Posted on 04/12/2022 5:23:32 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
The genre of faith-based films has grown stronger over the last ten years, but Father Stu pushes the envelope in one significant sense. Will the built-in audience for such films stand for an R-rated biopic? And will the warts-and-all depiction of the late Father Stuart Long bring in the crossover audiences that Mark Wahlberg commands?
Hopefully, the answer to both questions will be yes, as Father Stu offers a moving and sometimes challenging look at faith, redemption, and family. No one gets spared from a harsh, critical look at Long’s life — not his family, his friends, his lifestyle, or even one fellow seminarian. If Father Stu wraps all that up a bit neatly and abruptly in the last act, the journey is still worth the effort.
In the first half especially, Father Stu feels more like a slice-of-life film about working-class Americans in tough times, recalling 1970s cinema more than the 1980s in which a good part of the film is set. Stu (Wahlberg) comes from a broken home, a very broken and dysfunctional home in which the death of his younger brother at an early age haunts everyone in the family. His father (Mel Gibson) was emotionally absent even for the short period in which he was physically present in Stu’s life. His mother (Jackie Weaver) is loving but somewhat ineffective as a parent, and Stu runs wild.
Between bar fights, arrests, a decent amateur boxing career cut short by injury, and a surprising-but-true brief flirtation with Hollywood, Stu looks nothing but lost. A chance encounter with an attractive girl brings him to a Catholic church. Stu is much more interested in a physical relationship than with his spiritual life, having only shown up to chase the girl — until he gets baptized and confirmed.
At this point, some of the grittiness dissipates and the film shifts more into familiar faith-based territory. The struggle shifts initially focuses on Stu’s difficulties in fitting into the seminary and then on his debilitating disease, a struggle which Wahlberg does an excellent job in portraying. This gives the final third a bit more of a predictable tone and somewhat more archetypal faith-cinema tensions as opposed to the more chaotic opening, but that doesn’t mean it’s not effective.
Since this is based on a true story (and apparently does a decent job of sticking to the history, for a Hollywood biopic), it’s tough to give “spoilers” in the usual sense. I’ll refrain from describing the events more fully, but suffice it to say that the story of Father Stu’s redemption is inspiring, and that’s even more true of his father. Wahlberg delivers a solid performance, but Mel Gibson reminds us just how powerful he can be as an actor. Gibson’s own struggles with scandal and redemption provide an intriguing context to his performance as Stu’s father Bill, and Gibson very nearly steals the show. The film is worth watching for Gibson alone.
But of course, Father Stu has a lot more to offer than just the performances, as good as they are. Stuart Long’s road to redemption from an R-rated life is the kind of story that faith-based cinema might have passed on early in their revival. It’s not a perfect film, but in a sense that’s part of the point of Father Stu. As he remarks in the film, sometimes you need a rough sinner to tell the story of redemption and the Gospels, and to speak to those who can’t yet see the hope that Christ brings. None of us are perfect, but we all have value — and Father Stu delivers that message well.
On the Hot Air scale, Father Stu gets a qualified 5:
I put this as a “qualified” five because some people who would normally go to faith-genre films may be very put off by the language. I wasn’t, in part because it’s authentic to the characters, but some may. There isn’t any nudity but there is some discussion of non-marital sex, nothing that teens couldn’t handle, but the language and content may be too much for younger viewers. There are violent scenes as well, mainly from the boxing ring but also in a very realistic motorcycle accident.
Viewers who want more about the grittier side of redemption should also watch Inmate #1: The Rise of Danny Trejo. You can read my review of that documentary here. In short … it’s fantastic.
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Wahlberg has impressive range. Very underrated actor.
My two favorite actors in one movie.
We just came from seeing this movie. Had read a few articles and seen a few interviews on YouTube. Neither of us can remember going to a theater in the last several years. We sat through 15 minutes of worthless previews. The movie was worth the wait. Great acting by Wahlberg, Gibson and Sally Struthers too. It’s not a movie most people will like unless they are open to the fact that everything comes from God - everything even suffering. So to see major stars make a movie like this is just incredible. It is moving. I saw one interview where Jesse Waters said even he cried. I cried for about a third of it. Knowing it was a true story cements it. Plus a beautiful release date - holy week. Go and have hope. The world needs more movies like this, truly inspiring.
Suffering does not come from God. He would never make us suffer. We are a sinful people in a fallen world that’s controlled by Satan. With that said, God uses ALL things for good for those that love Him and are called according to His purpose.
Not the place for an argument and I don’t do that. I believe God permits all things. And suffering can serve His purpose for us. Go see the movie!
Iron sharpens iron. It is incumbent upon believers to point out truths so we can all stay on His path.
another thread going - https://freerepublic.com/focus/religion/4054436/posts?page=1
Agreed. I enjoy his work.
I was most impressed with bison’s work on Hacksaw Ridge and Apocalypto.. Now I’m waiting for him to put the 2 together and do one on Kamikaze pilots-WW2.
I have been a fan of both Gibson and Wahlberg. They were great together in this movie.
I have my tickets for this weekend!
“Will the built-in audience for such films stand for an R-rated biopic?”
Ya mean like the Passion of the Christ?
it sounds like a remake/rewrite of that other movie, “the cross and the switchblade”.
Not to deny redemption but, is that the
‘Boogie Nights’ Mark Wahlberg ?
Yes, the Mark Wahlberg who played Eddie Adams / Dirk Diggler in Boogie Nights
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It I recall he was awesome good guy in the dark, informative “The Departed.”
Hard to watch but easy to comprehend.
Do you recall what movies were being previewed? Just curious as a marketing question. Previews are influenced by the film people have come to see. What did they pitch to a Father Stu crowd?
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