User reviews

An Australian music promoter goes belly up after investing in a massive tour. With all possibilities exhausted, he moves his family to Nashville, hoping to start over. With the support of his wife and kids, they get to work surviving in their new home. Doing what he does best, he invests in his daughter and sets out to make her dream of a music career a reality.

This is the true story of how the Smallbones migrated from Australia to America and achieved their dreams of becoming musical sensations. The movie is heavy on Christianity and religion, but the hero is dependent on the viewer. The movie shifts its focus from religion to family, struggle, and the music industry. This movie is definitely for the Christian fan base, but anyone can enjoy it.

Christian movies can be predictable. Of course so are Road-Runner cartoons, and I thought those were great. "Unsung Hero" is a family story that is both unusual and typical; in that this is a family with lots of children for an audience probably only having one or two; following success and tragedy, the family is forced to move but don't just cross town, instead head out to a different country; and while upheaval surrounds, the mom of this story is also pregnant with their newest member.

How many dads would provide by leaving the family, seeking opportunities and sending money back. This mom will not allow her family to be broken apart. So we are invited to witness a dad who has lost his footing and maybe their entire future; we see the hearts of the children, doing what they can; and of course the aches and tears of mom.

There really are no epiphanies here, however to those who have seen many full-moons in their lifetime, there may well be the too familiar failure of putting food back at the grocer checkout, no longer having furniture, or battling ones own ego at simple invitations of neighbours living life better, or learning how to gratefully accept help from others.

If you're a dad who has pulled your child from social program because you can't get $60 to keep her in, or a grandparent sharing all that you can, only to have it all fall on deaf ears, or watched God provide something that never should have arrived at just the right the time, this may well be a movie that grants you a smile and a laugh and a tear.

Most people will learn little from this movie, beyond families are paramount, and God is good. Life unfolded well for this family and they have made significant impacts on the lives of many people. I believe all the faithful have that same opportunity to have a positive impact on those around them. That is worth remembering, and that makes this movie a good usage of 2 hours and worthy of supporting.

I'm not one to cry in movies but I cried like a baby in this film. For King & Country is one of my favorite bands and they have talked so much about their story during their concerts but to see their story brought to life on the big screen is so inspiring. The hardship they went through after moving to the states was so sad. Joel Smallbone (for King & Country's frontman) co-directed and starred in the film. He is a good actor. It is truly amazing to see that no matter what was thrown at the family, nothing was able to separate them. I don't want to write much more without spoiling the film but I highly recommend the film. It's an incredible story of success, hardship but more importantly how despite all the challenges their faith stood strong and didn't deteriorate due the challenges they faced.

A story about faith, positivity, perseverance and following your dreams. About not giving up, family and doing whatever it takes to get ahead. Inspiring. About traditional values and the importance of a strong mother. Without the love of this mother the family would definitely not have stuck together. She was the glue that kept everything and everyone going. With dedication and faith the family Smallbone made it in America. They didn't divorce, they didn't blame one another, they kept going as a family, backed by the local community. Was it God? Was it friendliness? Was it positivity? Or was it all of that? Whatever it was, it sure is an example of how one can act when all falls down. Nice view.

I really loved this movie. Christian films aren't always great; some are in fact quite cheesy. This movie was believable and a great story of perseverance, family and faith. I grew up loving the music of Rebecca St James but never knew her story. I didn't know she was related to the awesome brothers of For King and Country. This story was so incredibly powerful. As a father of four, I kept thinking what I would do if I lost my job and had no way to provide for my family. What a scary place to be. This story of hope and faith, and how the kids never stopping believing really moved me. It's not Hollywood it's real life.

My only wish is that the film didn't end so abruptly. I wanted to see more, like maybe a jump to "present day" where it showed the success of all the kids after incredible hardship. Either way this was a terrific, inspiring movie that the whole family should see.

I loved it. This is a powerful film about family, faith, and miracles. It made me laugh and cry. This movie is a perfect example on how we should be leading our familys. Not only that, but to teach children what it means to stay together as a family, and to pray as a family no Matter the circumstances. They did a wonderful job with this film. It's a wonderful story about one famly's journey from Australia to the U. S. If you haven't seen it yet, I highly recommend it. You won't regret it. It is kid friendly. If you like movies with family, faith, miracles, and music, then this movie is for you.

Giving this a 7/ 10

Out today is is this rather good true life tale of what can happen when you throw your life into leaving your home country and moving else where. And it's not easy, it's hard as anything.

An music promoter is not having any luck in his home country and decides to move out, chance everything, on a new life in another country, America. The results are not for those thinking of moving and chancing your life, it's hell, and I am amazed at the ending of all this, as it does make this film worth a watch, even if it can be very cheesy at times, writers and directors Richard L. Ramsey and Joel Smallbone, spare us nothing on the suffering that the family goes through, and really stick to their hopes and dreams, which uplift this film, making you want to watch this until the very end, well, I did.

Daisy Bets is the actor who keeps the film watchable, as does Joel Smallbone, both carry this film and are just perfect. Kirrilee berger is captivating and you care for world view. This film is a strange one, for a summer film, but it shows what can come out in this period and be a sit down and watch. Watch all the trailers before you go on this one, before you go.

I want to see this again!! Being on vacation this week my wife and I were lucky enough to be able to go see this on a special preview night. It even had some extra content before the movie started by for King & Country and an animated short. Not sure if those will be included on the wide release. I only saw the trailer once before I went to see the movie and only knowing it involved the for King & Country family because my wife told me. Was so surprised to learn that one of my favorite Christian artist was part of the Smallbone family! Their older sister is Rebecca St. James! I never knew of that connection and have been a fan of hers for years! That was a pleasant surprise. I really did enjoy this movie and laughed and I even noticed I got watery eyes a few times. I think the watery eyes were due to the cool air blowing into my face during the movie. My wife assured me that was not the case because the air wasn't even on. Oh? Definitely a movie to go see with family and friends and if I am fortunate enough to see it again I'm taking someone with us!

It's 1991. The Smallbone family moves from Australia to Nashville. David Smallbone (Joel Smallbone) is a music promoter who had fallen on hard times. His Christian music tour goes bust. His expected job in America disappears. Through it all, his wife Helen (Daisy Betts) maintains their faith in God.

First, I don't know anything about any of these people other than Amy Grant. I'm sure that this movie is more compelling for this family's fans. For me, this is standard fare for biopics. I would pick another scene to start the movie. I understand the premise of putting the mother front and center. Unless they are actually smuggling drugs into the States, don't show me that scene as the opening shot. It is promising drama that isn't actually there. Since this is a Christian film, the opening shot could be Helen praying in a church. Otherwise, do Amy Grant first. That's the best scene in the first half. There is the well-considered family drama. Despite their difficulties, the family is never in that much dire straits. The drama has its limits. Mostly, this is fine.

As an unwashed heathen I will not comment on the story but the cinematography in this film is horrendous. One close up after another--for hours. I felt like I was watching a movie using a magnifying glass. No sense of space, context, perspective. And the same shot was repeated over and over---framed shot moving into a close up. Over and over. I never notice these things in movies usually but in this film it was so consistent and it was irritating. I don't think I would recognize most of the actors in this film in any other context as I never saw them beyond the neck up.

I am no expert but this issue with the cinematography seems a bit amateurish.

"Unsung Hero" is based on a true story. Set in the 90s, it portrays the real life struggle of an Australian family who has hit rock bottom and is immigrating to America for a fresh start. This film is excellently directed and acted! It is a beautiful story about the importance of family during difficult seasons of life, and how adversity and difficulty can make your faith and family stronger. I liked that it dealt very honestly with the emotional toll people experience when going through difficulty and the importance of loving each other in our brokenness. Beautiful movie with an inspiring ending!

I'm generally not one for faith-based films - and this one happens to be more faith-based then the comparable films I saw that year. While, say, Cabrini treated faith as one motivator of the lead's extraordinary efforts (and wasn't afraid to contrast her with much less humane Catholic officials who found one excuse or another to stay back) and Ordinary Angels lived up to its title by centering the ordinary people and keeping faith in the background, this film is far more open about repeatedly showing scenes of the family at prayer, or ascribing key events in the story to divine intervention.

Sometimes, the outcome of that can be really funny. For instance, they are only let through the customs and not turned around for planning to overstay on a visa (which, to be clear, is exactly what they intended to do) because the customs discovered a letter from mother-in-law telling her daughter (the family's mom) to get back to Australia as soon as the visa expires, which the customs agreed was enough proof they would not break the rules. She then proceeds to view this event as a divine sign that she should listen to her husband and BREAK the rules, because the letter wouldn't have been discovered otherwise and they would just get turned around immediately if they weren't meant to be there - yet, you can clearly interpret the whole thing the other way around as well. It becomes an interesting example of unintentional commentary on how faith is often used to support whatever a person was already going to do anyway.

The other instance of unintentional commentary is darker. A bit like with Ordinary Angels, this film also likes to highlight the support they receive from the surrounding community (particularly a wealthier neighbour). It even includes a very similar scene where the father of the family responds to a massive act of support they have received with a tantrum - apparently, Christian films won't leave a mark with their conservative audiences if providers and breadwinners don't complain bitterly about how emasculating it is to receive a handout and not suffer for months to do it with your own effort - even if it doesn't just involve you and there are dependents on the line.

Here, however, one is forced to wonder just how much support and welcome a family with six kids that skirted immigration rules would have received if they happened to have a different skin colour - even if they were also Christian and even if they also came from the English-speaking Australia. The question is never raised in the next, but the answer is so obvious it hangs heavily over many scenes.

And YET, in SPITE of all that, Unsung Hero is not only a very competently directed film with good pacing, good use of the music, heavy use of dramatic irony etc., but it also has something very unusual going for it. Apparently, THIS is one of the VERY few biopics of 2024 which had resisted messing with the facts of the story and told it like it is. Granted, it is probably not the only one, (i.e. A substantially superior Better Man might also be accurate to the events outside of portraying Robbie Williams the way he apparently sees himself), but it is still a rare one to have done so.

Yes, many others, like the aforementioned Cabrini and Ordinary Angels, as well as Ferrari or Wicked Little Letters or The Bikeriders, are technically more dramatically impressive films - yet they fudge and cheat with the facts in ways that range from substantial to truly massive. The fact that the filmmakers here resisted an obvious temptation to spice things up and made a proper story of the facts of the case deserves to be commended even if I'm far from sold on every takeaway on this band's success the film wants to leave us with.

The trailer lends itself to that of "A star is Born". So, I decided to watch it without knowing anything about the people it is based on. This is a true story based on the life of Christian Singer Rebecca St. James before her rise to fame. The film begins by showing that her family didn't always struggle and were well off until one bad investment during a recession cost them everything. The rest of the runtime goes on to show their struggles to get back on their feet and how she got her break as a Christian Singer.

Joel Smallbone (David Smallbone) played a believable role as the father of this family struggling to keep them financially stable. Through his character he was able to show how much this father cared for his family and how much it hurt him to not be able to take care of them at times. Compared to other characters, he was given some depth which helped make him relatable.

The standout performance was that of Daisy Betts (Helen Smallbone). She stole every scene she was in as this mother who stayed strong for her family despite their hardships. Her acting ranged from subtle body language and facial expressions to full on dramatic moments. There wasn't a single emotion she didn't express.

Kirrilee Berger (Rebecca St. James) unfortunately wasn't given much to work with. She was a subdued character despite this film being inspired by her. For most of the time she was just the daughter with the good singing voice. She was easily forgotten in this story that overpowered her with the drama between her parents. She should have been more of the focus since this ultimately became her story even if it was the family's story.

The remaining family members weren't developed as characters. Only one of them was given somewhat of a personality the rest were just bodies to make this family appear large. The only thing that supports having such meaningless characters is the fact that they had to be in the film to represent the real family.

The music works well throughout complementing its emotional scenes. The singing was also enjoyable. The family drama was engaging enough to keep one invested in what it had to say. There were many positive messages and touching moments which accentuated the importance of family, hard work and having faith. However, the film is in no way heavy handed with its message of faith. There are scenes where the family is praying and going to church but it isn't preachy. It simply shows the family's beliefs. Many of the negative reviews stem from those who feel this film should have fully devoted itself to religious talks. If those are your expectations then do not watch this film.

The ending wasn't very pleasing as it rushes its conclusion on what's already a very predictable plot. The film needed to show more of the family's success instead of coming to a halt at the turn of their misfortune.

"Long obedience in the right direction." - Eugene Peterson

Over and over again throughout the movie this quote played through my mind. The long, steadfast obedience and prayers of Helen Smallbone. The willingness and kindness of their neighbors and church. The encouragement and hope of James Smallbone. The faith and resilience of each of the kids. The determination, repentance, and purpose of David Smallbone. The opportunities given by Forefront Records, and so many others - every bit of it is long obedience in the right direction. And their obedience has impacted my life.

Their music, their testimony, their encouragement, and their faith has taught me, shaped me, and pushed me toward Jesus for more years than I can even count.

What you do and how you do it matters. It may not lead to the global phenomenon of top CCM artists, industry leaders, or pastors in your town, but it will impact and change the lives of those around you. Fix your eyes on Jesus, keep following. You never know what He's going to do. Go see Unsung Hero, and let your people know how their long obedience in the right direction has changed you.

The Smallbone family live a comfortable life, paid for by the music promotional skills of dad David (Joel Smallbone - real life son) but when a tour he backs to the hilt goes a bit wonky, they find themselves broke. Nobody in Australia will employ him, so he heads to Nashville on the promise of a new opportunity. This is where I was glad he wasn't promoting me. He sells up, then drags his wife (Daisy Betts) and family of six children (with another on the way) all that way only for it to fall through at the last minute. He causes all this upheaval and uncertainty for his family without making sure he had a contract before he left? Hmmm - maybe he won't be troubling the brains trust? Anyway, reduced to sleeping on the floor of their rented home and eking out a living doing odd jobs, gardening and cleaning the toilets for their fairly wealthy neighbours, they manage to get by - until Christmas looms. The kids have expectations and the parents are skint. A chance meeting with one of their new friends (Candace Cameron Bure) in a supermarket might provide a solution to that, indeed to a great many of their problems - but he has pride, and that now proves to be quite an obstacle not just for him, but to the potential career of his daughter Rebecca (Kirrilee Berger) who can hold a tune but can find no way of exploiting it - despite the obvious options on their doorstep. Underpinned by their profound Christian faith, they have no lack of optimism but they just need the lucky break! It's a biopic of sorts so no jeopardy, just a journey - and one that I found pretty unremarkable. The wooden as a washboard Lucas Black - sporting way, way, too much beard - makes the occasional appearance as their wealthy, song-writing, friend but the rest of the acting is pretty mediocre as the drama takes a rather traditionally daytime and sentimentally charged approach to family drama tinged with religion and luck (good or bad). Quite what it's doing in a cinema is anyone's guess - I saw it by myself, and after about twenty minutes, I felt it belonged on the television, with lots of soft focus and rousing strings.

Some movies entertain you for an hour or two. But some movies change you. They leave you feeling like life has purpose and meaning, like it's not all for nothing, and like you want to be a better person (or the best possible version of yourself). Unsung Hero is all of the above!

First, it's a true story about one family and the extreme difficulties they experienced while trying to find a job and make a new life for themselves. Everyone can relate to feeling beat down at times, but not everyone has an unsung hero that refuses to let them stay down.

Helen Smallbone was just that; an unsung hero. She had a faith that could move mountains. She had a love that was unshakeable. And she had a kindness that is to be both admired and duplicated.

This is a beautiful story and I am so glad that it has now been told.

Lastly, the acting was spot on and the storytelling well done.

Very well-done family film.

However, in the first 20 minutes the main theme of the movie (faith) was not mentioned and it already felt like a movie that did not made sense at all - events happened very quickly and it was overall quite unrealistic.

Smallbone's acting was brilliant and his directing more so. But I guess I was hoping for a Jesus moment. In the end, I had more questions than answers which means the movie will not fit in well with sold-out believers. Overall, a very meaningful love story, but there's not one mention of Jesus outside of using His name as a joke between the Son of God and Santa Clause

Very flippant about our Savior, but maybe there's no need. I just don't want to waste my busy time on any film that doesn't talk about Jesus. I may as watch Star Wars or Indiana Jones than a family drama that should have more Jesus if it's a true faith based movie.

Please get out and support this film UNSUNG HERO - we need JESUS at the theaters. The incredible Smallbone family is about incredible faith in God. Our church supports this film.

Another must-see movie is 'THE FIRING SQUAD' coming out I think August 2.

Both of these films are incredible and we must do all we can to bring unsaved people to the theaters if they won't go to church. The Apostle Paul says, "I become all things to all men to win some to Christ" 1 Corinth 9:22.

The Great Commission is not The Great Suggestion. Telling people about a Savior is the greatest thing you can do in this lifetime

Our country needs Jesus more than ever. Please support these films.

Go see this movie. It is excellent. You will. Be encouraged and entertained. It is not another cheesy Christian film. It is extremely well done. Good acting and an amazing true story. You will cry and laugh. More importantly you will see how real God is and if you trust and believe you will see His goodness. I had high expectations but my expectations were exceeded. We all live in imperfect families but if we love and forgive each other we can draw close to each other and to our Creator. Go see this movie even if you don't believe in God. You will be touched. Thank you Smallbone family for sharing your story.

"Unsung Hero" (2024) offers a heartfelt attempt to tell a moving story, but it ultimately falls short of its ambitions. While the performances, especially from the lead, are commendable and carry an emotional weight, the movie struggles with pacing and narrative focus. The plot feels uneven, with some moments stretched unnecessarily while others, particularly the character development of supporting roles, are glossed over.

The film's intention to inspire and evoke empathy is clear, but it often feels overly reliant on clichés and melodrama, which dilute its impact. Technically, the cinematography and score are adequate but lack a distinct style that could have elevated the storytelling.

Overall, "Unsung Hero" is a decent watch for those drawn to uplifting dramas, but it doesn't quite reach the heights of its genre contemporaries.

Beautifully filmed movie with a very compelling story. I believe people of all life stages can enjoy and identify with the characters of this film. My husband and I could recognize parts of ourselves in the main characters, both negative and positive. A tale of human struggle and the ability to persevere with faith, family, tenacity, and courage. Eloquently delivered performances that really makes you appreciate your loved ones and the many blessings in each of our lives. This movie is a reminder to humanity that there is always hope and that we always have the choice to believe in that hope or let hard times define the rest of your life. This family chose hope.