Unsung Hero movie review

MOVIE TITLE:   Unsung Hero

This lovely movie based on a true story is now playing in theaters, as well as on Apple TV, Prime Video, and Fandango at Home.

RATING:  PG

LENGTH: 1 hour 52 minutes

Movie Review Mom GRADE:  A

SPONSOR of Today’s movie review:

Wait for Me: The Best from Rebecca St. James:  https://amzn.to/3XkASbH

For King + Country:  Unsung Hero (Inspired by the movie soundtrack)

https://amzn.to/3Rtyagb

IN A NUTSHELL:

The movie is based on the true story about an Australian family’s journey in the music industry to Nashville in the good ole USA.  As it turns out, this is an origin story, of sorts, of the music of Rebecca St. James, and For King + Country.

The film was written and directed by Richard L. Ramsey and Joel Smallbone.

THINGS I LIKED:

• The title is great and made me want to immediately know who, in the story, earned that title.  I hadn’t seen the trailer or even read the description, but within the first 7 minutes, I quickly figured it out.  So, who do YOU think is a true hero: the dreamer or the one who supports the dreamer when they give up on themselves?
• Daisy Betts is a revelation in this story. I was impressed with her portrayal of a sweet, supportive, flexible wife who was open-minded to unknown adventures, yet she put up boundaries so her family didn’t get lost in it all.  I loved it when she talked about how exciting “adventure beds” are when her family wasn’t able to sleep in real beds when they first arrived in their new home in Nashville. 
• Joel Smallbone did a really great acting job!  What a sweet, loving tribute and gift he has given to his mother in this film.
• If you were a fan of the TV show Lost (like I was), you’ll get a kick out of seeing the actor Terry O’Quinn, sporting a very convincing Australian accent!
• Everyone else in the movie did an excellent job too.
• I’ve been a huge fan of Amy Grant for years, so it was fun to see her represented in the movie.
• I like watching Australian movies to hear their funny expressions.  For example, someone gets a birthday gift and he says, “Wow!  Blow me down!”  Another time, he calls someone on the phone and says, “It’s been donkeys ages.”  Later, he gets discouraged and says, “Fair dinkum!”  What the what?
• Christians and music lovers will especially enjoy this film.
• I absolutely loved the idea of a please and thank you wall to keep track of prayers asked and answered on sticky notes or cards.
• Vegemite gets a very small cameo and is one of the most disgusting flavors I’ve ever tasted.  Ick.  It’s a mystery to me why Australians like it.
• Bring tissues.  You will cry.
• At the end of the last scene, we see these words written on the screen:  “If you want to change the world, go home and love your family.”  (Mother Teresa)    With families being torn apart, it is so refreshing to see a movie like this where the family fights for one another.  We need more movies like this in theaters!
• We get to see photos and video clips of the real family this movie is about.  It’s so inspiring to read where they are now.  What an incredible family.
• The song at the end pays such a loving tribute the mom, Helen Smallbone.  It’s called “Unsung Hero” by the two brothers in the story who became the famous singing duo “For King + Country.”  Amazing.
• At the very end of the final rolling credits, we get to see a current picture of the Smallbone family with an invitation to donate to an organization called “Compassion” designed to help children because they acknowledge they wouldn’t have made it without the generosity of other people.  You can learn more about it at www.Compassion.com/unsunghero 

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:

• The audio didn’t match up with the lips when Amy Grant goes on stage in Act 1.
• We don’t get to know most of the children in the family because the focus of the film is really on the parents.  We finally notice their big contributions at the very end.
• Some of the camera angles aren’t great, but I was so invested in the story so much that I didn’t care at all.
• Candace Cameron Bure’s wig made her look more like a caricature than a real person.

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

• It’s hard to find movies that are truly family friendly.  This one is and, in fact, would be good for kids to see because it illustrates how kids pitch in to help the family’s goals.
• We see parents argue.
• A woman slaps a man.
• No profanity
• We see a woman in pain, giving birth (just facial expressions)
• A family struggles financially

THEMES:

• Family
• Faith
• Hope
• Prayer
• Pride
• Miracles
• Gratitude
• The music industry

FUNNY LINES:

• “You ain’t missing Thanksgiving.  This is America!” –  church friend (Candace Cameron Bure)

INTERESTING LINES:

• “Do you have a dream?” – Luke (JJ Pantano)       “It takes a lot of hard work to live out your dream.”  – Helen Smallbone  (Daisy Betts)
• “We don’t break up the family.  We stay together.” –  Helen Smallbone  (Daisy Betts)
• “Music is all I know.  It’s what I was made to do. I can’t sing.  I can’t play, but I can connect an artist with an audience.  I can connect people to something higher and greater than the here and now.” – David Smallbone  (Joel Smallbone)
• “If you can dream and not make dreams your master, you’ll be a man, my son.” – Father & son recite together
• “Come what may, I am not gonna be another person that breaks a promise to you.” – Helen Smallbone  (Daisy Betts)
• “Every adventure has perils and pitfalls.” – Helen Smallbone  (Daisy Betts)
• “Your family…they’re not in the way; they are the way.” – Grandpa James  (Terry O’Quinn)
• ‘If you know that you can go back, you will.  And giving up, giving in – it’s not an option.  We’ve gotta fight our way forward.  We have to win!  Do you understand?” – Helen Smallbone  (Daisy Betts)teaching an analogy to the kids about life while they’re pretending to attack a castle in the park.
• “Our kids have come all this way. They gave up everything, and they’re still happy…because they believe in us and they believe in you.  They just believe. It’s time for you to believe too.” – Helen Smallbone  (Daisy Betts)
• “The greatest miracle is you…that you love me.” – David Smallbone  (Joel Smallbone)
• “God, show us the way.” – David Smallbone  (Joel Smallbone)

MOVIES LIKE THIS YOU ALSO MIGHT LIKE:

• I Can Only Imagine:  https://moviereviewmom.com/i-can-only-imagine-tells-the-inspiring-story-of-the-most-played-christian-song-of-all-time/
• I Still Believe:  https://moviereviewmom.com/i-still-believe-movie-review-by-movie-review-mom/
• Grace Unplugged:  https://amzn.to/3XkASbH

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