Displaying items by tag: Jack Reynor

POWER BALLAD

Ireland/US, 2026, 98 minutes, Colour.

Paul Rudd, Nick Jonas, Peter McDonald, Marcella Plunkett, Beth Fallon, Jack Reynor, Havana Rose Liu.

Directed by John Carney.

Drama about music, songs and lyrics, creativity, performance, the wonderful satisfaction that a composer has in creating something beautiful. But, this is a story with some edge. But it is humane, sometimes funny, sometimes with regrets, but a satisfying ending.

The film is the work of writer-director, John Carney, himself a singer and bass player, composer (from the some of the music in this film). His films have had music very centrally in their dramas, popular successes with such films as Once and Sing Street.

The action takes place mainly in Carney’s Ireland, in Dublin, are some sequences in the United States, especially a concert performance in Los Angeles. However, the central character is American, a very fine performance by Paul Rudd, always adept comedy, but also having the opportunity to play music and sing. His character, Rick Power (which as many of the title) has settled in Dublin, married with a daughter, part of the band who said at weddings. (Paul Rudd’s biography mentions that he sang and played at bar/that Mrs in his young days.)

In the meantime, a young American singer, Nick Jonas, who in real life has had this kind of career with his brothers and then as a soloist, is invited to sing with a group at a wedding. He is genial, Rick is happy to join him in singing, a happy success. In the aftermath means that the two of them spend a night, at the piano, wrecking, Rick sharing some of his compositions, a great learning experience for Danny who gifts Rick with a classic guitar.

Where to from here? Home, Danny’s scrums, please and sings a melody that Rick had shared with him. Encouraged by his girlfriend, manipulated by his manager, Danny records the song – instant hit, millions of followers, rapturous audiences and concerts, everybody singing it.

At a shopping mall, Rick it – and the rest of the film is the drama, the impact on Week, no proof that he ever wrote the song, calls to the manager, legal issues, his family expecting a financial windfall. And quite an effect on Rick and his feeling exploited.

In fact, the aftermath has very serious overtones for Rick, his family, his band, but it is also played with great good humour, a Russian visit to LA, an encounter (understatement) with Danny and pleasing ending journey at a concert, for Rick back home – and a final short sequence with a pleasing moral for the whole story, especially for Rick.

All in all, a pleasing experience and a nice song.

1. The title, songs, sock soft rock ballads, the central character of Rick Power?
2. The work of the director, musician, singer, composer, his films are musical themes?
3. Composition of the song? Rick, his story, American, his band, the initial sequences, the credits, Rick and his playing to the fans, then reality, not successful, the Irish tool, meeting his life, marriage, the birth of his daughter, staying in Ireland, his group, singing at weddings? Satisfied with his life? The encounter with Danny, spending the evening, the piano, songs, the lyrics? The friendship?
4. The Irish setting, Dublin, homes and streets, the weddings, celebrations? The contrast with US, Los Angeles, concerts, the venues, backstage? The LA mansions?
5. The musical score, the background score, the range of songs, the key song and its repetition? The chorus? The range of cities, the fans? The full song at the end?
6. Rick, his friendship with Sandy, manager, covered and, very Irish? The band, the performances, the crowds? Long time with the group, the van, the instruments, performances, the response of the newly married’s, those attending?
7. At the Castle, the accommodation, the double bunks in the small room, the performance, the couple asking for Danny Wilson to singing, his popularity, his presence, the singing, ripped joining in, bonding? The evening, Danny his vast room, the piano, the songs, the lyrics, the happy ending? The gift of the classical guitar?
8. Rick, the mall, hearing the song, his reaction? The popularity, online, the millions of hits? The effect on him? Disbelief, the phone calls to his manager, no response? The group asking for the song, his refusal, the fight? The clash with Sandy? At home, claiming the authorship, the response of his wife and daughter, not supporting him? Becoming paranoid, leaving home, asking Sandy for help?
9. Danny, America, lack of success, the reputation of the boy band, his manager, pressurising him, his girlfriend? Hearing the song, her response? The manager, the discussions about the authorship, the pressure, the performance, the record, the success, the fans?
10. Rick, decision to go to LA, with Sandy, the dream on the plane that he reconciled, Sandy and his behaviour, laughing at the comedy is on the plane?a, the ruse for getting behind the scenes with the pretended phone call, meeting the couple from Dublin, the address the party, getting in, Sandy, playing the guitar, ripped finding Danny following up to the sauna, Danny and his lifestyle?
11. The confrontation, the issue of money, ripped not wanting money, wanting the truth, the fight, admitting the truth, falling over the balcony, Rick jumping, the manager and the pursuit?
12. Back home, the issue of money, wife and daughter wanting it, ripped talking about it but wanting only the truth? His daughter playing the videos, the discovery of playing it for her when she is a little, the story that he had told to Danny, support of his wife and daughter?
13. The reconciliation with the band, Sandy and his role? The performances at the wedding? The request of the song, singing it? His explanation?
14. The moral of the story, truth, reputation, creativity, the episode with the young stealing from the busker in the street and Rick’s reaction, the final moment, giving the busker the role of money, a happy moral ending?

LEE CRONIN's THE MUMMY

Ireland/US, 2026, 134 minutes, Colour.

Jack Reynor, Laia Costa, May Calamawy, Natalie Grace, Shiloh Molina, Billie Roy, Veronica Falcon, Hayat Kamille.

Directed by Lee Cronin.

While this version of the mummy reminds us of the old versions, the embalmed and buried creature, the breaking of a spell, the rising from the dead, terrorising, Lee Cronin’s very personal version might remind audiences of the young girl, possessed, in The Exorcist.

There is a prologue, an Egyptian family driving, some terror, finding a crypt, the opening of the tomb, the death of the father, the control of the mother, escape with the daughter. Then the tone changes, contemporary Cairo, an American broadcaster, his family. But, literally at the end of the garden for their young daughter, a mysterious presence and her being possessed and becoming the mummy, disappearing, the family distraught.

Eight years later, the family is back in New Mexico, still grieving the absence of their daughter, in touch with the detective who handled the case originally. The couple have a new baby. And they live with the grandmother.

In fact, this is a very long film, 2 ¼ hours. And, probably as a warning to audiences expecting something of a mixture between PG and M rating adventure, much of the film can be described not just as horror but is quite horrible. The recovery of the daughter, her being possessed, her wreaking havoc on returning to New Mexico, the growing desperation of the parents, the intervention of the detective and her coming to the US, all building up to quite graphic horror/horrible sequences.

And, finally, the equivalent of the exorcism, the possession of the father – and, the possibility of a ritual recovery.

This version has the courage of its convictions – but they may be too much for many an audience.

1. The many mummy films? The tradition? Female and older? This time the young girl, others possessed?
2. The treatment, graphic, detailed violence, the horrible in horror?
3. The settings, in Egypt, the family travelling, the vault, Cairo, the family’s apartment, the garden, the play in the garden, the disappearance? The interrogations by the police, the detective, her work Cairo? New Mexico, the home, world of television, the return home of Katy?
4. The situation, the family, driving, the children, the severe mother, the vault, going down, opening the grave, the reawakening, the graphic death of her husband? The mother, magician, her powers, enticing Katy in the garden, the chocolate, the tricks, the friendship with Leo, and her? The pursuit, the loss?
5. The family, Charlie, television correspondent, his gestures, the children’s criticism, 80, mischievous, critical, the clashes with Cinnamon? Lewis, pregnant, Hispanic background? Her work, the interrogations, blaming Charlie?
6. Eight years later, the return to New Mexico, his job? The obsession with Katie? The birth of more, growing up? Said older? Family life?
7. The detective, in Cairo, the situation with the plane crash, the sarcophagus, Katie inside? The explanations of the flooding of the valley, saving the Mummy, the magician, her house, Laylah?
8. Katie and her return, her condition, physical, psychological? The sense of menace? The family, doctors, supervision? Her pervading influence, the influence on board, her behaviour at school, swearing at the teacher? Said, the gradual influence, Katy tantalising him?
9. The grandmother, her presence in the house, jovial and likely? Character Katie? The attack, her death, the funeral, her reappearance, menace?
10. Katie and the influence on her brother and sister, their behaviour, possessed?
11. Larissa, her anxiety, the relationship with Charlie, the blame, wanting to care for her daughter, possesses? The death of her mother? The increasing oppression?
12. Charlie, his devotion, the mystery of Katy’s body, the wounds, the skin coming apart, the text, taking into the expert, his reading of the text? The understanding of the Mummy and family preserving the tradition? Getting the name later, going through all the letters, making connections, contacting the detective?
13. The detective, her confronting the magician, the wounds to herself? Coming to America?
14. The buildup to the confrontation, Katie, personality, her with her teeth, communication, her brother and sister, destructive, cruel? The detective and her memorising the incantation?
15. Charlie, to himself to say Katie, his being possessed, the finale, the survival of the family, the detective, Charlie seated in the chair, wrapped as the mummy? The detective and the possibilities of the incantation releasing Charlie?

THE GOOD MOTHER

US, 2023, 90 minutes, Colour.

Hilary Swank, Olivia Cooke, Jack Reynor, Dilone, Norm Lewis, Madison Harrison, Hopper Penn, Karen Aldridge.

Directed by Miles Joris-Peyrafitte.

The Good Mother is a brief drama, set in Albany, the city not usually seen in American movies but here an impression of the vistas of the city, the buildings, the freeways, the neighbourhoods.

The title refers to Marissa, played by Hilary Swank, a journalist who has suffered the death of her husband, grief and drink. At the opening, we see the killing of a man jogging in the streets, the news coming to Marissa from her policeman son, Toby (Jack Reynor). At the funeral, she is very hostile to her son’s girlfriend, hitting her, but then apologising – and a bond growing up between the two women. Which means that the title could refer to the young woman, Paige, played by Olivia Cooke. Interestingly, Jack Reynor and Olivia Cooke are both British.

The women decide to follow some leads to see who was responsible for the killing, the dead son being an addict and dealer – though Paige asserts that they were off the drugs.

There is a strong sequence where Paige and Marissa go to a group discussion – and a highlight is a speech given by Karen Aldridge as Laurie, the children, addicts, their deaths.

There is a further complications, Paige discovering some drugs in her old house, Marissa pursuing her sons collaborator and his attacking her, aged Marissa interviewing a witness to the death and getting some clues, Paige with the phone number of the contact who set up the killing.

The narrative the film does not develop as we might have liked, harsh complications, harsh challenges some violence and sadness.

Which means that the screenplay combines familiar material but some unexpected plot developments.

1. The title? True, ironic? For Marissa, for Paige, for the grandchild?
2. The city of Albany, the views of the city, streets, buildings, freeways, homes, dangerous neighbourhoods, press office, trains, the railyard? The musical score?
3. The opening, tension, the runner, the pursuing lights, his death? The transition to Marissa, waking up, her drinking, going to the office, Toby coming with the news, her grief?
4. The background stories, the discussions and memories, the videos of Michael playing baseball, a good little boy, his talent, his shoulder injury, the drugs? Addicted, dealing? The long friendship with Ducky? Toby and his ambitions, the older brother, becoming a policeman? Marissa and the death of her husband, her grief, her drinking, going to group discussions? Toby and his advice, playing pool with her, urging him not to drink?
5. The funeral, Marissa’s grief, Paige present, Marissa and the attack, hitting her, the apology, their being together? Her dislike of Paige, Paige and her love for Michael, pregnant? The past friendship with Ducky, addictions in dealing, changing? Michael and his phone message, a change, buying a house? This leading to the bonding between Paige and Marissa, and the friendship with Gina, her pregnancy?
6. Marissa, going to back to work, her skill in writing, the editor urging her to write? With Paige, going to the meeting? Laurie and the cameo of her speech to the group, key revelation about feelings, children, addiction, care of children, taking Marissa to the safe injections centre? Her seeing Ducky, chasing him, his hitting her? Coming home, telling Toby, his saying he would handle it?
7. When did audiences become suspicious of Toby? Performance, body language, facial expressions? Suspicious?
8. Paige, going to the old house, finding the suitcase, the drugs? And the explanation of the drugs, femme fatale and cocaine? Causing deaths? Her escaping after the pursuit? Going to see Ducky, dead? Hiding the drugs in Marissa’s house? Marissa discovering them?
9. Taking refuge in Toby’s house, with Ducky’s phone, the mysterious call that lured Michael to his death? The information about the tower to underhand, the driver? Marissa and Paige visiting the old man who witnessed the episode?
10. Ringing the phone, Toby’s phone ringing, going to the basement, Toby confronting her, her fall, to the hospital, the birth, her death? Marissa taking the baby?
11. Marissa, suspicions of Toby, following him in the car, the train, the drugs to the man with a tattooed on the hand?
12. Marissa and her care of the baby, starting to write the story, giving it to the editor?
13. The open end, the document, the cigarette and her never lighting up, lighting up the lighter – to smoke or to burn the manuscript? The audience to decide what she would do, what they would do?