At this year's Dublin International Film Festival, Matthew Briody tunes in for John Carney's latest release.
If anyone knows how a song's success can change a career, it's Dublin director John Carney. From his first musical feature Once (2006), featuring the Academy Award-winning song "Falling Slowly", all the way up to Flora and Son (2023), starring Eve Hewson and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Carney's focus is nothing if not consistent.
His latest melodically themed movie Power Ballad centres on the impact that one song has on two men's lives. Middle-aged wedding singer Rick (Paul Rudd) is still chasing his pipe dream of fame and music stardom. A chance encounter with Danny (Nick Jonas), a formerly successful boy band singer, leads to the two connecting over their shared passion for their craft one eventful night.
Rick's migration story to Dublin is a familiar one. He moved from the US to Ireland fifteen years earlier after falling in love with a local, Rachel (Marcella Plunkett). After she became pregnant, Rick settled down and put his dreams on hold. Now their daughter Aja (Beth Fallon) is a teenager, and Rick's career has plateaued at nothing more than regular gigs with his wedding band.
In the world of celebrity, faraway hills certainly aren't greener. While Danny's girlfriend Marcia (Havana Rose Liu) plays a grounding role in his songwriting process, the pressure is piled on by his slimy manager Mac, played by frequent Carney collaborator Jack Reynor. Desperate to revive his lulling success, Danny ends up releasing the song Rick shared with him. "How to Write a Song Without You" becomes a global hit, instantly reviving Danny’s career. Furious, and seeking credit where credit is due, Rick puts everything on the line to confront Danny, determined to get the recognition he is owed.
Home to The Dubliners and U2, host to David Bowie’s recording sessions at Windmill Lane, and renowned for the annual Christmas Eve Busk, where many top Irish musicians perform for charity. Dublin has long been a city shaped by music. In Carney’s previous films, Once, Sing Street and Flora and Son, Dublin is as much a character as Carney's human protagonists. Now, in Power Ballad, we follow Rudd as he wanders through some of Dublin’s most recognisable landmarks, guitar in hand, passing the capital's Tourist Information Centre or browsing amid the glass and neon of Dundrum Town Centre. Iconic though these locations may be to our audiences, Carney's sharp writing provides a dose of humour. While Rick shares one of his compositions with Danny, "From Crumlin to LA", Danny's only response is: "Where the f*ck is Crumlin?"
In terms of performance, the ensemble sing well from the same hymn sheet. Paul Rudd remains one of Hollywood’s most dependable screen presences, perhaps best known for sipping lattes in Central Perk on Friends, or shrinking down as a miniature quipping superhero in the Ant-Man franchise. In Power Ballad, Rudd demonstrates an impressive range, both figuratively and literally. He reveals a surprisingly accomplished singing voice and convincing musicality. Anyone who remembers his memorable attempts to “slap da bass” in I Love You, Man will be pleased to see Rudd handling a guitar with confidence, and all while hitting the right note between humour and heart.
In portraying ex-boyband member Danny, Nick Jonas is working in territory not entirely removed from his own public image - albeit one marked by considerably less success. This familiarity serves him well as Jonas inhabits the role with such natural ease and charisma. Rather than reducing Danny to a straightforward antagonist for Rudd’s underdog musician, Jonas brings something deeper to the character, delivering a portrayal that is both entertaining and surprisingly layered.
The supporting cast is equally strong. Marcella Plunkett, wife of director John Carney, continues their collaboration, having previously appeared in Once, Sing Street and Flora and Son. However, it is Beth Fallon who makes the biggest impression as Aja, Rick’s daughter. Despite her exasperation with her father, Aja's love for him is clear. Aja critiques Rick's original songs in a way that only a teenager can. Fallon, a Kildare native who previously starred in RTÉ’s 2024 teen drama Louise Lives Large, demonstrates a remarkable screen presence considering this is only her second screen role and feature-film debut.
While Danny largely sidesteps the role of outright antagonist, Mac revels in it openly. With this performance, Reynor relishes every smug grin and snide gesture, all delivered in a solid American accent. Meanwhile, Rick’s bandmate Sandy, played by Peter McDonald, becomes an increasingly enthusiastic accomplice in Rick’s quest for recognition. McDonald’s comic timing is impeccable. Whether it's playing someone else's electric guitar or battering security guards with that same guitar, he is responsible for some of the biggest laughs at the premiere.
McDonald also co-wrote the screenplay alongside John Carney, creating a story fuelled by authenticity. The narrative thoughtfully explores the tension between yearning and fulfilment, weighing the grief of unrealised potential against the relentless, often self-serving, pull of ambition.
As a director, John Carney plays to his strengths while operating on a larger scale than before. The live concert sequences are staged dynamically. DOP Yaron Orbach shifts focus from the performers to the crowd, ensuring the energy of the gig is tangible and the pure energy of live music is captured so cinematically. The soundtrack is another triumph. So convincing are the performances and compositions that the fact these artists and songs are fictional doesn't quite register. The title track at the heart of the narrative is particularly memorable, a beautifully crafted piece that lingers long after the credits roll. Catchy without feeling manufactured and emotionally resonant without becoming sentimental, it possesses the rare quality of sounding like a genuine chart hit. Were it released beyond the confines of the film, it would be easy to imagine it finding an audience far beyond the cinema screen.
With each element working together in perfect harmony, and a pitch-perfect cast, Power Ballad is a magnificent melodic masterpiece that hits all the right notes.
Power Ballad had its world premiere at the Dublin International Film Festival (DIFF) on 1st March 2026, as the festival’s Closing Night Gala at the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre.
