Power Ballad Review (2026) — 77% Celluloid Score
Directed by John Carney · 2026 ·
Power Ballad (2026) earns a 77% Celluloid Score — Recommended. Recommended — recommended by most critics and audiences.Critics (88%) were notably more enthusiastic than audiences (78%).
Calculated from 4 available inputs: Celluloid editorial rating, Metascore, Letterboxd and IMDb. Audience sentiment is shown separately and never changes the composite. See how we calculate scores.
4-input transparent breakdown
Searchlight Pictures Where to watch
Not confirmed on any major streaming platform yet — check local listings.
Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube, Fandango at Home
Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube, Fandango at Home
Why this score?
- Celluloid's editorial rating is positive (88/100).
- General viewers mostly liked it (78%).
- Metascore is generally favorable (75/100).
- Celluloid Score 77% combines 4 verified rating inputs; audience sentiment is shown separately.
Best for
- Viewers who want a well-regarded drama, music, comedy pick
- Short runtime — easy weeknight watch
- Critics' darlings — stronger with reviewers than general viewers
Not ideal for
Scores reflect data indexed at build time. Component sources are shown on this page; Celluloid Score is our composite, not a third-party trademark. Scoring policy
Streaming availability, artwork and title metadata courtesy of TMDB. This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB.
Is Power Ballad worth watching?
Yes — Power Ballad earns a 77% Celluloid Score. Recommended — recommended by most critics and audiences.
Celluloid Verdict
John Carney returns to the music-drama lane that made Once essential — Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas share a warm 88% Certified Fresh rapport in a song-theft story that Empire's summer issue singled out as Ireland's feel-good theatrical of the year.
Celluloid editorial verdict
Critics (88%) were notably more enthusiastic than audiences (78%).
What is Power Ballad about?
A washed-up session musician in Dublin discovers his teenage demo was stolen decades ago and became one of the biggest power ballads in rock history — credited to a rival who never wrote a note. John Carney pairs Paul Rudd's shame-soaked veteran with Nick Jonas's hungry young producer as they set out to reclaim the song and the life it cost him. Fionnula Flanagan and Chris O'Dowd ground the ensemble while Carney films pub sessions and studio arguments with the live-performance patience that made Once essential — feel-good with stakes, not without them.
Watch the Trailer
Critic Reviews
Power Ballad Review: Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas Reclaim a Stolen Anthem at 88%
★★★★☆
John Carney pairs Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas in an 88% Dublin song-theft drama — Ireland's feel-good theatrical of the spring with a third-act chorus that earns its key change.
Certified Fresh comfort on Best of 2026 — Ireland music cinema for anyone who wished Once had a slightly bigger budget and a lawsuit.
Power Ballad stills
Official production imagery supplied through TMDB, kept with the movie instead of split into a thin gallery page.
Images courtesy of TMDB. TMDB does not endorse or certify Celluloid.
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