--- title: "Power Ballad" year: 2026 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/power-ballad" fi1m_id: "power-ballad" imdb_id: "tt32267691" tmdb_id: 1284016 wikidata_id: "Q126285100" fi1m_score: 63 critics_score: 67 critics_reviews: 22 published: "2026-09-21" updated: "2026-09-21T01:27:17.233336+00:00" region: "US" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Power Ballad (2026) Directed by John Carney · 1h 39m · MPA R · Comedy, Music, Drama ## Identity Power Ballad - **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/power-ballad - **Type:** Film - **Fi1m ID:** power-ballad - **IMDb ID:** tt32267691 - **TMDB ID:** 1284016 - **Wikidata ID:** Q126285100 - **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt32267691/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/1284016, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q126285100 **Fi1m score: 63** · Critics 67 from 22 reviews *In a sentence:* Two men write one good song together, then spend the rest of the film in separate rooms > John Carney’s comedy about a stolen song opens with the best scene he has shot in years and then keeps its two leads apart for most of what follows. Rudd is good company; the film around him is thinner than it thinks. ## Synopsis Rick (Paul Rudd) is a wedding singer in middle age who plays other people’s hits at other people’s receptions and has never had one of his own. Danny Wilson (Nick Jonas) is a former boyband star who wants a second act as a serious artist and is not sure he has the songs for one. The two fall in together and, over one long session, write a song, the kind that could be the making of either of them. Then Danny records it and puts his name on it. Around Rick are Sandy (Peter McDonald), Rachel (Marcella Plunkett), Marcia (Havana Rose Liu) and Mac (Jack Reynor), and what he wants is simple: his name back on his song. ## Review John Carney has made a career out of two people and a song. [*Once*](https://film.one/film/once) (2007) put a busker and a pianist in a Dublin music shop; *Sing Street* (2016) put a schoolboy in a band to impress a girl. *Power Ballad* starts the same way and then does something Carney has not done before: it breaks the pair up in the first act and asks whether the song survives the friendship. It is a good idea. The film is amiable, sometimes funny, and it fumbles the idea it had. The writing scene is the reason to go. Rick and Danny sit down with a fragment and argue it into a song, and Carney, who co-wrote the script with Peter McDonald and the music with Gary Clark, lets it play. Stephen O’Connell does not cut it into a montage; we watch the chorus arrive a line at a time, and we sat forward without meaning to. This is the thing Carney does better than anyone working, the moment a tune stops belonging to one person. The song itself is catchy enough that we were humming it in the car park, and it has to be, because the whole film is a dispute about who owns it. Then Danny takes it, and the film has a problem it never solves. Having built the pair, Carney separates them, and *Power Ballad* becomes a film about a man stewing. Rudd is good at this. He has always been able to play decency curdling, and Rick’s grievance is funny because he knows how small it looks from outside. But a comedy about two men needs the two men in the same shot, and for long stretches Rick is complaining to whoever is nearest. Peter McDonald, as Sandy, is dry and good in the scenes he has. The others begin to repeat. Jonas is the harder case. He is playing a man who has been a product for most of his life and is trying to find out whether there is anyone underneath, and the casting is clever, because he knows the territory. But the script cannot decide whether Danny is a villain, a victim of his own handlers or simply weak, and Jonas, without a firm decision to play, tries all three in turn. His vocals sound like the finished record rather than a man singing live in front of us. That may be the point of Danny, but it makes his duet with Rudd sound like two different films singing at once. It is a tidy production. Yaron Orbach gives the wedding gigs the flat, forgiving light of a function room and Danny’s world a harder, whiter finish, so the two men look as if they are in different price brackets even when they share a frame. Anna Carney’s production design does the same work, cluttered rooms for Rick and clean ones for Danny. Triona Lillis dresses Rick in the clothes of a man who stopped buying new ones some time ago. All of it is well judged and none of it is surprising. The tone slips. Carney wants the sadness of a man who never got his shot and the broad comedy of a wedding singer doing requests, and he changes gear faster than the film can manage; a scene plays as farce a minute after one that asked us to feel Rick’s humiliation, and we did not know which to keep. The last stretch takes a turn we will not describe, except to say that after most of its length insisting the theft mattered, the film loses its nerve about how much. We left mildly annoyed that a story about setting the record straight had settled for smoothing it over. Most critics have been warmer, and we understand why: Rudd is a pleasure and the song is a proper song. But a film with its one great scene at the start peaks early, and 99 minutes is a long time to wait for it to come back. See it for the writing scene, and for Rudd. You will have the tune for a week; the rest is gone by the drive home. *Fi1m score 63, published 21 September 2026.* ## What the critics say Most critics come away warm. The praise settles on Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas, whose pairing as a washed-up wedding singer and a former boyband star almost every review singles out, and on an extended early sequence in which the two write a song together, which several reviews name as among the best things John Carney has directed. The original song is repeatedly called catchy, and the film is generally taken as a return to his usual ground. The reservations gather around what happens once the song is written. Several reviews find the tone uneven, the script thin and the ending soft, and a few, notably The New York Times and The Playlist, think it never gets past its own pleasantness into the harder story about ownership it keeps raising. The spread is wide: the festival notices from March are markedly warmer than the later ones, and The Observer is alone in finding Jonas over-produced where most others find him charming. ## Straight answers **Is Power Ballad worth watching?** *Power Ballad* is worth watching for the songwriting scene near the start and for Paul Rudd, and we scored it 63. The film keeps its two leads apart for most of its 99 minutes, and the comedy loses its nerve about how much the stolen song matters. Go if you like John Carney's films; do not expect [*Once*](https://film.one/film/once). **How long is Power Ballad, and what is it rated?** *Power Ballad* runs 1h 39m and is rated R by the MPA in the US. It is a comedy and music film. **Where can I watch Power Ballad in the US?** *Power Ballad* is available to rent from Amazon Prime Video from $5.99. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service. **How violent or frightening is Power Ballad, and is it suitable for children?** *Power Ballad* is a 15 in the UK and rated R in America, and it is a comedy about a stolen song rather than anything violent or frightening. The certificate points to adult language and themes; our review notes a man's humiliation played for both sadness and farce, but nothing to alarm the squeamish. It is not a film for young children, though older teenagers will be fine. **How does Power Ballad compare to Once?** *Power Ballad* is the looser and thinner of John Carney's two-people-and-a-song films, and [*Once*](https://film.one/film/once) is the better one. *Once* keeps its pair together and lets the songs breathe; *Power Ballad* separates its leads in the first act and becomes a film about a man stewing. Start with *Once*; come to *Power Ballad* for Rudd and one excellent scene. **What should I watch after Power Ballad?** After *Power Ballad*, try [*Once*](https://film.one/film/once) (2007, Fi1m 88): Carney’s first two-people-and-a-song film, and still the one that gets the balance right. Then [*Inside Llewyn Davis*](https://film.one/film/inside-llewyn-davis) (2013, Fi1m 87): A folk singer who is good and unlucky, played straight and without rescue; and [*The Commitments*](https://film.one/film/the-commitments) (1991, Fi1m 82): Dublin soul band, filthy jokes, the best falling-out scenes in Irish cinema. ### Reviews we read (22) - **The Guardian** (90/100, inferred): The critic calls it a terrific comedy of bromance and betrayal in the music world, praising Irish writer-director John Carney for brilliantly pairing Paul Rudd's washed-up wedding singer with Nick Jonas's insecure ex-boyband star. The film explores the binary of success and failure, with a standout extended scene of creative collaboration on a song. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/may/27/power-ballad-review-nick-jonas-and-paul-rudd-star-in-terrific-comedy-of-bromance-and-betrayal) - **The Hollywood Reporter**, Angie Han (90/100, inferred): The critic praises the film's command of tone, blending comedy and drama about ambition and music without clichés, highlighting the catchy song and strong chemistry between Rudd and Jonas. It hits every note and deserves to be a smash hit. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/power-ballad-review-paul-rudd-nick-jonas-john-carney-1236533227/) - **Variety** (85/100, inferred): Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas deliver winning performances in Carney's most engaging pop-music drama since Once, with genuine dramatic discord that elevates the material. The story of a stolen song between a wedding singer and a former boy-band star has breakout potential. [Read](https://variety.com/2026/film/reviews/power-ballad-review-paul-rudd-nick-jonas-john-carney-sxsw-1236687860/) - **Vulture** (85/100, inferred): It's the biggest crowd-pleaser at SXSW, with great chemistry between Rudd and Jonas, funny and emotional scenes, boding well for release as a summer hit. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/article/power-ballad-is-this-years-summer-miracle-movie.html) - **Little White Lies**, David Jenkins (3/4/3): An amiable musical comedy about songwriting and plagiarism that toys with questions of creative ownership. It is fun and undemanding thanks to Rudd, but tonally uneven with a cop-out ending. [Read](https://lwlies.com/reviews/power-ballad) - **Empire**, Ian Freer (75/100, inferred): The critic finds Power Ballad a big-hearted, consistently funny musical comedy that explores middle-age despair and creative ownership through music's connective power. Rudd and Jonas's easy chemistry and the memorable original song are singled out for particular praise. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/power-ballad/) - **The New Yorker** (75/100, inferred): The premise of an unrecognized artist's work being appropriated is worked into a plot that is admirably tight and irresistibly catchy. It centers on the soulful joys of collaboration and the resentments that arise when credit and acclaim are stolen. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/preview/articles/6a15a08f12f309299a702783) - **Sight and Sound**, Sam Davies (70/100, inferred): Carney follows his usual formula of a plucky musician finding vindication but plays subtly with expectations in this story of artistic ownership and compromise. The film is elevated by the casting of Rudd and Jonas, though the script sometimes feels undercooked. [Read](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/power-ballad-paul-rudd-nick-jonas-lead-this-warm-hearted-comedy-about-pop-stardom-fading-ambition) - **The Observer**, Wendy Ide (70/100, inferred): Wendy Ide describes it as a disarming comedy that flips Carney's usual formula by placing the creative synergy at the start, leading to a darker examination of betrayal and creative disappointment. Paul Rudd charms as the likable wedding singer, though Nick Jonas's performance feels over-produced and synthetic. [Read](https://observer.co.uk/culture/film/article/wendy-ides-pick-of-other-films-power-ballad-fairyland-moss-freud-and-more) - **Radio Times**, Terry Staunton (3/5): An engaging bromance celebrating the emotional power of song, with Carney revisiting familiar territory from his earlier films. It is serviceable entertainment but easily forgotten, with awkward tone shifts and broad performances. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movies/paul-rudd-power-ballad-review/) - **Time Out**, Elizabeth Weitzman (3/5): Likeable performances from Rudd and Jonas anchor this slick but crowd-pleasing comedy-drama about a stolen song. Carney delivers a high-quality, Spotify-friendly film with a catchy earworm at its core. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/power-ballad-review-2026) - **Slant Magazine**, Chris Barsanti (55/100, inferred): The film has charming leads and a catchy song but never finds the right groove; it saps energy in parts, missing sustained musical ecstasy typical of Carney's work. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/power-ballad-review-paul-rudd-nick-jonas-john-carney/) - **Los Angeles Times**, Amy Nicholson (50/100, inferred): The opening sequence of song creation is one of Carney's best, showcasing terrific creative chemistry between the leads. The rest of the film is cynical and sloppy, keeping the characters apart after an initial betrayal and failing to develop its ideas. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2026-05-28/power-ballad-paul-rudd-nick-jonas-havana-rose-liu-john-carney) - **Screen Daily** (50/100, inferred): A wistful comedy with likeable leads that grapples with themes of creativity and ownership but opts for a sentimental tone over the tougher-minded story that occasionally emerges. The early bonding scenes between the leads are among its strongest. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/power-ballad-review-paul-rudd-and-nick-jonas-pluck-the-heartstrings-in-overly-sentimental-john-carney-drama/5216187.article) - **The AV Club**, Simon Abrams (C-): The film is affable but bland, with likable characters that make it not funny enough; it's a light tribute but lacks memorable jokes and strong character development beyond Rudd's charm. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/power-ballad-review) - **The New York Times**, Manohla Dargis (40/100, inferred): The film gestures at promising themes around collaboration, celebrity, and the music industry but keeps everything glib and light instead of exploring them. It remains insistently superficial, with underdeveloped characters and a commitment to avoiding real complexity. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/28/movies/power-ballad-review.html) - **IndieWire**, Christian Zilko (30/100, inferred): After exploring positive musical friendships in prior films, Carney here examines the uglier side of human nature in a story where a song can ruin lives as easily as it can connect people. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/power-ballad-review-paul-rudd-nick-jonas-john-carney-1235196996/) - **Collider**, Ross Bonaime (82/100, inferred): The critic finds it a wonderful music comedy and lovely addition to director John Carney's oeuvre, praising its exploration of song ownership and the power of music in everyday lives. Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas are highlighted as a delightful pairing that balances charm, drama, and comedy in an uncynical, crowd-pleasing underdog story. [Read](https://collider.com/power-ballad-movie-review-paul-rudd-nick-jonas-sxsw/) - **Eye for Film**, Andrew Robertson (80/100, inferred): The critic finds the film well-executed and satisfying, a feel-good movie that explores authenticity through music and middle-age themes with charm from its stars and soundtrack. Minor issues like ADR don't detract from its success. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/power-ballad-2026-film-review-by-andrew-robertson) - **HeyUGuys**, Nathan McVay (4/5): The critic praises the film as a feel-good hit with strong performances from Rudd and Jonas, and music that elevates the emotional core about fatherhood, friendship, and perseverance. Some moments feel corny or formulaic, but overall it's a joyful crowd-pleaser. [Read](https://www.heyuguys.com/power-ballad-review/) - **Den of Geek**, David Crow (4 out of 5): The critic praises the film's warm exploration of artistic disappointment, collaboration, and the frustrations of a musician's life, along with the marvelous chemistry and duet between Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas. They single out Rudd's textured performance blending affability with ennui as a standout element in this authentic and sweetly observed dramedy. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/power-ballad-review-paul-rudd/) - **The Playlist**, Chase Hutchinson (C-): The critic calls it a misfire and one of Carney's most hollow films, criticizing the shallow characters, superficial story, weak songs, and failure to explore deeper themes of creativity and authenticity beyond clichés. [Read](https://theplaylist.net/power-ballad-review-paul-rudd-nick-jonas-cant-find-a-new-tune-in-john-carneys-shallow-music-dramedy-sxsw-20260314/) ## Details - **Director:** John Carney - **Director:** John Carney - **Writer:** John Carney, Peter McDonald - **Cinematography:** Yaron Orbach - **Editor:** Stephen O'Connell - **Music:** John Carney, Gary Clark - **Production design:** Anna Carney - **Costume design:** Triona Lillis - **Producer:** John Carney, Peter Cron, Robert Walpole - **Cast:** Paul Rudd as Rick; Nick Jonas as Danny Wilson; Peter McDonald as Sandy; Marcella Plunkett as Rachel; Havana Rose Liu as Marcia; Jack Reynor as Mac; Rory Keenan as Binzer; Keith McErlean as Kyle - **Runtime:** 1h 39m - **Certificate (MPA):** R - **Release (the US):** 5 June 2026 - **Genres:** Comedy, Music, Drama - **Box office:** $3 million - **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Evvpx6oxRZ8 ## Where to watch in the US - Amazon Prime Video: rent $5.99, uhd - Amazon Prime Video: buy $7.99, uhd *Checked 2026-09-21.* Also available in: AT, AU, BR, CA, CL, CO, DE, GB, IE, MX, NZ, PL, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## If you liked this - *Once* (2007), Fi1m 88: Carney’s first two-people-and-a-song film, and still the one that gets the balance right — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/once.md) - *Inside Llewyn Davis* (2013), Fi1m 87: A folk singer who is good and unlucky, played straight and without rescue — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/inside-llewyn-davis.md) - *The Commitments* (1991), Fi1m 82: Dublin soul band, filthy jokes, the best falling-out scenes in Irish cinema — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-commitments.md) - *Hearts Beat Loud* (2018): Father and daughter write a song in a Brooklyn record shop; small and kind - *Frank* (2014): A band, a giant papier-mache head and a sharp look at who owns the talent --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/power-ballad