Unsung Hero Review: A Family’s Struggle Sings But With Usual Notes
Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
Riches to rags to riches again. That’s the story of the Smallbone family, led by patriarch David Smallbone, who is introduced as an ambitious Australian music promoter, living with his wife and six kids in a swanky mansion complete with a big swimming pool. All that changes when the Australian economy crashes, and David loses all his money on a failed music tour for a popular American musician. He moves with his family to America with the prospect of a new role, which falls through on the very first day, leaving the Smallbone family doing odd jobs to survive in the new country.
Directed by Richard L. Ramsey and Joel Smallbone, Unsung Hero is based on the true story of David Smallbone and his wife Helen (Daisy Betts) struggling to make their second innings in the U.S. work with their six children and a seventh baby on the way. Joel Smallbone plays his father David, and I guess this is a very Christmas-themed family film—about a loving couple with half a dozen kids placing their faith in God and helpful neighbors to see them through. “Are you Catholic?” a customs official asks Mrs. Smallbone when he sees her with the line of kids.
If it weren’t for the novelty factor that Unsung Hero is based on a true story, the movie might’ve been utterly mundane, thanks to its very predictable plot. Rich, happy family loses money, moves to a big bad country, works together, and gets rich again. That’s pretty much what happens, like a good old Christmas play, where the Smallbone family always finds a little ‘miracle’ (charitable neighbors) when they are in dire need of something (food, a car, even furniture).
One of the most charming things about Unsung Hero were the brief bits where younger siblings Joel Smallbone (Diesel La Torraca) and Luke Smallbone (JJ Pantano) break out into song when they are happy or emotional, and I would’ve liked to see more of the little kids in the story. In fact, despite being a major theme, the music in Unsung Hero, though pleasant, doesn’t get the space it deserves.
Kirrilee Berger plays one of the older siblings—Rebecca Smallbone—who has an angelic voice. When left out of options, her father tries to promote her to labels as a way for their family to come out of the financial slump they are in. Much of the drama comes from Joel’s insecurities and his inability to make his career work in America, so his family lives in urban poverty for weeks. Joel Smallbone and Daisy Betts make a memorable onscreen couple as David and Rebecca; however, they don’t really deliver a standout performance. With a family of eight people and a two-hour runtime, the time is fragmented between several characters, and nobody is able to deliver a punchy performance.
Regardless, Unsung Hero is a decent one-time watch about a big family trying to adjust to a new country with very little money but lots of help from the community.
Rating: 6 out of 10. You can watch Unsung Hero on Netflix.
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