Movie
Power Ballad
Narrative tropes
Revenge Destroys You
mediumRick's obsessive pursuit of credit for his stolen song is a vengeance quest that maps directly to D3's core pattern. All three detect conditions are met: (1) Rick is pursuing justice for a clear wrong done to him, (2) the plot explicitly states his quest 'puts strain on his most important personal relationships,' satisfying the 'loved ones alienated due to obsession' signal, and (3) the film's thematic framing — 'the cost of chasing what you deserve' and forcing Rick to 'weigh self-respect and ambition against the people and life he stands to lose' — frames the pursuit as potentially self-destructive rather than triumphant. The recurring musical motif tracking Rick's escalating frustration reinforces the 'consumed by the quest' pattern.
About this trope: Pursuing vengeance — even when justified — is ultimately self-destructive, hollow, or morally degrading. The avenger is consumed by their quest.
Movies that share these tropes
Full plot (spoilers)
Rick Power (Paul Rudd) is an aging wedding singer whose best years are clearly behind him. At a wedding gig, he crosses paths with Danny Wilson (Nick Jonas), a former boy-band star whose pop career has similarly faded into irrelevance. The two bond over their shared love of music, staying up for a late-night jam session during which Rick plays an original song of his own. In the days that follow, Danny appropriates Rick's composition without credit, recording and releasing it as his own comeback single — and it becomes a number-one hit, propelling Danny back into the spotlight and onto a major comeback tour. When Rick discovers that his original song is now headlining Danny's resurgent career, he sets out to reclaim the recognition he believes he is owed. His pursuit of credit and justice puts strain on his most important personal relationships, forcing him to weigh self-respect and ambition against the people and life he stands to lose. The film, written and directed by John Carney (Once, Sing Street), uses the disputed song as a recurring musical motif throughout the narrative, tracking the emotional arc of Rick's frustration as the tune spreads further and further from his grasp. The story is a comedy-drama about friendship, artistic ownership, and the cost of chasing what you deserve. Additional cast includes Havana Rose Liu, Jack Reynor, Peter McDonald, and Marcella Plunkett. Note: the film released May 18, 2026 and Wikipedia's plot section is not yet fully developed; this summary is synthesized from available sources.
Sources: Wikipedia, IMDb (search result metadata), RMITV review, Awards Radar, official site (synopsis section not rendered)