The dreaded on paper movie all star. I was psyched for Power Ballad. Take a couple charming leads in a great pitch about making music. Directed by John Carney, the best music movie maker? Should have been marvelous; instead, we have to settle for fine, like a mediocre new single from a great artist like Weezer’s Africa, Katy Perry’s Roar, and Conner4Real’s Equal Rights.
I think you’ll like this movie hook too. Rick Power (Paul Rudd) hoped to be an 80s rock legend, but now has to settle for being lead singer of The Bride and Groove wedding cover band with his buddy Sandy (Peter McDonald), living the simple life with his wife Rachel (Marcella Plunkett) and daughter Aja (Beth Fallon). He has one wonderful flirt with glory when aimless post boy band singer Danny Wilson (Nick Jonas) bonds with Rick at a wedding, and start jamming in Danny’s studio. Liquid courage has Rick play “How to Write a Song (Without You)” his partially complete baby project. They part ways, but lo and behold, Danny finishes the song, and it becomes the mega hit of the year.
Enticing right? There’s lots of ways John Carney could go with this story, following one of two paths for his two leads. The path he chooses unfortunately is the least interesting one, turning Rick’s jealousy into a hunt/crusade to meet up with Danny again. What follows is a lot of hokey manufactured interactions that are so improbable they suck you out of the movie, and seem more in there to get a funny joke or silly setup instead of finding the musical profound like Carney’s usually so great at. I would have preferred divergent paths he could cut between the two, seeing the high highs of Danny’s rise knowing he’s a bit of a fraud and low lows of Rick realizing the life he dreamed of is now really dead and no one will care. For someone who takes great care crafting real characters, it’s a bit of a bummer to see perhaps the extra money get to John Carney’s head and outside his heart, even though he eventually gets to the right ending.
That being said, Power Ballad still is more fun than it isn’t. The Danny/Rick scene is classic Carney, as two artists discovering new music and new ideas carry a magic that’s hard to describe. The big hit song makes sense as a single, wonderfully flexible in its meanings so Havana Rose Liu’s love interest can melt when she hears it, Rick can recoil from its finality, and Nick can feel his true artist form coming to fruition, while still being catchy. The little bits of real drama hit; Paul Rudd really becomes a dick as he sees his chance fading away at the expense of his wife and daughter. And despite the silliness of the setup to get Rudd and Jonas onscreen, when they confront one another there’s just enough interesting material that sustains the lulls. Plus, Rudd as a wedding singer playing some great songs at Irish castles? What’s not to love and get you in the mood right?
I don’t like the trend though John! Let’s get back to basics for the next one? Maybe an Irish alliance with Kneecap? I don’t know if your styles work together, but I would like to see you try to make it work! Cause Carney movie magic will always keep me excited for the next one, hopeful I’ll be transported by the power of a great song.