Parents' Guide to

Unsung Hero

By Tara McNamara, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 8+

Christian music biopic focuses on overcoming adversity.

Movie PG 2024 115 minutes
Unsung Hero Movie Poster: A family of eight is surrounded by suitcases in front of a tour bus at a fairground

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

  • The Smallbone family in an open field
    1:03
  • Unsung Hero Movie: The Smallbone family
  • Unsung Hero Movie: A flanked by two kids on each side

Community Reviews

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age 8+

Based on 7 parent reviews

Sherlyn7
Sherlyn7 Parent of 10-year-old
May 12, 2024
age 10+

WARNING: PLEASE READ!!!

My daughter started crying because this movie is very deep. It includes serious depression and pregnancy. All of the other people say it’s a great movie but your child might cry multiple times like mine did, this is a very sad movie that you shouldn’t watch. Please.
Hxriley
Hxriley Parent of 9, 11 and 13-year-old
April 28, 2024
age 10+

Great movie if you are 10+

What a beautiful, hard and complicated at times story about how a family gets through hardships and in the end triumphs together. My 7yo and 9yo did not like it at all. It was a bit too heavy for them. Lots of hardships that just keep piling on throughout the movie. Things that my two mentioned were bothered by: you are led to believe for a time that the mother dies after childbirth, mother and father get into verbal fight with mother slapping father, father getting upset and telling daughter she isn’t good enough essentially, father severe depression as he looses his own father. It was just too heavy of a movie for them.
See all 7 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In UNSUNG HERO, successful Christian music promoter David Smallbone (played by his real-life son, Joel Smallbone, who also co-wrote and co-directed the film) goes broke in the early 1990s after putting all of his family's financial eggs into a basket that seemed like a sure thing: promoting Amy Grant's Australian music tour at the height of the megastar's popularity. Needing a fresh beginning, Smallbone moves his pregnant wife, Helen (Daisy Betts), and six children from Australia to Nashville. Starting over with nothing, Helen positions the family's change in circumstances as an adventure, and—with her as their rock—they all work together to get back on their feet.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (7 ):
Kids say (6 ):

In making a heartfelt movie that's a tribute to his own mother, For King & Country musician Joel Smallbone motivates viewers to realize the enormity of what it means to take care of a family. With seven children and a husband in crisis, Helen Smallbone is working overtime and, as perfectly played by Betts, demonstrates total mom goals. Ultimately, Unsung Hero plays more as a biopic than a faith-based film. Yes, the setting is the Christian music industry, and the "characters" are Christian—but things such as the kids' prayer wall for things like "make things cheap" come off more as cute kid stuff than proselytizing. In fact, for a wholly faith-based film, Unsung Hero doesn't feel preachy whatsoever. Still, despite the lack of iffy content, for many kids, this "mom movie" about the power of family may be too adult-focused to keep them entertained.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how the Smallbones family demonstrates perseverance and teamwork to get through their hard times. Why are those important character strengths?

  • What does David's dad mean when he advises, "Dream big, but don't let dreams be your master"?

  • What is pride, and when is it positive or negative? How is humility demonstrated in the movie, and why is that an important character trait?

  • Who is the movie's "unsung hero"? Why?

  • What does the Smallbones' story teach us about financial risk vs. responsibility?

Movie Details

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