Father Stu

Truth is stranger than fiction. I enjoyed the film but wish there had been subtitles. Sometimes some of the characters mumbled so much that even though there were extreme close ups with no distractions, many times I was unable to understand what was being said. I began to wonder if there was something wrong with my ability to follow the movie until afterward when I went in the restroom, I heard everyone in there saying the same thing. Probably some of the problem might have had to do with unfamiliar slang but most of it was the way the words were enunciated. Don't let that stop you from seeing it though. It is still worth seeing.

Yes, Wahlberg deserves a nomination for this. I'm not a practicing Catholic but I was definitely moved. It's more than some "faith based" movie. A lot of good performances. Mel Gibson, Jacki Weaver were excellent. But it's not trendy to recommend a movie like this. That's why the critics really didn't give it fair shake. I think what I liked about Father Stu is that it addresses the nature of suffering. Why do we suffer? That's what makes it profound by the end.

This isn't exactly a bio-pic, it leaves lots of things out and fictionalizes a few things, but it is a mostly true account of Stuart Long who grew up as a crude, rough and tumble type of athlete and high-ranking boxer in Montana.

At some point he decides to go to Los Angeles and become an actor. With no real preparation and no plan he is a bust. Then after losing his drivers license and resorting to a motorcycle for transportation, he is in an accident that almost kills him. However through it all has a religious experience and decides to become a Catholic priest.

His road is never easy, and things go from pretty bad to a lot worse. Still through discernment and a stroke of good fortune he became a priest at the age of 34. He developed a novel way to connect with people.

My wife and I watched it at home on DVD from our public library. Good movie and the actors are all first-rate in their roles, especially Wahlberg and Gibson.

Loved the movie. Acting was great! Such a good story but also sad and inspiring. God calls the sinners. A lost soul with a difficult life who finds his calling yet suffers so much.... these are called the saints among us. Glad Mark W got this made. Great to see Mel G again & love Jacki W !!

An absolute home run in terms of character study and storytelling. This is hard-nosed faith based done right. It's an amazing amalgam of old school grit and honest reflection. It will forever hold the record for cussing and f-bombs for this subject matter. And, that's a good thing. The entire first act is set up and not what was expected at all. Back when awards actually mattered, Mark Wahlberg would have been a serious Oscar contender for his performance in this film. He, honest to God, (literally) delivers a masterpiece performance. His weight gain alone showed his commitment to doing justice to this work. Fr. Stu was an amazing individual whose growth and gifts through suffering will forever inspire those who watch this movie with an open heart and mind. A forever immortal that I personally will never forget thanks to this film.