31/05/26

Cineworld, Edinburgh

Since his 2006 breakthrough, Once, Irish director John Carney has concentrated his attention on films about musicians – and, as you’ll no doubt have guessed from its title, Power Ballad is no exception. I’m pretty sure this is his first attempt to deal with the subject of intellectual copyright though. And if that sounds dull, don’t be misled. For my money, this sparky, enjoyable drama might be Carney’s best offering yet.

Rick Power (Paul Rudd) is a former member of an influential band. Back down the years, he swapped his dreams of stardom for marriage and fatherhood. He’s living happily with Rachel (Marcella Plunkett) and their teenage daughter, Aja (Beth Fallon), in the suburbs of Dublin. To earn a crust, Rick fronts a band called Bride and Groove, who specialise in playing weddings, covering all the usual hits. Occasionally (and much to the chagrin of his fellow band members), he throws in one of his own compositions, with predictably dancefloor-clearing results.

When the band picks up a gig at a swanky hotel, one of the wedding guests turns out to be Danny Wilson (Nick Jonas), a former member of a chart-busting boy band, now trying to find his way as a solo artist. Danny joins the band on stage for a Stevie Wonder song and Rick and Danny appear to have an easy rapport. After the gig, they hang out together, drinking whiskey, smoking spliffs and exchanging ideas. 

Rick plays Danny one of his old compositions, How To Write a Song Without You, which Danny seems to take an instant shine to.

Six months later, Rick is walking through a shopping mall when he hears a very familiar melody playing on the tannoy. It turns out that Danny has recorded Rick’s song as his new single and it’s on track to be a massive number one hit… but there’s no mention of Rick’s involvement.

Anyone who has played in a band will identify with Rick’s resulting anguish. His song has been appropriated but he has no proof that it’s his original composition. When he tells people about it, a lot of them (even his friends) think he’s fantasising. His inability to obtain the recognition he deserves sends him into a spiral of frustration that threatens to destroy everything he has – including his relationship with his daughter.

Rudd is always an appealing performer and he’s terrific in the lead role, performing his own vocals and looking every inch a musician, while Jonas (a genuine former boy band member) does a great job of portraying Danny’s conflicted emotions, his inability to own up to what he has done. Keith McErlean is impressive as Kyle, Danny’s ruthless American manager, and I also love Peter McDonald’s performance as Sandy, Rick’s supportive best friend, ready to back his mate up no matter what happens – even if it means hopping on a flight to Los Angeles to take the bull by the horns.

Power Ballad is perfectly pitched and manages to keep its conclusion tantalisingly unresolved until almost the final shot. If you don’t come out of this with an earworm for that central song, then there’s frankly no hope for you.

4.7 stars

Philip Caveney