Power Ballad (dir. John Carney) x SXSW 2026.
In a film duet, Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas star in the pleasing but predictable musical dramedy about a jaded ex-boy band member (the latter) struggling to go solo and stealing a song from a washed-up wedding singer (the former) somewhere in Ireland. Carney plays the familiar hits of his filmography, from the frustrations of the artistic process to the importance of making family memories. Firmly focused on middle-aged disappointment, Rudd and Jonas' characters chase the trappings of dissatisfaction at opposite ends of the spectrum, as a working-class father and an out-of-touch pop star. It's light but sometimes dark fun about writing and producing songs. That being said, I cannot believe they totally ripped off that one episode of California Dreams where Zane Walker steals Jake Sommers' song.
Screened at the 2025 South by Southwest Film & TV Festival (Austin, Texas) as part of the Narrative Spotlight section.