It’s rare these days with this film reviewing gig that a movie catches me completely by surprise. The kind of movies that you haven’t really seen much of apart from maybe a poster or a snippet of a trailer. I went into Power Ballad pretty blind last night and was completely blown away. It seemed to take the audience by surprise too who burst into rapturous applause as the credits rolled. Crack up moments, soul crushing lows, truly memorable characters and messages for everyone to take away, Power Ballad hits every single cinematic note and will make your soul sing. One of the best films of the year. 

 

From writer-director John Carney (Sing Street, Once), Power Ballad follows Rick (Paul Rudd), a past-his-prime wedding singer, who meets fading boy-band star Danny (Nick Jonas) during a gig and the two bond over music and a late-night jam session. But when Danny turns one of Rick’s songs into the hit that reignites his career, Rick sets out to reclaim the recognition he believes he deserves - even if it means risking everything he cares about.

There isn’t enough space to write about everything that I loved about Power Ballad. Everything about the film works from the story, character development, the music, the performances from Paul Rudd to Nick Jonas and everyone in between. It’s just perfect. 

 

The story itself appears on the surface to be a simple one - washed up boyband star steals song from wedding singer. But Power Ballad is so much more than that. It’s an exploration of regret, dreams dashed, and finding joy in the simple things. Rick's story arc is magnificent and so wonderfully fleshed out by Paul Rudd who shows once again why he’s such a great actor. 

 

Normally I can see where a film is going, the hook that will turn the final act. I really wasn’t expecting it to land where it did. It took me completely by surprise but it's earned and completely life affirming. Writer-director John Carney doesn’t take the easy route either when it comes to Nick Jonas’ character Danny - he doesn’t make him into some pantomime, one dimensional ‘baddie’. While you’ll hate his guts for what he did, you can kinda understand him to a certain extent. 

The music itself is super catchy - you’ll be humming the How to Write a Song Without You for days and be wanting a mate like Rick’s bandmate Sandy. There are some lines in the film, way too many to write here, that will have you chuckling away to yourself long after the credits roll.

Crack up moments, soul crushing lows, truly memorable characters and messages for everyone to take away, Power Ballad hits every single cinematic note and will make your soul sing. One of the best films of the year.