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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C6=62D6D E96 D@?8 E96J H@C<65 @? 2?5 =2?5D 2 9:E[ E96 H655:?8 D:?86C :D 8@3D>24<65i w6’D ?@E 4C65:E65] (:E9@FE AC@@7[ 96 92D ?@ C64@FCD6]k^Am People are also reading… WNC Renaissance Faire set for this weekend in McDowell County Stabbed husband saves wife by driving car into knife-wielding man, NC sheriff says Marion man accused of waving gun at people floating on Catawba River Burke superintendent addresses Draughn, Freedom football game called at halftime Baxter International issues recall of IV solutions made at McDowell County plant Wildflowers flattened at Burke County I-40 exit, Highway Patrol investigating Lake Lure starts eviction proceedings against prominent business McDowell County animal advocate says well-known cat who lived along greenway missing McDowell alumni spotlight: From Marion Elementary to leading the county's parks and rec Find out where the Carolina Panthers landed in ESPN's final preseason power rankings 1 killed, 2 injured after train hit car in Hickory; Charges are pending in investigation David Hoffmann: Local news can bring communities together McDowell County commissioners approve six-month moratorium on data centers Nonprofit to build two new homes for Hurricane Helene survivors in McDowell County Interstate 40 repairs now cost $2.8B, up from initial estimate. Here's why Nick Jonas as Danny, left, and Paul Rudd as Rick in "Power Ballad." 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 Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | SoundStack 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!" 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