Review: 'Power Ballad' shows the power of Paul Rudd, in a charmer from the director of 'Once' and 'Sing Street'

It’s no surprise but still a delight that Paul Rudd can’t help but give a charming, likable performance, even when he’s playing someone who’s a bit unhinged — as he does in “Power Ballad,” the newest music-centered comedy by Irish director John Carney.

Rudd plays Rick Power, the lead singer for a Dublin wedding band, performing ‘90s pop for happy couples. We learn fairly early that he was once a rock star, who left his musical glory days behind for a settled home life with his wife, Rachel (Marcella Plunkett), and their teen daughter, Aja (Beth Fallon). 

At one wedding, it turns out the groom has invited an old friend — Danny Wilson (Nick Jonas), the last member of a now-defunct boy band who hasn’t been a solo success. Danny joins Rick’s band for a song, and the two singers strike up a friendship — which leads to an all-night jam session where they talk about songwriting and show each other what they’re working on.

Not much comes of this until months later, when Rick is in a shopping mall and hears something over the PA system. It’s a song that sounds familiar — because he wrote it. But it’s Danny who’s turned it into a hit single.

Rick tries to contact Danny, through his L.A. agent, Mac (Jack Reynor) — but because Rick can’t prove he wrote the song, he’s got no way to claim credit. He still tries, which makes him so crazy it alienates Rachel, Aja, and his bandmates. The exception is his guitarist pal, Sandy (played by Peter McDonald, who co-wrote the script with Carney). 

Carney has made a nice career out of Irish-based movies about musicians — the best being the Oscar-winning “Once” and the delightful “Sing Street.” “Power Ballad” is more broadly comedic than those movies, though not as obvious and slapstick-driven as it could have been. Carney also collaborates again, as he did on “Sing Street,” to write songs with rocker Gary Clark, and the resulting song “How to Write a Song (Without You)” is a worthy example of the movie’s title.

Ultimately, what keeps “Power Ballad” energized is Rudd, who deploys his good-natured persona and brings just a bit of edge to it. He also, it turns out, has a passable singing voice — he’s no Michael Buble, but he makes Rick’s wedding-singer moves feel authentic, which makes us like Paul Rudd even more. And I didn’t think that was possible.

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‘Power Ballad’

★★★

Opens Friday, June 5, in theaters everywhere. Rated R for language throughout and some drug use. Running time: 98 minutes.