Confessions of a Streamaholic

This movie really set the tone from the off using fantastic music like ‘Celebration’ by Kool & The Gang and Bryan Adam’s ‘Summer of 69’, performed by Rick Power (Paul Rudd) as the lead singer of a wedding band called ‘The Bride and Groove’. If that is Rudd actually singing I cannot believe how good he is. His band mate tells him to ‘stick to the classics’ as everyone left the dancefloor when he sang an original song but you can see the passion he has for music which is truly inspiring.

Before we even meet Danny Wilson Nick Jonas’ character we can tell this movie is going to contain humor if you didn’t realise it with it being set in Ireland and how they are known for their craic, then you would have when they walked towards the wedding they were performing at and had a cheeky look at the ladies, but where it really gets you is after this moment they go on a phone and see a video of Danny Wilson (Jonas) but they have to get their glasses on to see due to there age, which I laughed out loud at.

We are then introduced to Danny Wilson by him performing with Rudd’s band at the bride and grooms request singing next up on the setlist ‘I Wish’ by Stevie Wonder. After the wedding Rudd and Jonas link up and have a jamming session, filled with some really funny moments, like Rick (Rudd) being blow away by the size of Danny’s (Jonas) suite or Rick saying ‘Yeah, I watch TV’ like Danny thinks he’s too old for it. They share music together and keep talking about ‘throw in some spice’ and towards the end we hear the song ‘How To Write a Song (Without You)’ which is the main piece for the movie. Once the night is over and it’s time to leave after getting on the bus a worker at the hotel comes out and gives Rick (Rudd) a guitar from Danny (Jonas) showing just how great of a time they had together, which I think is significant for what happens next.

The journey then begins of what the movies main storyline is Danny (Jonas) goes back to LA and he is struggling to write, he then starts playing the song Rick (Rudd) was playing and girlfriend Marcia thinks it’s beautiful. Six months later it is then a HIT (which totally is, such a catchy song) and Rick then hears it in a shopping mall and is trying to tell everyone it is his song but he has no proof, his friends and family are very skeptical.

We see Rick’s attempt to contact Danny’s team, takes him a while to get in touch with the manager who makes sure to cut it off, the music video is very questionable but like I said it’s a good song. I loved the use of old clips of Nick to show his success as Danny in this movie, along with when they do interview with the likes of Jimmy Fallon in this instance to market the celebrity in the film, it’s very alternate universe. On the other side of this while Danny has so much success, Rick’s life is declining he quits the band, his family are mocking him, he ends up leaving his family when earlier in the film you see him and his wife so in love.

We get so much more humor in the final stages of the film, Rick and his friend from the band Sandy get emotional together, Rick dreams about getting credit for the song but it turns into a nightmare when people can’t hear him sing. After making it to LA and getting to an afterparty where Danny and Rick come face to face again at a hot tub of all places – on guy clothed, the other guy you can guess who was originally in there with some groupies – we have a comical fight between the two, both of them get injured and Rick and Sandy make a great escape.

Finally, Rick comes to terms with not getting credit for the song and he sings it for a couple where I appreciated the use of showing the couple on the dancefloor themselves so it makes it feel like they are just completely on their own but actually when we see it again it’s a crowded one. However, it ends as it should with his daughter who he wrote the song for originally all those years ago finds the recording of Rick singing it by chance in the background of a family video, ultimately meaning he has proof to get credit for the song.

I could not recommend this movie more it is funny, light hearted and so sweet. Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas make such an outstanding pair, but we have so many great supporting actors who add to the humor and heart of the movie. The ending also highlights what teenage/parent relationships are like, Rick’s daughter didn’t seem much interested in her parent which most aren’t but in the end she believed in what he was saying and was so proud.

Popcorn Rating: 🍿🍿🍿/🍿🍿🍿 (3/3)