For KING + COUNTRY Wants to Inspire Fans — Here’s How They Do It

Published: October 4, 2024

For KING + COUNTRY Wants to Inspire Fans — Here’s How They Do It

Movieguide® Contributor

Joel and Luke Smallbone are on a mission to soften hearts in America, one song — or movie — at a time.

“The duo most recently saw their family’s incredible journey conveyed in the major motion picture, UNSUNG HERO, released earlier this year now streaming on Starz,” Faithwire reported. “Months later, they’re traveling across America on the 31-city ‘For KING + COUNTRY LIVE: The UNSUNG HERO 2024 Tour,’ performing music from the film and offering faith-inspiring messages to audiences.”

Joel and his brother are trying to create inspiring environments that give hope during a time when Americans are very divided.

“We get to pull people into a room that vote, think, look, act different from one another — different beliefs, different points of view, and yet we can come together for two and a half hours and have this…emotional, relational, spiritual moment together,” Joel told Faith Wire. “I’m really proud of it, and I think that’s part of the deep purpose of it.”

“There’s a lot of people that are making a lot of statements right now,” the actor/musician said. “I’ve been guilty of it just as much as the next man or woman, but there’s not a lot of space for people just to sit in…the celebration that we have breath in our lungs — to celebrate the fact that, no matter which way politics of this country turn, that we still live in a beautiful land, and I’m really proud to be in this country.”

The brothers have had a lot of success with their movie, UNSUNG HERO, with $21m worldwide earnings and a Rotten Tomatoes audience score of 99%. In its first weekend, it landed second in the box office, right behind CHALLENGERS. The movie has inspired thousands who have watched it.

A part of Movieguide®’s review of the movie reads:

UNSUNG HERO is a true story about a Christian family from Australia’s struggles to survive and thrive in the rough and tumble music business while trying to serve God. When the father, David Smallbone, loses big on promoting an unsuccessful tour, he thinks relocating the family to Nashville may be their best route forward. Odd jobs and a local church keep the family afloat while David seeks work in the music industry. David’s father, wife Helen and others tell him he should focus on the musical talent living under his own roof. The family’s prospects rise when he takes that advice to heart. Can focusing on God and family lead them to the new life they seek?

UNSUNG HERO is a powerful, compelling story of faith and family, told with lots of sincerity and heart. The acting and writing is very good and convincing. UNSUNG HERO has a strong Christian, biblical worldview. The family’s Christian faith is not only clear from their repeated prayers to Jesus to guide and provide for them, but also from their infectious enthusiasm and spiritually uplifting song lyrics.

“We’d had other people in the industry…say…‘This is a terrible idea,’” Joel said of the movie. “Don’t do this.”

But the Smallbones knew their story needed to be told, so they continued with their idea despite the criticism.

“[It’s the story of] my dad losing everything when he was 40 in Australia, and going bankrupt, and being offered a job over here — and six kids and one on the way,” he said. “And music, and miracles, and migration, and motherhood, and all of these things wrapped on it.”

Joel is proud of the movie and his part in it as he portrayed his father.

“I feel like I’ve dedicated my whole life to the arts, and really there were three things that I’ve done with my life,” he said. “I’ve really aimed to understand the mystery of God, I’ve really aimed to love my wife as well as I can, and I’ve really aimed to … offer to the world this art.”

Currently, the Smallbones are only a quarter of the way through their tour, which wraps up on Nov. 10 in Dallas, TX.