Unsung Hero (film)

Last updated

Unsung Hero
Unsung Hero poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by
Written by
  • Richard Ramsey
  • Joel Smallbone
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyJohnny Derango
Edited byParker Adams
Music byBrent McCorkle
Production
companies
Distributed by Lionsgate
Release date
  • April 26, 2024 (2024-04-26)(United States)
Running time
113 minutes [1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$6 million
Box office$20.6 million

Unsung Hero is a 2024 American Christian drama film written and directed by Richard Ramsey and Joel Smallbone. It follows Rebecca, Joel, and Luke Smallbone of For King & Country, and their life journey to become Christian recording artists.

Contents

The film was released in North America on April 26, 2024.

Plot

In 1991, the Smallbone family has moved from Sydney, Australia to Nashville, Tennessee in pursuit of a new beginning. David and his wife, Helen, uproot their lives and six children, seeking refuge in Nashville after the collapse of David's music company in Australia.

As the family settles into their new home, they encounter numerous challenges, including financial struggles and the daunting task of starting over in a foreign country. Despite the uncertainty, Helen's unwavering faith and David's determination propel them forward, instilling hope and resilience in their children.

Three of the Smallbone siblings, Joel, Luke and Rebecca St. James, grow their musical talents and navigate the competitive music industry. Joel and Luke eventually form the duo For King & Country, while Rebecca St. James embarks on her own successful career as a Christian recording artist.

Cast

Production

On 30 November 2022, Joel and Luke Smallbone announced via social media that they had made a film with their brother Ben about their mother. [2] The film is scheduled to release on 26 April 2024 by Lionsgate and produced by Kingdom Story Company. [3]

The film was directed by Joel Smallbone, making his directorial debut, and written by Joel Smallbone and Richard Ramsey. The cast also includes Jonathan Jackson, Candace Cameron Bure, Kirrilee Berger, Lucas Black, Terry O'Quinn, and Hillary Scott. The production team comprises producers Justin Tolley, Josh Walsh, and Luke Smallbone. [4]

Release

The film was released in the United States on April 26, 2024. It was scheduled to be released in Australia on May 30, coinciding with For King & Country's "Homecoming" musical tour through Australia and New Zealand. [5] In the lead up to the film, For King & Country released an updated version of "Place in this World", featuring Michael W. Smith, who originally released the song in 1991. [6]

Reception

Box office

As of 11 June 2024, Unsung Hero was still in wide release; in the United States and Canada, it grossed $20.6 million at the box office, [7] against a production budget of $6.0 million. [8] It spent its first three weeks in the Top 10 at the domestic box office, peaking at No. 2 in its first week. [9]

Critical response

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes , 59% of 29 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.1/10.The website's consensus reads: "Unsung Hero presents a heartwarming dramatization of its fact-based story that's just uplifting enough to make up for its tepid approach to real-life drama." [10] Metacritic , which uses a weighted average , assigned the film a score of 46 out of 100, based on 5 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews. [11]

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For King & Country, stylised as for KING & COUNTRY and formerly known as Joel & Luke as well as Austoville, is a Christian pop duo composed of Australian brothers Joel and Luke Smallbone. The brothers were born in Australia and emigrated to the United States as children, settling in the Nashville area.

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"Unsung Hero" is a song by an Australian Christian pop duo For King & Country. The song was released as the first promotional single from their fifth studio album, What Are We Waiting For? (2022), on 7 January 2022. The song was written by Federico Vindver, Joel Smallbone, Luke Smallbone, and Seth Mosley.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kingdom Come (Rebecca St. James song)</span> 2021 song by Rebecca St. James featuring For King & Country

"Kingdom Come" is a song performed by Australian Christian pop singer Rebecca St. James featuring Australian Christian pop duo For King & Country. The song was released on 22 October 2021, as the lead single to her tenth studio album, also titled Kingdom Come (2022). St. James co-wrote the song with Joel Smallbone, Luke Smallbone, and Seth Mosley. Tedd Tjornhom and Seth Mosley handled the production of the single.

Smallbone is a surname. Notable people with the surname include:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Love Me Like I Am</span> 2022 song by For King & Country

"Love Me Like I Am" is a song by an Australian Christian pop duo For King & Country and Jordin Sparks. The original version of the song was initially released as the second promotional single from For King & Country's fifth studio album, What Are We Waiting For? (2022), on 18 February 2022. A new version of the song featuring Sparks impacted Christian radio on 31 August 2022, before finally releasing on 7 October 2022. The song was written by Joel Smallbone, Josh Kerr, Luke Smallbone, and Michael Pollack.

References

  1. ↑ "Unsung Hero (PG)". BBFC . May 21, 2024. Retrieved May 22, 2024.
  2. ↑ "FOR KING + COUNTRY on Instagram: "WE MADE A MOVIE!"". Instagram. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
  3. ↑ Vlessing, Etan (August 1, 2023). "Lionsgate Nabs 'Unsung Hero' Drama from Music Duo For King + Country (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved August 1, 2023.
  4. ↑ "Lionsgate Picks up for King & Country's 'Unsung Hero' Movie". Billboard .
  5. ↑ Mitchell, Cody (April 19, 2023). "Unsung Hero: A Family's Journey from Down Under to Centre Stage in the USA". The Daily Declaration. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
  6. ↑ Mitchell, Cody (January 31, 2024). "A Film That Celebrates Family: The True Story Behind for KING + COUNTRY and Rebecca St James". The Daily Declaration. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
  7. ↑ "Unsung Hero". Box Office Mojo . IMDb . Retrieved June 12, 2024. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  8. ↑ "Unsung Hero". The Numbers . Nash Information Services, LLC. Retrieved June 5, 2024.
  9. ↑ "Unsung Hero | Domestic Weekly". Box Office Mojo . IMDb . Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  10. ↑ "Unsung Hero". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango Media . Retrieved May 26, 2024. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  11. ↑ "Unsung Hero". Metacritic . Fandom, Inc. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
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