Power Ballad

GoMovieReviews Rating: ★★★1/2

Rated: M

Directed by: John Carney

Screenplay by: John Carney, Peter McDonald

Produced by: John Carney, Robert Walpole, Rebecca O’Flanagan, Anthony Bregman, Peter Cron

Starring: Paul Rudd, Nick Jonas, Sophie Vavasseur, Havana Rose Liu, Jack Reynor, Peter McDonald, Roy Keenan, Marcella Plunkett, Paul Reid.

‘The Bride and Groove.’

That’s the name of the wedding band Rick (Paul Rudd) sings lead.

And he’s good at it.

Enter sparkly sandals and, ‘Ceeeelebrate good times, come on!’:

Rick’s, ‘rock bitch’ wife, Rachel (Marcella Plunkett) loves his, I-play-in-a-band aesthetic, after they got together during a tour of Rick’s band through Ireland, back in the day.

And Rick’s daughter, Aja (Beth Fallon) feigns interest as well as any teenager listening to their dad’s latest song, making Rick a happy family man.  Still dreaming of making it to the big stage.

But Rick can play with the best, enter ex-boyband star, Danny Wilson (Nick Jonas).

It’s no surprise the wedding band are delegated to the shared toilet with harpsicord privacy shutter and four bunk beds with added, ‘floor bed,’ when they get a gig playing at a sprawling manor.

And friend of the bride and groom happens to be a famous singer.

Invited up on stage to sing, Rick grudgingly hands over the mike and stage to Danny, who then turns to Rick to share singing the song.

It’s a blast.  They get along.  Then end up hanging out all night drinking and jamming and making up songs.  Rick shares his best unfinished song, because they’re mates now.  They’ve had the best night of their lives.

Six months later, Rick hears his song over the loud speakers of a mall.  His song.  A number 1 that launches Danny’s solo career that’s played everywhere.  Without Rick getting any credit.  And so begins a slow disintegration with obsession threatening to destroy everything.

Power Ballad is a dramedy with Rick’s facial expression earnest when he’s in his fantasy of playing at Madison Square Garden.  To finish his song and realise it’s to a couple of pissed blokes: ‘Youse are freek’n deadly.’

The comedy hits the mark with toilet paper stuck on high heels and late 80s to early 90s hard to define if it’s rock, antics.

And the emotional hug between Rick and fellow bandmate, always-by-his-side Sandy, is priceless.

It’s sweet without being too sweet, the angst of feeling betrayed, of being robbed a hard truth.

Power Ballad gets the balance, just right, with a gentle humour and a feel good, be-you-warts-and-all foundation that’s always a crowd pleaser.

An enjoyable, good vibes watch to leave the cinema with a smile.