Unsung Hero
Unsung Hero
Starring Daisy Betts, Joel Smallbone, Kirrilee Berger, Jonathan Jackson
Directed by Richard Ramsey & Joel Smallbone
In the early 1990s, David Smallbone (Joel Smallbone) is a successful music promoter in Australia until he loses a quarter of a million dollars on tour, making his name a pariah among the music industry. Wanting to start anew, he takes his pregnant wife Helen (Daisy Betts) and their six children, including Rebecca (Kirrilee Berger) to Nashville to rekindle his career. Upon arriving, they find an empty home and jobs lacking, so Helen becomes the glue to hold the family together. She maintains the faith even as David loses it, and she gives gentle guidance and love though she herself is suffering on the inside. David as well suffers as he's not able to provide for his family, he's thousands of miles from his home country, and he can't find a job, leading the family to form their own lawn care and house cleaning company to his prideful chagrin. Through this Rebecca sings, and David sees this as an opportunity to get out of the rut he's put his family in. Rebecca auditions for several companies but is denied over and over, sending David deeper into depression, unable to talk to his former friend and producer Eddie DeGarmo (Jonathan Jackson) because he cleans his toilets now. Helen keeps strong in the faith and through that she helps David through his prideful arrogance and helps Rebecca land the deal she's been looking for, saving the family from financial ruin and introducing the world to three of the biggest Christian artists of all time.
Typical musical biopics go like this: we spend a lot of time with the future artist's upbringing and dealing with a tumultuous family life, finding solace in music that eventually draws the ear of a famous record producer who signs them to their roster. Then there's the middle part where they record albums, find massive success, get involved in drugs, gambling, sex, and whatever vice you can think of, and begins a spiral decent into darkness. Then the film quickly ties everything up and they either find their footing or allow their demons to get the best of them. That's why I don't like musical biopics - there's nothing original about them.
"Unsung Hero," however, breaks the mold: mainly because it's a Christian family and they don't endure such personal hardships because they don't get involved in extramarital affairs, drugs, alcohol or greed. Their family life isn't a hell on earth, and they find solace in the family unit. That's what the Smallbones do: they stick together as a family no matter what. Even when Helen's mother pleads with her to return to Australia, she stays and believes through faith that things will turn out for the better (not-so-spoiler alert: it does). Instead of battling familial demons, the family unites more than ever and shows the true power of family, as well as faith to get them through impossible odds. It's an uplifting, inspiring tale that is obviously glamorized a bit because it was written by two of the Smallbone children and directed by one, but there's a sense of believably to it, because it's not all sunshine and roses.
Although this is essentially the story of Rebecca St. James and For King and Country, the main focus of the film is on their parents, David and Helen. They take a backseat to the story for the majority of it, until the last half when Rebecca works on getting a career (in this film, Luke and Joel are still children and obviously haven't come close to finding their true purpose, although there's some eye-rolling humor they throw in). But the film is solely David and Helen's story, and what a story it is. A father would hardly move his family across the world, let alone a family of six with one on the way, but David believes that he'll find something better in America, so they all go along for the ride, because Helen tells him he won't split up the family.
Things only get harder when they arrive, as they find an empty house, no car, no job prospects, no money, and no food. It's as bleak as it comes, but through it all Helen maintains the faith and believes that things will work out, while David has a crisis of faith that's really relatable. David and Helen aren't seen as superheroes, but unsung heroes - not flawless, but united. David even suffers prideful thoughts when fellow church parishioners give them a van, Christmas gifts, and other monetary gifts to aid the struggling family. It's something any father can relate to - thinking that others consider him ineffective to be the breadwinner of the family, and David lashes out because of it. This causes Helen to lash out at him, and in the most stunning and dramatic moment of the film the two have it out in front of Rebecca that's filled with tension, drama, and emotion. Sadly, the rest of the film isn't that heavy.
Still, with this underdog story comes hope and resilience, built on a solid foundation in Jesus Christ and that He would get them through, and their faith - for the most part - is unwavering. Helen remains the glue that keeps everything together, and Daisy Betts gives a commanding yet understated performance. She's the rock of the film, the matriarch that shows love and grace but also grit and determination, and is absolutely unparalleled. David, on the other hand, is also a compelling character but there's one major issue I had with this character: it's played by Joel Smallbone, so essentially he plays his own father, who makes out with his wife, which means Joel makes out with his mother, even though she's an actress - but still it's a bit creepy.
Then there's the revelation that is Kirrilee Berger, who plays young Rebecca. She is one of the oldest in the family and the only girl (until the new arrival), and serves as a champion for her brothers and parents as well. She is shy and quiet, but when she sings she provides a powerhouse voice that she's too shy to share. Only with careful coaching and belief does she finally find the courage to break out and the Christian music world has never been the same because of it. Thankfully, we don't have an entire cliched biopic here, and for her part Berger truly shines.
An uplifting tale of family unity against adversity, the power of prayer and faith, and the unyielding power of love, "Unsung Hero" is an incredibly sweet tale of a family that overcomes the odds and does it as a family - together.
The Score: A
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