Power Ballad ★★★

Released: 29 May 2026

Director: John Carney

Starring: Paul Rudd, Nick Jonas, Jack Reynor, Beth Fallon, Marcella Plunkett, Peter McDonald

Acclaimed Irish director John Carney, best known for his unabashedly heartfelt modern musical films such as Once (2006), Begin Again (2013), and Sing Street (2016), certainly has an impressive knack for showcasing the transformative power of making music. Fans of his (typically) Dublin-set films know exactly the kind of earnest and uplifting story they’re in for, with the director’s gentle, feel-good offerings spotlighting the healing musical journey of everyday people. And while Carney’s latest instalment features the same winning formula on paper, and is further boosted by the ever charming talents of a crooning Paul Rudd, it disappointingly doesn’t hit the same high notes.

Rudd stars as Rick Power (yes, really – and surprisingly no one ever makes a joke about his last name), the charismatic Kansas City-born lead singer for Dublin wedding band the “Bride & Groove” as his life is upended following a fateful evening jam session with former boyband member Danny Wilson (Nick Jonas). You see, while the band runs through the typical setlist with charm and middle-age dad rock energy aplomb (Thin Lizzy’s “The Boys Are Back in Town” is a real highlight!), Rick is still wistfully dreaming of the life he left behind when he met his now wife Rachel (Marcella Plunkett) while touring the Emerald Isle with his former band. And despite the band being successful enough and his smart and witty daughter Aja (Beth Fallon) providing his creative inspiration, the middle-aged front man can’t shake his rock’n’roll dreams, as he wistfully yearns for something more.

Enter Danny Wilson, the hugely famous pop star and a surprise guest of honour at one of the weddings the band is performing at. Following a fun duet in which the pair share a surprise on-stage chemistry, Rick and Danny go on to share a (surprisingly sincere) booze-and-pot fuelled night jamming together, as they creatively help complete each other’s songs. And for Rick, this is a song he’s been working on for years which he just can’t quite seem to get right. But, weirdly, one day, the former rocker hears that same familiar melody as he’s shopping for football boots, as it turns out Danny has stolen his song “How To Write A Song Without You” – and coincidentally, it turns into a smash hit. But without significant proof that he creatively owns the song – and with his family and friends questioning the very concept – Rick stops at nothing to prove it.

On paper, Power Ballad should be another surefire John Carney hit, and yet – despite the charming turns of both Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas – the uneven story lets it down. It certainly starts off strong, with the charm and breeziness of the Bride & Groove’s performances and their hilarious and relatable exchange when they can’t remember the name of Danny’s old band. (“Irreparable? Insufferable? No, Impossible!” – cue the mumbled rendition of the boy band’s song!) Fellow bandmate and best friend Sandy (Peter McDonald) is also a fun early highlight, but this is a tale of two halves, and despite an amusing quest to Hollywood in which the pair infiltrate Danny’s after-party, the dynamic and humour is soon dropped.

At its core, Power Ballad is unfortunately tonally scattershot – it doesn’t fully commit to being either comedy or drama, and the film is missing the signature uplifting quality of Carney’s previous outings. There are definitely some interesting elements woven throughout, but they are not fully explored or realised. For example, does it want to be a comedy about aging rockers, a drama about regrets and not chasing your dreams, or selling out to commercial pressures, in a similar vein to Begin Again’s musings on authenticity vs commercialisation?

There’s also something so heartbreaking about the puppy dog-esque Rick bearing his soul to Danny, for him to steal his song (which he so beautifully devoted to his daughter), his manager to silence him with legal threats, and his friends and family to question whether it ever really happened. And then there’s the gut punch of the opening sequence, in which the lead singer relives the good old days by performing his original song, “Finishing Line”. In his mind, he’s transported to a packed arena, only to be hit with the harsh reality that he’s killed the mood at the wedding and nearly everyone has abandoned the dance floor. There’s a crushing relatability to the notion of lost dreams that cuts far too close to the bone.

The effortlessly charming Paul Rudd undoubtedly carries the film as Rick hurtles along his mid-life creative crisis, pouring his typical humour (and surprising heart) into the role. The aforementioned party crash and confrontation in particular is a blast, it’s just a shame they don’t lean further into both his and Jonas’ amusing back-and-forth, and Rudd’s excellent buddy chemistry with McDonald (who undoubtedly steals the show). But even the ever affable Rudd can’t sell the tonal back and forths of the dramedy. It’s also a shame there isn’t more character development afforded for Jonas’ unfortunately one-note Danny, with the speedy runtime breezing over his arc, lacking the stardom villainy or tragedy at the hands of his pressuring manager (a brief turn from long-term collaborator Jack Reynor).

Soundtrack-wise, this also isn’t as strong as previous outings, with “How To Write A Song Without You” definitely not being “Drive It Like You Stole It”, and by the end of the film you really don’t want to hear it again due to the repeated performances. Still, Rudd and co. noodling wedding hits is effortlessly fun, and there’s better offerings in Rick’s other tracks “Finishing Line” and “Satellites”. Longtime fans of the director will undoubtedly also spot the Once Easter egg, with “Falling Slowly” amusingly played by a busker on the streets of Dublin.

Despite Paul Rudd’s endearing performance and moments of genuine charm keeping Power Ballad afloat, an uneven script and scattershot tone prevent John Carney’s latest from reaching the uplifting emotional heights of his previous musical outings.