Charlie and I went out for date night tonight, and we saw Drummer Boy — the new movie from for KING + COUNTRY’s Joel and Ben Smallbone. I’ll admit, I went in partly because for KING + COUNTRY is my favorite band, and I was curious what the Smallbone brothers would do with a movie. I came out wanting to tell you about it.
Drummer Boy is a Revolutionary War musical, directed by Ben and Joel Smallbone, with Joel starring in it alongside Lucas Leach, Melora Hardin, and Ioan Gruffudd. It follows a soldier and his brother during the war, and at its heart it’s a story about a family torn apart — and brought back together again. It opened in theaters on November 6 and took in $9.4 million its first weekend, landing at number three at the box office, and audiences gave it an A CinemaScore.
Here’s what surprised me most: it felt family friendly, even as a war movie. It’s rated PG-13, and yes, it’s a war story, so it isn’t without hard moments. But the way the Smallbones told it, the film never felt crude or hopeless. The love story at the center keeps its morals intact — the characters hold to what they believe, and the movie respects that instead of winking at it. That matters to me, and it’s honestly rare.
Joel did a great job acting in it, and he and Ben did a good job directing. You can tell this is a story they cared about, not just a project. And the music — well, it’s for KING + COUNTRY. The soundtrack is already number one, and the song “Who I Hope to Be” is number one too. The music carries the story instead of just decorating it.
I’m already thinking ahead to our homeschool history. We’ll get to the Revolutionary War in a few months, and I feel like I can show my kids this movie when we do. It’s the kind of film that gives them a story to hold onto — a family split by war, finding its way back to each other — and a way into a part of history that can feel distant on the page.
One more thing, in case you haven’t seen it yet: Angel Studios still has a limited number of free tickets available through its Pay It Forward program — other moviegoers cover the cost so someone else can go. You can request one on Angel’s ticket page. It’s one ticket per signup and the supply is limited, so it’s not guaranteed, but it’s worth a try.
Movie details:
- What: Drummer Boy, a Revolutionary War musical from Angel Studios
- Where: In theaters now — we saw it at AMC Yorktown 18
- When: Opened November 6, 2026
- Rating: PG-13, 2 hours 7 minutes
- Tickets: Angel’s ticket page, including free tickets through the Pay It Forward program
If you’re looking for a movie to see with your family, or just something worth a date night, Drummer Boy is in theaters now. It’s the rare war movie I’d actually recommend to other moms.
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