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- Power Ballad plot: a stolen chorus, a Dublin wedding band, and a trip to L.A.
- Performances: when charm carries the script
- Music and tone: from raw songs to radio-ready pop
- Writing and pacing: familiar beats, thinly sketched relationships
- Where the film stands among Carney’s work
- Who will enjoy Power Ballad and practical details
SXSW audiences greeted Power Ballad with warm applause, but the film does not fully deliver the spark many hoped for. Writer-director John Carney returns to familiar ground: music, midlife longing, and the collision of small-town grit with showbiz gloss. The movie has charm and a likable lead, yet it often slides into safe territory instead of reclaiming the raw emotional power of his best work.
Power Ballad plot: a stolen chorus, a Dublin wedding band, and a trip to L.A.
Rick Power (Paul Rudd) left the United States years ago to tour with his rock group. He settled in Dublin, married, and raised a daughter. Now he fronts the Bride and Groove, a wedding band that covers other people’s hits while Rick still dreams of original songs.
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One night after a gig, Rick jams with Danny Wilson (Nick Jonas), a former boy-band star trying a solo comeback. The men leave in high spirits. When Danny’s new single explodes, Rick recognizes a chorus he once played. What follows is a reluctant quest for recognition.
With his oddball friend Sandy (Peter McDonald), Rick heads to Los Angeles to confront Danny and his tough manager, Mac Darling (Jack Reynor). The trip is meant to mix confrontation with comedy. Instead, the film drifts between sentimental beats and predictable Hollywood setups.
Performances: when charm carries the script
Paul Rudd as Rick
Rudd gives the role his usual affable energy. He sells the weary hopeful of a musician who refuses to stop. His comic timing lands often, and he makes Rick sympathetic even when the writing does not.
Nick Jonas and the supporting cast
Jonas can carry a pop tune with ease. His vocal chops are one of the movie’s few clear assets. But his dramatic range here feels limited by the material. Jack Reynor offers a snarling managerial foil. Havana Rose Liu and Marcella Plunkett are underused.
The film relies on likable faces more than fully realized characters. Many supporting roles are sketched lightly, which reduces emotional weight.
Music and tone: from raw songs to radio-ready pop
Carney made his name with music that felt lived-in and intimate. Here, the songs aim for mainstream hitmakers rather than the ragged authenticity of earlier work. Production choices often polish performances into a commercial sheen.
- Vocals: Jonas excels at studio-ready pop. Rudd’s singing is serviceable but feels processed at times.
- Sound design: The mix leans toward a radio-friendly clarity, not the organic imperfections of busking sessions.
- Emotional impact: A handful of moments land emotionally, yet the soundtrack rarely lingers.
When the music is safe, the emotional stakes shrink. That trade-off shapes much of the film’s identity.
Writing and pacing: familiar beats, thinly sketched relationships
The script favors broad comic set pieces over deep character work. Scenes that should probe guilt, theft, or creative ownership merely touch on them. Danny’s moral tension about the song is mentioned, not explored.
Women in the story get limited arcs. Rick’s wife alternates between ardor and reproach. His daughter serves as a sign of his stalled life. Danny’s girlfriend exists mostly as background. These choices make the central conflict feel narrow.
The movie’s rhythm jumps between reflection and slapstick. At times it wanders, and at times it rushes to tidy resolutions. The emotional payoff feels preordained, rather than earned.
Where the film stands among Carney’s work
John Carney’s reputation rests on a few high points. His earlier films combined music and intimacy in fresh ways. Power Ballad nods to that legacy but leans more into crowd-pleasing tropes.
- Once — a breakthrough for unvarnished musical truth.
- Sing Street — a youthful, vibrant ode to growing up with songs.
- Begin Again and Flora and Son — attempts to recapture warmth with mixed results.
- Power Ballad — amiable, but less daring than his best work.
Carney once balanced economy and feeling; here, he opts for comfort. That choice affects both tone and impact.
Who will enjoy Power Ballad and practical details
If you like gentle comedies about music, or you follow Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas, this film will likely please. It’s undemanding and built for easy laughs and smileable moments. If you expect the raw, song-driven intensity of Carney’s early films, you may leave wanting more.
Power Ballad opens in limited release on May 29, with expansion starting June 5.
