Based on a true story, Father Stu tells us the story of Stuart Long (Mark Wahlberg) whose dream of being a boxer is cut short through a medical condition, he then tries to become an actor before deciding to be a priest. 

I am not going to dress this up any more than it deserves. This is a Christian Faith movie that just so happens to have some big names behind it to give it a mainstream release. I found it interminable and difficult to watch given that ultimately despite it apparently being close to the true life tale of Stuart Long it boils down to a cliche ridden indoctrination exercise for the Christian faith. 

The opening half of the film is just about bearable with Wahlberg in his comfort zone. He has played a boxer before and has the physique and he is believable as a drunken rogue who gets into trouble. The point at which it takes a turn for the unwatchable is when he stalks a customer at his supermarket job because he likes the look of her and when he meets Carmen (Teresa Ruiz) at her church she says that she will not have sex with him because she is a Catholic. Cue his interest in Catholicism. What follows include a random meeting with a ‘Jesus’ like character, a serious accident that results in him ‘seeing’ Mary, the mother of Jesus and him being diagnosed with an incurable disease. 

Throw in the fact that he then becomes closer to his estranged father played by Mel Gibson and at this point you may as well play a drinking game every time you see a cliche to get yourself through. 

The fact that Wahlberg and Gibson are devout Catholics and the writer/director Rosalind Ross is Gibson’s partner will give you some idea as to why it was made. But it will not help you get through it. 

Perhaps the most absurd thing is the choices they have made that seem to ask us to reframe the actors indiscretions in the past. The film is heavily focused on the Christian act of forgiveness. Gibson is essentially playing himself and at one point makes a joke about Hitler being asked to join the Anti Defamation League whilst Wahlberg’s character has an affinity with ethnic minorities. It is laid on just as thickly as the religious zeal throughout and ultimately just results in getting my heckles up. 

Not recommended.