Whether you’re a fan of faith-leaning Angel Studios or not, you have to credit them for not only maintaining a steady stream of films, but also for telling stories that aren’t overly proselytizing.
Their latest film, Drummer Boy, is a handsome, emotionally involving musical set during the Revolutionary War, where two brothers find themselves on opposing sides of the conflict. Meanwhile, an enslaved young woman seeks freedom and love.
The film follows the Clem family as they travel by boat from England to begin a new life in America. When their father (Ioan Gruffudd) dies in a skirmish just before they reach land, eldest son Jeremiah (Joel Smallbone) is forced to step up as the man of the family, while his younger brother Benjamin (Lucas Leach), a drummer who wears a leg brace, does his best to navigate life with his disability. Their mother Rachel (Melora Hardin) loves her boys and wants nothing more than to keep her family happy and healthy in the wake of their devastating loss.
Meanwhile, the Balfour family, who made the journey to America alongside the Clems, is doing quite nicely for themselves. Lord Balfour (Charles Esten) isn’t particularly thrilled when his daughter Lizzy (Beth Easedown) takes an interest in the impoverished Jeremiah Clem. At the same time, their servant Emmaline (India Brown) finds herself caught between her growing feelings for Jeremiah and her devotion to Lizzy.
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When war breaks out, Rachel and Benjamin are shocked when Jeremiah chooses to remain loyal to the British Empire and fight alongside the Redcoats. He believes this will protect his family, though his heart may have other motives. Benjamin, on the other hand, supports the Patriots fighting for independence from the British Crown and desperately wants to join their cause, despite his disability.
As the war rages on, Lizzy’s father commands troops for the British, leaving her to run the household. It’s then that Emmaline discovers Lizzy has decided a future with Jeremiah simply isn’t going to work, though she has no intention of telling him. Instead, she plans to ignore his letters.
So Emmaline, whom Jeremiah secretly taught to read and write, begins corresponding with him under Lizzy’s name. But the feelings she pours into those letters are entirely her own.
These three intertwined stories form the foundation of a film about forgiveness and reconciliation in a country divided by conflict. It explores the loyalty between two brothers, the fight for freedom by those who breathe the same air as everyone else but are denied the same rights, and how faith can inspire grace and compassion even in the darkest of times.
Ultimately, it asks whether love, forgiveness, and family can transcend the divisions war creates. A theme that feels particularly relevant today.
Written by Richard L. Ramsey (Unsung Hero) and directed by Christian pop brothers Joel and Ben Smallbone, known for King + Country, this heart-on-its-sleeve epic is far more involving than I expected.
While I’m definitely a sucker for a musical, we all know that musicals can be made or broken by their songs. Luckily, the music here, written by the Smallbones alongside several collaborators, is catchy, emotionally resonant, and actually helps propel the story forward rather than bringing it to a halt.
Granted, the songs sound considerably more contemporary than the period setting might suggest. Think The Greatest Showman meets Les Misérables. And that’s not a bad thing. In fact, I’ve had the soundtrack on repeat ever since I saw the film.
What really makes Drummer Boy work, though, is its cast. Across the board, the actors are excellent, taking material that could easily have become overwrought and making it believable and genuinely moving.
Joel Smallbone, who also stars as Jeremiah, is so good that I found myself wondering what other movies I’d seen him in. Lo and behold, not many! He brings an impressive emotional depth to a character whose choices aren’t always easy to understand, much less agree with.
Lucas Leach’s Benjamin is the heart of the film, effortlessly drawing us into his ever-expanding world and his determination to do what’s right, regardless of the obstacles in his way.
India Brown is as compelling as Emmaline, bringing quiet gravitas to a woman in love with someone she believes she can never have, all while fighting for her own freedom as obstacles continue to pile up against her. She and Smallbone have potent chemistry as well, giving their longing a sweeping romantic energy all its own.
Beth Easedown, meanwhile, brings a surprising ruthlessness to Lizzy, transforming her from Jeremiah and Emmaline’s childhood friend into a young woman whose changing circumstances dramatically shift her priorities.
I should also mention the gorgeous, expansive cinematography by Cathal Watters, which beautifully captures a world that seems to open up and close in on these characters at the same time.
And while Drummer Boy isn’t technically a Christmas movie, between its title and the fact that Ces, during the course of the story, you could certainly make a case for adding it to your holiday viewing.
The music is beautiful and even includes Christmas classics, including a lovely rendition of “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” performed by the cast, and “Little Drummer Boy,” which arrives at a pivotal moment in the film.
Drummer Boy was a genuine surprise, and it’s a film I keep coming back to. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that I keep listening to the soundtrack, either.
It’s a terrific choice for history buffs, musical lovers, and audiences drawn to stories about faith. And as I mentioned earlier, this isn’t a movie that hits you over the head with Christian lessons at every turn. The faith is there, woven into the story, but it never feels like a lesson.
After all, this film also features an interracial romance and offers subtle but meaningful commentary on how the freedom America was fighting for was supposedly meant for everyone, even though it most certainly wasn’t afforded to everyone.
Some might call that woke. It’s not. It’s life. And Drummer Boy gets that right.
Drummer Boy opens in theaters on November 6, 2026.
