Movie Man Darian Watching All Night Long

Power Ballad

This is as of writing this my favourite film of the year! John Carney has captured a tender film once again about the power of music and the impact it plays on people’s lives in a very deeply personal way. The film provides I think is Paul Rudd’s finest hour as an actor he’s tremendous in this. Nick Jonas also gives a terrific performance of an artist struggling to remain relevant and there is so much depth of the character he can apply his personal life to the character. Power Ballad is a film I feel will come and go and if not for word of mouth will be overlooked entirely. Which is a shame as the film is in my opinion one of the most heartfelt and best films of the year that has stuck with me since I’ve seen it and keeps growing as a fantastic film that I wanna go back and revisit. 

Firstly, The film’s themes of self worth, ownership over your art and personal drive Is amazingly touched upon in the film. As the film explores both spectrums of it we see Paul Rudd’s character who has very little but you can see he has always dreamed for more than what he is doing in terms of a musical career. Then you have Nick Jonas’s character that has everything he could want but feels emotionally very unsatisfied with his situation. The film shows greatly how both bond over their love for music but when they collectively collaborate together on a song which was initially Paul’s song they find a great wavelength but sadly since their both career driven Nick’s character goes to a low to release the song as if it was his and not credit Paul Rudd’s character as the initial writer on the track. What I love about this concept and premise is that its about writing ownership and essentially about owning the piece of art you made and when proper due credit isn’t given how it can alter your life and brain chemistry and truly do lasting damage to how you perceive success. The way this story is executed I think was incredibly touching and moved me to tears. John Carney captures the artistic pain of wanting to be credited in such a raw and emotionally expressive way that so many people that are artistic in any sense can relate to. I love how the film constantly shows the contrast between both of their lives and how music individually impacts them and the way the story is presented really impressed me some of the best parts of this film lies in the writing which is a true standout. 

Secondly, in terms of the performance’s Paul Rudd is sensational! Now there are a ton of great amount of actors in this film but it is very much the Paul Rudd show. He gives an emotionally tender performance that is unlike something he has ever brought to the screen that both works to his strengths comedically but also we see parts of his dramatic heart shine through in ways that haven’t been brought to the big screen in this kind of way. He I still think gives his all time best performance here and I would love to see more roles like this given to him as he is so so good when he gets parts like this. Nick again is also so strong in the co lead role of a struggling musician I don’t want him getting overlooked either but it is very much the performance from Rudd that walks away with the film. 

Lastly, Power Ballad Is an emotionally powerful film that speaks from the heart and delivers a powerhouse of tender moments that will stay with you all year! Paul Rudd delivers a sensational turn that is among the best work of his career and John Carney delivers once again another astonishing heartfelt film about the power of music and the impact of ones art has on another’s life regardless of how big or small that person may feel it will make ripples in their life and this film greatly shows that, Power Ballad is sensational! I recommend anyone who follows this directors filmography will love this film as his entire body of work surrounds music and this film is no different I feel the need to have to tell people to seek this film out or else no one will know about it see this on the big screen if you can.  

This film is about a small Time wedding band singer who bumps into a world famous singer and when they are throwing ideas around for a song he takes this wedding singer’ song and releases it as if it was his own and never credits him and the whirlwind of craziness ensue 

Rated R : Some Drug Use|Language Throughout

Paul Rudd : This is his finest hour as an actor! I have been following his career as a performer since the early 2000’s from his raunchy comedies with Seth Rogen and into his big franchise films like the Ant-Man films he has popped up here and there in small dramatic roles like Perks Of Being A Wallflower or the comedic offbeat film Friendship that I thought was just fantastic. He always is on point with his comedic chops but there is a sincerity to him under the surface you can tell that is aching to just come out. Here he finally puts his heart on full display with his role in Power Ballad a role that just works tremendously well to his strengths as he is still able to give that signature Paul Rudd wit we have come to love from his previous roles but still able to explore new emotional sides to him that we have not seen him tap into before. He plays this wedding singer that you can tell his vibrating full of ideas creatively he wants to express but unfortunately feels so limited by his resources around him that let him do these things. As the film begins we see him playing an original piece and he gets instantly shut down for even trying something a little different from the setlist they usually do and then when we see him meet the Nick Jonas character we see that he feels in his element because someone is finally encouraging that spark he has been trying to put more effort into. But when his creative expression gets taken advantage of it feels so grossly inappropriate and he feels so used in a way that makes him at first feel utterly shocked someone would take something that to him or any artist really is very personal and intimate and try to make it their own as they can’t relate to that art as they themselves never built it but is just exploiting it for their own success. Paul Rudd goes through a many amount of emotional peaks and valleys from as I mentioned shock, denial, then came the anger where he just starts spiralling totally out of control and lashing out on the ones that were his support system and because of that emotional embarrassment  he feels the need to have to get a direct answer from the person that wronged him so he can finally be at peace. When we see Rudd go through the motions of this all their is so much he is taking on and you feel every ounce of that emotion as it is so telling in his eyes and voice you can see the pain the sorrow the sadness behind those eyes of his and he is tremendous and being able to present it in a way that feels so raw and genuine. When we see him finally confront the singer he has no want for fame or any of the materialistic  things but the fact he just wanted the truth so he knows he can rest easy knowing that he himself knew he wasn’t going crazy and that all of this emotional stress was not for nothing. Paul is able to show how frustrating it is a creative to be wronged and not credited for ones work and how that really can mentally take a toll on your brain and the way it impacts those around you in a very big way. As I mentioned he was so hopeful in the first 30 minutes but as this whole drama goes on he starts going on a very tough journey but he learns so much about himself as a person and the way he can be at peace with his art though moving forward and knowing that sure he may not be super famous but the little life he carved out for himself is enough to fill his cup. Paul has a great arc that goes through hell but he is able to as I mentioned go through a full spectrum of emotions that we the audience have not seen him dig so deep into his soul life this before and he bears his heart on the screen in a way that genuinely moved me. Anyone that has been creative in any aspect of their life if its writing, film, music can to a extent relate to the creative frustration he feels so the audience has a direct link to him and the viewer can see themselves so much in this character I think Paul delivered a sensational role that is truly the best work of his career! He should take on more roles like this I do love though that his body of work is so vast that it is not just one type of role he plays he loves taking on roles that are sure fun but challenge him and this is the kind of role that I feel will be talked about for the rest of his career he is tremendous at bringing this creatively stunted wedding singer to the big screen with a emotionally charged heart that will move you to tears Paul Rudd is terrific! 

John Carney : Carney has again crafted another beautiful film about the impact of Music! Now I have loved his filmmaking style since 2006 when he came on the scene with his tender and intimate film Once which changed my brain chemistry and truly opened my eyes to independent music films. As he loves showing the way that music can touch ones life and make a profound impact on it if its Once, Sing Street or even Begin Again he just loves telling great narratives through the genre of Music which I freaking love. He this time shows the intense and complicated  relationship between artist and the art they themselves craft and how if not getting proper credit can change everything. I love the fact he shows the contrast between both of their lives and how they see themselves very differently and sure Nick Jonas’s character have tons of money and success is nice but if he can’t speak his mind creatively nothing will satisfy him and keep him stuck and then you have Paul who has very little but knows he can do so much more but does not have the means to be able to have that a reality. So when they finally cross paths and he takes advantage of Paul in a creative sense their is this great focus on how it can ruin a person’s view of themselves creatively after that makes them not want to sing another song and become so angry because they never got that break in life and it could of changed their entire life for who the other person is just a throwaway thing is world changing for the other. John Carney explores these two people’s lives in a really well done way that shows how tortured creatively they are and how they both view themselves when it comes to art. I love the journey he brings the viewer on with Paul’s character and how he goes through so many stages of emotions and by the final act their is this incredibly moving part where he comes to peace with the life he has and I think their is so much the viewer can take away and learn from this film. At the same time he is never repeating other films he has done he keeps finding new ways to explore the complicated relationship that is music and how it is never simple and presenting these relatable characters to the screen with amazing music that plays as the heartbeat of their respected films and John Carney has once again crafted another modern masterpiece with Power Ballad that is both relatable with artists, and also a moving story about art that truly is profound and I think one of the best films he has brought to the big screen. I love that he never does a film each year but waits a while until he knows he has a genuinely strong idea that is worth pursuing and then knocks it out of the park Carney crafts another truly great film that I hope is not overlooked as this is a brilliant piece of filmmaking and he once again gives another astonishing film with such great direction.