Parents' Guide to

Adventures of Power

By James Rocchi, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Underdog comedy is no Napoleon Dynamite.

Movie PG-13 2009 89 minutes
Adventures of Power Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 15+

Based on 1 parent review

MovieLover4Lyfe
MovieLover4Lyfe Adult
July 7, 2010
age 15+
I thought this movie was very......stupid. I don't like to use that word very often, but I just can't describe it in any other way. Don't let your children watch this.
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

In the mining town of Lode, New Mexico, Power (writer/director Ari Gold) is an air-drumming misfit. His father (Michael McKean) is a union organizer miner facing a strike, which Power can't take part in once he's fired. But Power follows his dreams of glory to Newark, joining an air-drumming group competing for a cash prize against real drummer Dallas H. (Adrian Grenier) -- who happens to be the soft-country mega-star son of the CEO of the mining company that Power's father is facing down.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1):
Kids say (3):

A bargain-basement rip-off of Napoleon Dynamite, ADVENTURES OF POWER spends a lot of time expecting viewers to lavish Gold's comedic creation with affection. The problem is that the film, like Power, is so cluelessly self-absorbed that it's hard to have any belief in, or sympathy for, the main character's journey and quest. Gold seems so enamored of his own work as writer, director, and star that he seems to have assumed that audiences will find that affection contagious -- the problem is, it's such a thinly crafted journey that it's hard to see any point.

There's a modicum of sweetness and condescension in Power's awkward romance with a deaf girl (Shoshana Stern) who has a very strict mother, but again, it's just an excuse to show how great the Power character's "Don't Stop Believin'" philosophy is. Shallow, silly, and self-righteously fascinated with itself, Adventures of Power is one of the least funny "comedies" in years.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the film's one-note depiction of various ethnic groups, from wacky Chinese restaurant owners to afro-sporting African-Americans. Are these portrayals stereotypical?

  • What do you think about the movie's "follow your dreams" theme -- is the film mocking or endorsing Power's outsider dream?

Movie Details

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