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- Rating: 2.5/5 stars
- Verdict: "Power Ballad" bills itself as a comedy-drama musical, but it's more accurately a fairy tale. If you can throw all expectations of realism out the window, though, you can have a good time with its heartwarming story. Even if the music is utterly forgettable.
- Where to watch: See "Power Ballad" in theaters now
"Power Ballad" just made the cut on our list of the biggest summer movies to watch this year; we just couldn't leave off Paul Rudd, who stars in this comedy-drama alongside Nick Jonas. It comes from beloved Irish director John Carney, and, much like most of Carney's filmography over the past two decades, this movie is a musical.
Now, that said, if you go into this movie expecting "Wicked" or even "The Testament of Ann Lee," don't. "Power Ballad" doesn't use musical numbers to move the story along, convey plot, etc. There aren't any intricate choreographed dances to speak of, either. Instead, you get a jukebox musical that evokes a less grandiose "Bohemian Rhapsody" than anything else.
Which, for the record, is fine. In fact, fine is the perfect descriptor for what this movie is. It's enjoyable, with an ultimately heartwarming story. Rudd and Jonas are compatible on screen with each other, though their chemistry is nothing compared to Rudd and Peter McDonald, who both co-wrote this movie in addition to starring in it as Rudd's best friend.
"Power Ballad" is essentially a fairy tale: the underdog hero is betrayed, nobody believes him, yet he's ultimately redeemed once his daughter finally comes to his aid. You could easily tell the condensed version as a bedtime story; it's that tame. Unfortunately, the music in this musical is equally tame, and that's probably the biggest knock against it.
Malcolm has been with Tom's Guide since 2022. He watches dozens of new releases every year to make sure you don't have to watch any of the bad ones.
Nick Jonas and Paul Rudd are delightful but the music is inconsequential
As I already mentioned, "Power Ballad" stars Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas. Rudd is Rick, a once-touring musician who left it behind for an Irish life and an Irish wife. Now, he plays weddings with the (admittedly) cleverly named cover band "The Bride and Groove." It's at one such wedding that he meets Danny (Jonas), a former boy-band icon who is struggling to get his solo career off the ground.
During this wedding, Rick and Danny abscond for a jam session, where Rick plays "How to Write a Song (Without You)" for Danny, his magnum opus he's been working on since not long after his daughter, Aja (Beth Fallon), was born. Danny helps Rick with tweaking the song, but they ultimately leave it unfinished and go their separate ways, with Danny leaving Rick a coveted guitar and a positive impression of the former boy wonder.
Then, months later, Rick hears his song, sung by Danny, and discovers that it's — incredibly — a number one hit! And that is truly incredible ... because the song isn't very good.
That's not to say it's incompetently made. But it's so generically top 40 pop music material. Sure, the lyrics have deep meaning for Rick, which admittedly is a plus. But that doesn't mean we either care about them, connect with them or want to sing along. And "How to Write a Song" should do at least one of those three things to be a good song. "Defying Gravity," it is not.
Verdict: This jukebox musical is best enjoyed from the couch
Ultimately, it's okay that "Power Ballad" doesn't deliver a smash hit. Yes, to be a good, let alone great musical, you'd either produce a banger or showcase vocal chops. This entire film's vocals are so noticeably ADR'd (automated dialogue replacement) that they take you out of the musical performances. But the movie doesn't come across as taking itself overly seriously, so it's easy to gloss over the musical shortcomings of this musical comedy-drama.
Thankfully, "Power Ballad" does deliver on the comedy-drama front. The scenes where Rudd and Jonas are together pull you in. Rudd, frankly, makes this movie work; he's not only got chemistry with Jonas, but with McDonald and Fallon as well. The scenes that are driven by Jonas's acting alone are few, but they're far more forgettable.
Ultimately, you should wait for this movie to arrive on one of the best streaming services (likely Starz, as "Power Ballad" is being distributed by Lionsgate). You could go to your local cinema and have a perfectly fine time at the movies, and likely come away with zero regrets. But with movies like "Obsession" and "Backrooms" currently out and "Disclosure Day" coming, your hard-earned dollars are better spent on better movies.
"Power Ballad" is in theaters now
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