I try to go see and support almost every movie that gets released in my local theater. While this leads to seeing quite a few duds, most importantly, it leads to some really lovely surprises. This led to me seeing the faith-based music drama Unsung Hero, which is directed by Richard Ramsey and Joel Smallbone. I’m clearly not the target audience for it as I’m not a country music fan, nor am I remarkably religious, and yet I still was quite moved by a film that most of all speaks to the good of human nature and what can happen when a community comes together rather than is divided.
“Based on a remarkable true story, Unsung Hero follows Helen (Daisy Betts) and her husband David Smallbone (For King & Country’s Joel Smallbone) as they move their family from Down Under to the States with nothing more than their seven children, suitcases, and their love of music. As Helen and David set out to rebuild their lives, they begin to realize the musical prowess in their children, who would go on to become two of the most successful acts in inspirational music history: five-time Grammy Award-winning artists For King & Country and Rebecca St. James,” says the synopsis for the movie.
While the allure of the film for many is likely to see the childhood of Rebecca St. James and the two For King & Country members depicted, the focus of Unsung Hero is on their mother, Helen Smallbone. An incredible woman who raised seven children, Helen (played wonderfully by Daisy Betts) really serves as the backbone of the family as her husband, David, pursues his dreams of running a music company in America. It’s a portrait of a selfless woman that only wanted the best for her children and we see her patience and kindness on display here.
Co-director Joel Smallbone plays his father in the film, and we see a very caring man whose career pursuits wind up putting his family in rough circumstances. Credit where it’s due as Smallbone shows the positive and negative sides of his father, as his pride sometimes led him to grow anxious and negative towards the support that the family received from the local church. The film mostly focuses on the Smallbone family’s struggles, with the last act showing the beginning of their daughter’s music career, and it ends with a really lovely music performance. It’s a film filled with heart, and it really shows as it’s quite a charming picture.
The home release is filled with just as much heart, thankfully, as it features a bunch of special features. The two biggest ones are an audio commentary track (featuring producers Joshua Walsh and Luke Smallbone, plus co-directors and co-writers Joel Smallbone and Richard Ramsey) and a 54-minute making-of documentary called Miracles Are Everywhere. The commentary track is especially neat, as it’s great getting to hear the two Smallbone brothers discuss seeing their childhood recreated on film, while the documentary is hosted by Luke and chronicles the production.
There are three other smaller videos included, as well. Compassion is a three-minute featurette that features Luke Smallbone and Rebecca St. James talking about the organization Compassion International, which is helping end child poverty. I can’t think of a more noble cause than that, so it’s nice to see on the disc. Additionally, there’s a six-minute video titled Faith in the Journey, which features the family talking about the faith element in the movie and how important that was to them growing up. Finally, there’s an animated religious short called The Bridge Is Out by Greg Laurie. To be honest, I’m not really sure why it is there other than the religious subtext. Kids might get a kick out of it, at least.
Unsung Hero Blu-ray Review: Final Verdict
Whether you’re religious or not, there’s a great message and story to be found in Unsung Hero. It’s a story of kindness and compassion, something we can all think about and act upon after watching. The Unsung Hero Blu-ray features a nice bevvy of bonus features, including a great commentary track and a making-of documentary, so it’s an easy recommendation to fans of the artists or anyone looking for an uplifting true story.
