Spotlight REVIEW Review: ‘Power Ballad’ takes a slow hand to pop music BRUCE R. MILLER Lee Enterprises Jun 12, 2026 Jun 12, 2026 Updated Aug 31, 2026 0 Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save When you look at the list of writers on many pop songs, you wonder who DIDN’T get credit.kAm“!@H6C q2==25[” !2F= #F55’D ?6H 7:=>[ :? E962E6CD ?@H[ DF886DED :E 4@F=5 36 2 @?6\>2? @A6C2E:@?] pE =62DE E92E’D H92E A@A DE2C s2??J (:=D@? W}:4< y@?2DX @776CD H96? 96 6>6C86D H:E9 2 9:E E92E 8@E :ED DE2CE :? 2 =2E6\?:89E ;2> D6DD:@?]k^Am Nick Jonas, left, and Paul Rudd in "Power Ballad." Lionsgate kAm#F55 A=2JD E96 =625 D:?86C @7 2 H655:?8 32?5 W%96 qC:56 2?5 vC@@G6X H9@ >66ED (:=D@? 2E 2 7C:6?5’D H655:?8] %96 A@A DE2C D:?8D 2 D@?8 H:E9 E96 32?5[ E96? :?G:E6D #F55’D #:4< !@H6C E@ 9:D DF:E6 E@ E2=<] %96 EH@ >FD6 23@FE >FD:4 2?5 HC:E6] %96 ?6IE 52J[ (:=D@? 8:G6D 9:D ?6H 7C:6?5 2 8F:E2C 2?5 E96 EH@ 7:8FC6 E96J H@?’E D66 6249 @E96C]k^Am kAm(96? 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David Cleary, Lionsgate kAms:C64E@C y@9? r2C?6J D:56D H:E9 E96 8FJ D?F3365 2?5 D9@HD 9@H 96 EC:6D E@ 86E ;FDE:46[ 3FE E96 7:=> :D?’E 23@FE 9:EE:?8 E96 ;24<A@E] xE’D 23@FE 2446AE:?8 J@FC A=246 :? =:76]k^Am kAm#F55 5@6D 2 ?:46 ;@3 D9@H:?8 9@H H655:?8 8:8D 42? 36 >@C6 7F=7:==:?8 E92? A@A DE2C5@> 2?5 9@H 2 DEC@?8 9@>6 =:76 :D AC676C23=6 E@ H@C=5 E@FCD]k^Am kAmy@?2D[ 9@H6G6C[ :D =:EE=6 >@C6 E92? 2 AC@A] w6 92D 6IA6C:6?46 :? E9:D H@C=5 3FE “!@H6C q2==25” 4@?DE2?E=J D66>D =:<6 :E H2D >62?E 7@C D@>6@?6 H:E9 2 =:EE=6 >@C6 6586] w2CCJ $EJ=6D[ A6C92ADnk^Am Paul Rudd, right, with Peter McDonald, plays a washed-up rocker who now fronts a wedding band in the music comedy "Power Ballad." Lionsgate kAmr2C?6J DEF77D 9:D 7:=> H:E9 C64@8?:K23=6 D@?8D W2?5 =2?5D E96 9:EX 3FE ?6G6C 2?DH6CD E96 BF6DE:@?i w@H >F49 5@ J@F 92G6 E@ HC:E6 E@ 56D6CG6 4C65:Enk^Am kAm%96C6’D DE:== 2 8@@5 >@G:6 5:DD64E:?8 E96 :DDF6] %9:D :D ;FDE 2 766=\8@@5 3C@\4@> E92E 56>@?DEC2E6D #F55 42? D:?8 2?5 y@?2D 92D A@E6?E:2=]k^Am kAm(96? #F55 7:?5D 9:D >FD:42= 8C@@G6[ J@F H2?E 9:> E@ 3C:?8 324< “%96 (655:?8 $:?86C” 2?5 D2:= E9C@F89 E9@D6 ‘g_D 2?5 ‘h_D 9:ED] w:D E2<6 @? >FD:4 D4@C6D]k^Amk2D:56 4=2DDlQE?4>D\:?=:?6\C6=4@?E6?E E?4>D\:?=:?6\C6=4@?E6?E\:?7@Qmk9cmU=DBF@j!@H6C q2==25UCDBF@jk^9cmkAmkDEC@?8m#2E65ik^DEC@?8m # 7@C AC@72?:EJ[ 25F=E D:EF2E:@?Dk^Am kAmkDEC@?8m$E2CDik^DEC@?8m a DE2CDk^Am kAmkDEC@?8mqCF46’D %2<6ik^DEC@?8m t?;@J E96 >FD:4]k^Amk^2D:56m Movies in a minute with film critic Bruce Miller Movies in a Minute: "The Bride!" Movies in a Minute: "Project Hail Mary" Movies in a Minute: "Hoppers" Movies in a Minute: "The Drama" Movies in a Minute: "Reminders of Him" Movies in a Minute: "Scream 7" Movies in a Minute: "Twinless" Movies in a Minute: "Wuthering Heights" Movies in a Minute: "Dracula" Movies in a Minute: "Send Help" Movies in a Minute: "Is This Thing On?" 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