Unsung Hero

"One family's journey from Down Under to center stage."

2024 1h 53m EN

👍

7.1

SOLID

😬

METACRITIC

⭐

IMDB

★7.1TMDB · 91●46Metacritic★7IMDB · 5,327

DramaMusicFamily

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

When David Smallbone's successful music company collapses, he moves his family from Australia to the United States in search of a brighter future. With nothing more than their six children, their suitcases, and their love of music, David and his pregnant wife Helen set out to rebuild their lives from the ground up. Based on a remarkable true story, a mum's faith stands against all odds; and inspires her husband and children to hold onto theirs.

“One family's journey from Down Under to center stage.”

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Cast

Joel Smallbone
David Smallbone
Daisy Betts
Helen Smallbone
Kirrilee Berger
Rebecca Smallbone
Jonathan Jackson
Eddie Degarmo
Candace Cameron Bure
Kay Albright
Terry O'Quinn
Grandpa James
Lucas Black
Jed Albright
Paul Luke Bonenfant
Daniel Smallbone

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Richard Ramsey
Writers: Richard Ramsey, Joel Smallbone
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Made its money back 3.5× over at the box office.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 2 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Directed by Richard Ramsey, shot by Johnny Derango. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Tyler Michael Smith. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Parker Adams shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Joel Smallbone and Daisy Betts and Kirrilee Berger carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "One family's journey from Down Under to center stage.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt23638614 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Richard Ramsey directs. Johnny Derango behind the camera. Tyler Michael Smith scores. Parker Adams cuts. Made its budget back several times over at the box office. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Made its money back 3.5× over at the box office.
2Released 2 years ago.
3Directed by Richard Ramsey, shot by Johnny Derango. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Tyler Michael Smith. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Parker Adams shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Joel Smallbone and Daisy Betts and Kirrilee Berger carry the top of the cast.
7Marketing tagline: "One family's journey from Down Under to center stage.".
8IMDB entry: tt23638614 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Only 91 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
10Classified under 10 themes, including "australia", "immigrant", "biography", "based on true story".

The technical file

Cinematography: Johnny Derango
Original score: Tyler Michael Smith
Editing: Parker Adams
Production design: Katherine Tucker
Costume design: Terri Middleton
Runtime: 113 min · 1h 53m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $6,000,000
Box office: $21,220,422
Return: 354% of budget
Original language: EN
Certification (US): PG
IMDB: Unsung Hero (2024)
Metacritic: 46/100
IMDB rating: 7/10 · 5,327 votes
MPAA: PG

Awards

3 wins & 1 nomination total

Also by

Richard Ramsey

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Trailers & featurettes

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Community reviews

What people are saying

CinemaSerf2024-06-18
★ 6/10
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.
tmdb516161672024-09-02
★ 9/10
Oh, what an amazing movie! There's absolutely nothing negative to say about it. If you do find fault, you must lack heart. That's my opinion! The storyline was truly fantastic, portraying the challenges faced by a family going from a life of luxury to near homelessness. They left one country for another, only to be mistreated upon arrival in the United States. It's heartbreaking to think this happens in real life, and knowing it's based on a true story adds a deeper layer of sadness. The protagonist's health deteriorated as he endured hardships, ultimately reaching a breaking point. Despite their struggles, the family never lost faith. The mother, a strong and resilient character, held them together. Throughout the film, I was captivated and emotional, shedding tears at every turn of events. It wasn't just my sensitivity; the movie struck a chord deep within, evoking both sorrow for the family's plight and joy as they began to find their footing. The message of hard work, dedication, faith, and resilience leading to stability resonated strongly. Witnessing the family's struggles and the small miracles that sustained them was emotionally gripping. It's a film that everyone should watch. Don't miss out on this incredible movie. Experience it on the big screen as it was meant to be seen. It's a powerful and moving story that deserves to be shared and appreciated.