Overview
- John Carney’s new feature, co-written with Peter McDonald, screened at SXSW’s Narrative Spotlight section with a 1 hour 38 minute runtime.
- Critical reaction diverged: Variety praised the film’s sharper dramatic edge and Paul Rudd’s turn, The Playlist called it shallow, and JoBlo lauded it as a crowd-pleasing charmer.
- The story tracks Irish wedding-band singer Rick Power after a former boy-band star transforms his song into a chart hit without credit, sending Rick to seek recognition.
- Coverage emphasizes questions of authorship and pop-music economics, with Deadline noting its relevance to contemporary creative ownership concerns.
- Festival chatter included a Q&A moment where Nick Jonas quipped, “Be careful who you share a blunt with,” referencing a scene in the film.