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Father Stu
(Columbia Pictures)
By Lucas Allen
Based on a true story, “Father Stu” is the inspiring faith-based drama about boxer-turned-priest Stuart Long and how he found faith to turn his life around. It’s also the directorial debut of writer/director Rosalind Ross, trying to bring something fresh to a wide audience looking for something outside the usual cinema-going experience. While the formula for the genre is all there, this is not your typical Sunday school-type story for the masses.
Stuart Long (Mark Wahlberg) grew up angry and bitter towards his divorced parents Bill (Mel Gibson) and Kathleen (Jacki Weaver) after the death of his younger brother. He made a name for himself as an amateur boxer, but a career-ending injury leads to him trying out acting. While working at a deli mart, he starts pining for a young woman named Carmen (Teresa Ruiz), who works at a local Catholic church. Soon enough, he decides to become part of the church and become baptized as a Catholic, much to his atheist parents’ disapproval.
Not long after that, Stuart gets into a terrible motorcycle accident and experiences a heavenly second chance. This inspires him to want to be a priest under the tutelage of Monsignor Kelly (Malcolm McDowell). But as he’s starting to see the light, Stuart is diagnosed with a rare muscular disorder that leaves him unable to have normal mobility. However, his newfound faith is all he needs to keep fighting to stay as a priest and inspire others.
The movie means well, telling its inspiring story in a meaningful fashion that you do expect from any drama. But then comes your usual Christian-genre tropes that can’t be ignored, like its preachy dialogue or its cliché plot points. Not everybody has a strong enough belief in faith to endure cookie-cutter conventional storytelling.
Another thing to endure is the movie’s constant tonal shift between comedy and drama that can be head spinning. While you do get some fine drama, you’ll then experience a whiplash into hilarious comedy that feels out of sync with the previous scene. Most of the comedy with the main characters work very well, but it starts getting tiring once the drama increases in the second half. Maybe another pass or two in the editing room would’ve help to reduce the tonal shifting down to a bare minimum.
Wahlberg brings his typical persona to his performance, but also manages to push himself to have an emotional roller-coaster ride through his character’s overall arc. Gibson relishes in a comedic verbal smackdown with his “Daddy’s Home 2” co-star, and the two actors become the movie’s main highlight. Weaver supplies some motherly moments, while Ruiz makes a fine love interest. The most surprising part of the cast is McDowell playing a monsignor considering his early roles in the 1970s having been non-angelic in films like A Clockwork Orange and Caligula.
Father Stu’s story is certainly an inspiring one about faith and perseverance through the most troubling times. However, the movie itself doesn’t lend itself much to the story because of the script’s tonal shifting. For what it’s worth, it’s fine enough especially for those looking for something uplifting. For the rest of us, it’s more of a stream it than a see it-type situation.
THE MOVIE’S RATING: R (for language throughout)
THE CRITIC’S RATING: 2.75 Stars (Out of Four)
