David is a hard-working Australian man with a big family, big dreams, and a big house to match his impressive success as a Christian music promoter.
He brought Stryper to the Land Down Under. He brought Amy Grant, too. He's so successful, in fact, that he only concentrates on the most popular artists in the genre.
Unfortunately, though, his string of fortune ends when the Australian economy goes in the tank, sending him into a financial crisis. But David has a plan to bounce back: He'll move to the United States. He'll manage one of CCM's top singers. In fact, David already has a verbal agreement with one.
"There's nothing left for us here," he says.
So…David and his wife and six children board a plane and move to a modest home in Nashville, Tenn., with little money to their name and nothing more than love and faith. Will they make it in the Land of Liberty?
The new film Unsung Hero (PG) tells the story of David and Helen, who soon learn that the big music deal they had depended on -- the music deal that led to their cross-world re-location -- has collapsed. With no family, no friends and no job, they're forced to scramble in order to survive.
Here are three things you should know about the film:
Photo credit: ©Lionsgate; used with permission.
1. It's the Backstory to the Music You Know
You may not know much about David and Helen Smallbone, but you likely know their children: Joel and Luke Smallbone of the four-time Grammy-winning group For King and Country, and Grammy-winning solo artist Rebecca St. James, who helped transform the CCM industry beginning in the 1990s. The Smallbones' other children -- as we learn at the end of the film -- have also made a mark on the world in their respective careers.
But if David and Helen had returned to Australia instead of staying in the U.S., we likely would not have heard of any of their kids.
The film stars Daisy Betts (Last Resort, Chicago Fire) as Helen Smallbone, Joel Smallbone (Journey to Bethlehem, Priceless) as his father, Candace Cameron Bure (Full House, My Christmas Hero) as a neighborly wife, and Lucas Black (Birthright Outlaw, NCIS New Orleans) as the neighbor's husband.
Photo credit: ©Lionsgate; used with permission.
2. It's about Trials, Hard Work, and Community
David and Helen face their trial with hope and optimism. Even though David has no job, they agree to stay in the U.S. for two years.
"We need to pray every day for everything that we need," Helen says.
The family gathers in a circle in the house with a nearly empty glass jar that holds the few dollars they have. The goal is clear: grow their cash and, in turn, plant their roots in the U.S. They mow yards. They clean houses. Everyone -- adults and kids alike -- contributes.
Never mind that they don't have a car. They will walk.
They also visit a local church, where they meet a friendly couple that embraces them and, later, welcomes them into their home for meals.
Eventually, that same couple gifts David and Helen a van. And a washing machine. And gifts for the children at Christmas.
Soon, their musically gifted teenage daughter — Rebecca — shows signs of star potential. Maybe she can make it in the music industry and become the lifeline David so needs.
Even so, David continues to battle his own personal demons. He grows tired of handouts. He grows tired of failure. He grows … depressed. When his father back in Australia dies — and David doesn't have the money to fly — he loses all hope and lays in bed, refusing to engage the world.
Helen responds the only way she knows how: by loving her kids and clinging to hope.
Luke Smallbone told Crosswalk the film exaggerates his father's outward struggle in order to demonstrate the gut-wrenching internal turmoil he faced. Although his father did have a day or two where "he couldn't get out of bed after those deals went bad and his dad died," he "actually is an optimist."
"He always is thinking the best of situations."
The church community, Bure said, was the "hands and feet of Jesus" for the Smallbones.
Photo credit: ©Lionsgate; used with permission.
3. It's about the Power of Family
Early in the film, Helen is asked by one of her children if she has dreams and goals for the future.
"My dream has always been to have a great big family," she responds.
Unsung Hero spotlights the joy and power of family like few films ever have. When there is a challenge, the family confronts it together. When there is a crisis, they draw strength from their mutual support. When there is a celebration, they rejoice in each other's triumphs.
Three moments demonstrate this. When a young Josh Smallbone cries during a lengthy stay at airport customs, Rebecca comforts him with a song. When the children learn their father lost his job, each one pledges to help. When a move back to Australia seems inevitable, Helen and the kids travel to the playground and rediscover their joy.
"Children are a heritage from the Lord," Psalm 127:3 tells us.
But the movie doesn't gloss over the family's trials, either. Hurt by the music industry, David squelches Rebecca's dreams and tells her she'll never be enough. (At this, Helen slaps him.) Later, we see an out-of-control David destroy his fax machine and sit on the floor while weeping. Still, the family perseveres. They cling to their faith.
"I'm a big believer in the power of family. I think that family is more important than it ever has been in the history of the world right now," Luke Smallbone told Crosswalk.
Unsung Hero is an important film at a critical time. It teaches us how to find joy without money. It reminds us how to endure during trials. It demonstrates the value of hard work, community and family.
Joel Smallbone and Daisy Betts are perfect as David and Helen. Kirrilee Berger (The Who Was? Show) shines in her role as Rebecca. It's a family-friendly film with plenty of twists and an abundance of inspiration. The 80s- and 90s-era ambiance is just icing on the cake. (We even see Stryper.)
Unsung Hero is a movie that will move you.
Rated PG for thematic elements. The film contains no coarse language or sexuality. (We do see a couple kiss.)
Entertainment rating: 5 out of 5 stars.
Family-friendly rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Photo credit: ©Lionsgate; used with permission.
Originally published Friday, 26 April 2024.
