John Carney, writer/director of the brilliant Once and Sing Street, is back with Power Ballad, a superbly entertaining heartfelt comedy drama about the meaning of life and music itself. Paul Rudd, on superb form, is Rick, an American in Ireland after meeting the love of his life there played by Marcella Plunkett whilst on tour with his rock band Octagon. Fifteen years later, they have a daughter (Aja, an engagingly snarky Beth Fallon) and Rick is fronting a covers band at weddings with close mate Sandy (Peter McDonald) on electric guitar.
Rick has never stopped writing music despite his reduced circumstances, but his dreams of making it big seem long gone. A chance meeting at a wedding seems him spending the night bonding with Nick Jonas’ Danny, a former boyband member struggling to go solo. They play music together, with Rick sharing one of his compositions.
Six months later, that song is number one after Danny releases a heavily produced version of it having left Rick in the dark. Full of rage about its appropriation, Rick sets out for payback. Will he be able to confront the man who stole what was his? Getting past Danny’s flinty megabucks agent, played by Jack Reynor, will prove tricky.
Brilliantly observed and with so much to say about the nature of creativity, the music industry and how songs mean different things to different people, this is a joyful film peppered with original songs that do exactly what they need to. The song that is contested over is spot on in its DNA, with Rudd and Jonas lending their individual takes to its performance. It’s a warm, human film that will leave you emotionally spent; Carney has an ability to effortlessly pull the heartstrings whilst not getting too sentimental, balancing the tears and relationship traumas with a deft eye for comedic dialogue in a script co-written with McDonald.
Paul Rudd has never been better as the musician who battles on, a dreamer with warmth and grit. The twists and turns of Power Ballad’s plot feel anchored and authentic, and Jonas is solid as a successful artist looking for his next big thing. Go see it and punch the air.
Dir: John Carney (15, 98 mins)
In cinemas now
words KEIRON SELF
