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Movie: “Power Ballad” | Indian Lake | August 27-30, 2026


  • Indian Lake Theater 6311 New York 30 Indian Lake, New York, 12842 United States (map)

“Power Ballad” Brings Paul Rudd, Nick Jonas and a Musical Feud to Indian Lake Theater

Pop star Nick Jonas playing a piano in the film Power Ballad playing at Indian Lake Theater.

Nick Jonas stars in “Power Ballad,” playing at Indian Lake Theater. Photo courtesy Lionsgate.

Power Ballad brings Paul Rudd, Nick Jonas and a catchy disagreement over who owns a song to Indian Lake Theater this week. For anyone looking for movies in the Adirondacks—or something to do in Indian Lake this weekend—the musical comedy-drama is a particularly good fit for one of the Adirondack Park’s small-town independent theaters.

Written and directed by John Carney, the filmmaker behind Once, Begin Again and Sing Street, Power Ballad screens Thursday, August 27, and Saturday, August 29, at 7:30 pm.

The film is rated R and runs approximately 98 minutes. Friday night belongs to a different kind of music: Indian Lake Theater hosts the live StevieMac tribute concert on August 28.

Planning more Adirondack adventures? The ADK Taste newsletter delivers a weekly guide to the region’s best food, stories, and events.

A song worth fighting over.

Rudd plays Rick, an American musician living in Ireland whose rock-star ambitions have settled into a career fronting a wedding band. At one of those weddings, he encounters Danny (Jonas), a former boy-band star whose solo career could use a hit.

A late-night jam session produces exactly that. The trouble begins when Danny turns one of Rick’s songs into the record that revives his career—without giving Rick the recognition he believes he deserves.

What follows is part music-industry comedy, part midlife reckoning and part friendship story, with Carney asking some surprisingly thorny questions about ambition, artistic ownership and what happens when someone else gets the life—or the song—you thought belonged to you.

Planning more Adirondack adventures? The ADK Taste newsletter delivers a weekly guide to the region’s best food, stories, and events.

Rudd and Jonas make an unlikely duet.

Carney co-wrote Power Ballad with Peter McDonald, who also appears in the film. The supporting cast includes Marcella Plunkett, Havana Rose Liu and Jack Reynor. Gary Clark and Carney wrote the original songs and score.

Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas star in Power Ballad playing at Indian Lake Theater.

The film premiered in North America at SXSW in March 2026, then arrived in theaters in late May. It went on to win Best Feature Film at both the Boulder International Film Festival and Annapolis Film Festival, along with a Special Jury Award for Music at the Desertscape International Film Festival.

Critics have generally responded warmly. Rotten Tomatoes reports an 88% critics score, with particular praise for the chemistry between Rudd and Jonas and Carney’s affectionate but clear-eyed look at stardom.

RogerEbert.com found hope beneath the film’s heartbreak, while The Guardian praised its mix of comedy, betrayal and music-business reality.

Not everyone bought the encore. The Los Angeles Times argued that the movie introduces compelling ideas without exploring them deeply enough, while other critics found Carney’s familiar warmth a little too sentimental. That divide may actually explain the film’s appeal: Power Ballad is less interested in dismantling the music business than in the people who keep making music after fame fails to arrive.

Why catch Power Ballad in Indian Lake.

Released earlier this summer, Power Ballad is already entering that useful second-run territory where independent theaters can give a good movie another moment in front of an audience.

And this one benefits from it. Music sounds better through theater speakers, jokes land differently in a roomful of people, and Carney’s films are built around the shared experience of hearing a song take shape.

That makes Indian Lake Theater more than simply a place to check the Indian Lake movie schedule. Small-town movie theaters and historic Adirondack cinemas offer something a megaplex rarely can: a community-scale night at the movies, where the theater itself remains part of the experience.

ADK Taste recommendation: Choose the Saturday 7:30 pm screening for an easy Central Adirondack weekend night out—and stay through the final notes.

Watch the official trailer.

Get a preview of Power Ballad before seeing it at Indian Lake Theater in Indian Lake, with Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas turning one fateful songwriting session into a battle over music, credit and ambition.

The official Power Ballad trailer previews Paul Rudd’s struggling wedding singer, Nick Jonas’s fading pop star, their musical chemistry and the dispute that sends their unlikely friendship spectacularly off-key.

Power Ballad plays at Indian Lake Theater in the Central Adirondacks on August 27 and 29, giving moviegoers another chance to catch Carney’s music-driven comedy where it belongs: on a big screen.

For current showtimes, ticket availability and schedule changes, visit the Indian Lake Theater website or Facebook page before heading out.

Looking for more films playing in the Adirondacks this week, live music, festivals and worthwhile detours? ADK Taste hand-picks the events worth putting on the calendar each week—because finding something good to do in the Adirondacks shouldn’t require opening 27 browser tabs.

Frequently asked questions.

When is Power Ballad playing at Indian Lake Theater?
Power Ballad screens Thursday, August 27 through Sunday, August 30, 2026. Check Indian Lake Theater directly for the latest schedule and ticket availability.

Where is Indian Lake Theater?
Indian Lake Theater is in Indian Lake, New York, in the Central Adirondacks and is convenient to Long Lake, Blue Mountain Lake and surrounding Adirondack communities.

What is Power Ballad rated?
The film is rated R and runs approximately 98 minutes.

Who stars in Power Ballad?
Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas lead the cast, with Marcella Plunkett, Havana Rose Liu, Jack Reynor and Peter McDonald in supporting roles.

Is Power Ballad a musical?
It is a music-driven comedy-drama from Once and Sing Street director John Carney, built around original songs, musicians and the complicated business of making—and claiming—music.


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In Concert: StevieMac | Indian Lake Theater | August 28, 2026