With Unsung Hero releasing in UK Cinemas on June 14th, I chatted with Joel and Luke Smallbone about the film which tells their family’s life story. You can watch or read the interview below.
Unsung Hero is a must see, it is a outstanding true story that will encourage and inspire, it is a celebration of mums, family, dreams and faith and it reminds us that God is with us through everything. This is one of the best Christian films you’ll see and is the best film of this year. Read our full review.
Please tell us a bit about the film and your inspiration behind it?
Joel Smallbone
Yeah, well, it’s the definition of a passion project for both of us. Luke has told the story of our parents moving from Australia to the United States at almost every performance we’ve ever done as a band, as kind of a child advocacy, pay it forward moment.
And so many folks have come up and said, well, you should write a book. We often joke that we were homeschooled, so we don’t read and write very well. So we’ll do one better. We’ll give you a movie. That’s what happened in 2020. Luke was talking to a producer friend and said, What do you think about turning this story into a motion picture?
And from that day to this, almost every day. That’s what we’ve been working on. It’s a pretty radical story. You know, my dad was a concert promoter in Australia, lost what would be the equivalent of half a million dollars down there, went and mum and he decided to pack 16 suitcases, six kids. She was six months pregnant and moved continents for a job offer.
Got to Nashville, Tennessee, where we now are, and then lost that job. That’s really where the movie picks up, kind of us banding together as a family, the local community rallying around, seeing miracles and music. It’s the 90s, it’s adventure, it’s drama, it’s all of it.
We’re really proud to bring it to the silver screen, we’re proud too, that it is, as you mentioned was the number two movie in theatres in America last week and awfully proud on June the 14th to bring it to your shores as well.
Looking back on creating the film and looking back on your journey, did you learn anything new from that?
Luke Smallbone
Oh, I think there’s always things to learn when you, you know, go back, you know, it’s funny to think that in some cases people like, well, you came to America, you know, and your sister got going, Rebecca St. James and, you know for KING & COUNTRY, and now you’re telling a story. Well, you forget that it’s like 33 years ago.
So, you know, you’re talking about quite a long time ago now. I think that when you, when you get a little older, there’s certain ticks that your parents have that you’re just like, why won’t they just quit doing that? It’s driving me crazy, you know, and the reason why it annoys you oftentimes is obviously because there’s something, there’s some reason why they’re doing this. Or they’re saying this or they’re reminding you of this that goes back so long ago, maybe even before you were born and there’s a purpose, there’s a reason behind it. Yet sometimes for us, we just think, why am I saying the same thing over and over again? Why are they being a little bit annoying or whatever it might be.
When you have the opportunity to tell a story like this, where we’re going back 33 years ago, and we’re reliving it, that gives you a lot more compassion, empathy for your parents. So you actually start going when they say these things, you go, Oh, now I actually know why, or they act that way. Or maybe there is a trauma response to certain things that happen.
You go, oh, well, now I’m realising that. He was a man who had six kids and a six month pregnant wife at the time, moving to America at about the age of 40, which is a similar age to both Joel and I, you go, Oh yeah, that’s probably going to make certain instances in your life a little bit more heightened.
And so, like I said, I think it gives you a lot more compassion for your parents.
Joel, you play your dad in the film and you know your dad, you have your feelings and your memories of your dad at that time, but was there a challenge in separating those feelings and memories and portraying him from his feelings and his point of view?
Joel Smallbone
It was actually a great opportunity. To flip the script, if you will, Richard, you know, we experienced this, Luke and I, as little boys, we were very young. so instead of looking at a furniture-less living room going, we have nothing, we saw it as a cricket pitch, you know, or instead of raking leaves and mowing lawns and being like, woe is me, we were like, we get to get out of school to do this.
So to flip the script now, as Luke mentioned, roughly his age and drop into his shoes or more specifically his actual jacket, because that was his jacket that I wore in the film from 30 years ago was, yes, a very expensive therapy session, but it was also incredibly eye opening and empathy breeding for me and for us.
I think there’s a real kind of before and after for Luke and me in bringing this story to life. As you well said, I got to sow viscerally and honestly, both in screenwriting and co directing with Richard Ramsey and then in playing dad.
Got to experience the stress and the strain and the struggle and the fear and the compounding failure and the pride that he felt during that time and one of the great compliments he gave us and gave me specifically when he watched it was that I’d externalised a lot of what he felt internally during that time and I thought, well, I’ve done my job, I think.
Luke, was it strange seeing your brother play your dad?
Luke Smallbone
I think I was more afraid of it before it was taking place, you know, cause one of the things that, you know, I think Joel probably felt the weight of a little bit was like, hey man, we don’t need you to be a good actor. We need you to be great.
And what was cool is, in the process of it, I kind of started to forget that he was my brother and that’s the ultimate, I think credit to Joel and his ability, that’s what acting is. When you can lose yourself into the role, that’s when you become, you know, great. So I felt like Joel did a great job because I forgot that he was my brother at times, which was what we needed.
How have you seen God use this film and what do you hope the audience will take away after watching this?
Joel Smallbone
One of the principles, if you will, that Luke and I’ve always prescribed to as a band is that the closer we get to our own heart with creativity, the further it reaches out into your heart.
So we’ve sort of transferred that psychology to this movie. This is literally as close to home as you could possibly get, but make no mistake, this is so much more a film about mums. You know, even coming into Mother’s Day, this is so much more a film about the family versus our family, about the human experience versus our experience.
So our sincere hope is that yes, family will be highlighted, yes, the 90s will be looked at, yes, people will be entertained and moved. But more than that, you know, art has this way of bypassing the head and going straight to the heart that we will be able to have a little glance inside and go, oh, gee, do I need to risk more? Do I need to love my wife in a different way? My kids in a different way or do take that leap of faith into that endeavour that has terrified me.
Those are some of the list, but the most of all, we hope that people see it as their own story and they can grab hold of it and make it their own.
Finally how can we pray for you?
Luke Smallbone
Well, man, I mean, look, we’re releasing this over there with you guys on June 14th, and we’re about to head to New Zealand for a few shows back there. Then we go to Australia for seven shows back there. So obviously, prayers for, you know, good health that we could make it through a lot of these different things.
And also, man, I hope that versus the film just being successful, I just hope that it really impacts a lot of people’s hearts. I believe in the power of family. I think the family is more potent and powerful today, than it ever has been in the history of the world.
At the end of the day, Mother Teresa, I think she said it best, If you want to change the world, go home and love your family.
My hope is that people will actually go, Oh, I need to go home and love my family. Because it does take some action, especially for a lot of us men who become addicted to the work that we do. My hope is that this film will have some just significant ramifications for the family.
I’ve often said that if you want revival, it’s usually going to start with your family. And if it starts in your family, then it’ll go to your street. Once it goes to your street, it might go to your county, then to your city, then to your state, and who knows, maybe even a nation. So it really does start in that capacity.
And that’s been our hope and dream for the film.
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Unsung Hero is a must see, it is a outstanding true story that will encourage and inspire, it is a celebration of mums, family, dreams and faith and it reminds us that God is with us through everything. This is one of the best Christian films you’ll see and is the best film of this year. Read our full review.
Unsung Hero will be showing in UK cinemas on June 14th, book tickets here: www.unsungheromovie.co.uk