbles slightly is in Rick’s relationship with his daughter, which feels underdeveloped and could have carried far more emotional weight with additional time and attention.
I also couldn’t help but laugh at a brief de-aging sequence involving Paul Rudd, which honestly feels almost offensive considering the man is already famous for never aging in the first place.
While Rudd is excellent in the role overall, the heavy auto-tune layered over his vocals becomes noticeably distracting when contrasted directly with Nick Jonas singing the same material.
But overall, “Power Ballad” is another emotionally resonant winner from John Carney, blending heartbreak, insecurity, music and hope into one of the year’s most charming films. Elevated by career-best work from Nick Jonas, genuine chemistry with Paul Rudd and a soundtrack that refuses to leave your head, this is a story about creativity, ownership and the fear of being forgotten that hits every right note. See it in a crowd in theaters next week!
Final grade: 7.7/10
