Mark Wahlberg delivers one of his best performances in Father Stu, an inspirational true story about one man’s spiritual journey from boxer to priest, and the impact his life had on those around him.
Directed and written by Rosalind Ross (her debut), Father Stu delves into a remarkable conversion story that works on multiple levels, key among them a proclamation of faith by a superstar actor in Mark Wahlberg, who produces as well as stars in the film.
Whalberg stars as Stuart Long, a boxer and womanizer from Montana whose early retirement from the sport leads him to pursue an acting career in Los Angeles. Once there he meets Carmen (Teresa Ruiz), a good Catholic girl whose strong religious convictions means she will not have sex until she is married.
Stu agrees to convert to Catholicism, but only takes his religion seriously after a near-fatal accident leads him to hearing “the calling” into the priesthood. The story takes a remarkable and tragic twist when priest-in-training Stu is diagnosed with Inclusion Body Myositis (IBM), a rare muscular disease that gradually begins to shut down Stu’s body.
Father Stu is a story about conversion and transition that works on multiple levels: spiritual, physical, and emotional. Wahlberg successfully takes on the challenge of portraying the varied physical transformations that was a part of Stu’s story. More importantly he delivers upon Stu’s conviction of faith that is displayed through passionate, direct proclamations of love for Jesus and for the downtrodden.
One scene in which a physically impaired Stu preaches to a group of prisoners through direct conversation, speaks to Stu’s ability as an evangelist with a streetwise bent. No judgement, yet no coddling either. Just direct conversation and proclamation of God’s word.
It is a trait that Stu learns from his estranged parents Bill (Mel Gibson) and Kathleen (Jacki Weaver). Both actors, who have a shared history as vital players in Australian New Wave of the 70s and 80s, are terrific in their roles as a separated couple who through Stu’s suffering and proclamation that God is love, God is forgiveness, God is the way, are able to put side their bitterness and their hostility and find peace.
Miracles come in all shapes and sizes. Where it’s one thing to separate a sea, it’s quite another to mend a gulf filled with anger and restraint. That Stu achieves this with his parents is indeed proof that God is good.
It is a rare occurrence when a superstar actor like a Mark Whalberg puts their money where their faith is (so to speak). While Father Stu clearly has limitations as a money-making venture (an R-rated film targeted to a Christian audience will do that), the film works tremendously well as an adult driven story about faith, adversity, and forgiveness. Just the movie needed for these most trying times.
