Mark Wahlberg’s Most Offensive Performance On Netflix Is Also Incredibly Uplifting
Mark Wahlberg may be a divisive figure in Hollywood, but Netflix subscribers have the chance to catch him in a heartfelt – yet raucous role. Now streaming on the platform is Father Stu, a biographical drama about a boxer-turned-priest who turns his life into serving the Catholic Church after he develops a muscle disorder. A passion project for Wahlberg, the film saw its big-screen debut in 2022 after several years of pre-production that included the shuffling of directors.
Mark Wahlberg Is A Boxer-Turned-Priest In Father Stu
In Father Stu, Mark Walberg stars as Stuart Long, an up-and-coming boxer who has just uprooted his life and relocated to Los Angeles to give his career a go. While boxing is his passion, working as a cashier at a grocery store pays the bills. It’s here where he meets a sweet and caring Sunday school teacher named Carmen, for whom he immediately develops an attraction.
While Stuart may have all the brawn of a champion boxer, his charisma is lost on Carmen, forcing him to try another angle that sees him setting his agnostic beliefs to the side and attending church. But, when a motorcycle accident flips his world upside down and tears apart his boxing career, he realizes that maybe his purpose could instead be found in helping others and takes steps to become the Catholic priest who eventually goes by Father Stu.
Mel Gibson Joins Mark Wahlberg In The Cast Of Father Stu
Father Stu has all the makings of a Mark Wahlberg-led movie. There’s the bad-boy aspect, the fitness and athlete aspect, and the offensive language aspect but it’s the heartfelt twist that sets this title apart from others in the actor’s resumé. What audiences will see throughout Father Stu is a beautiful character arc as one man moves from self-centeredness to the desire and commitment to caring for those around him.
Along with Mark Wahlberg, Father Stu also stars Jacki Weaver (Silver Linings Playbook), Teresa Ruiz (Narcos: Mexico), Mel Gibson (the Lethal Weapon franchise), Cody Fern (The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story), Aaron Moten (Disjointed), Malcolm McDowell (A Clockwork Orange), Carlos Leal (The Last Thing He Wanted), Jack Kehler (The Big Lebowski), Tony Amendola (Once Upon a Time), Patricia Belcher (Good Luck Charlie), Niko Nicotera (Sons of Anarchy), and Annet Mahendru (The Americans).
Father Stu Was A Hit At The Box Office
Directed by Rosalind Ross in what would serve as her feature-length directorial debut, the creative team behind Father Stu made the release coincide with the Christian Holy Week in April 2022. The film earned $21.8 million at the global box office against its production budget of $4 million, marking it as a financial success. Though critics were torn on their reviews, many praised the subject and true story aspect of the film and the hope in humanity that it inspired.
Father Stu Was Mark Wahlberg’s Passion Project
As mentioned, Father Stu was a passion project for Mark Wahlberg when, out to dinner with two priests, he was first introduced to the incredible story of Stuart Long. David O. Russell was initially attached to the production with Ross later taking over as both the writer and the director. Willing to do anything to see his dream story play out on the big screen, Wahlberg poured as much of his own money as he could into the film’s creation.
Not only relying on the stories that he heard about the famed minister, Mark Wahlberg also leaned on Long’s parents, Bill and Kathleen, to help shape the film. He would also turn to numerous folks in the Catholic Church who were close with Father Stu. When the movie premiered, some of the members of the Long family were upset with how Bill was portrayed, but the family patriarch didn’t mind as long as audiences walked away feeling his son’s spirit with them.
What’s Next For Mark Wahlberg?
2022 was a busy year for Mark Wahlberg as, along with Father Stu, the star also appeared opposite Tom Holland in the on-screen adaptation of Uncharted as well as alongside Kevin Hart in the Netflix comedy, Me Time. While Father Stu wouldn’t come close to touching the box office success of Uncharted, the fact that it was such a joy for Wahlberg to create was surely payment enough.
Up next, audiences can catch Mark Wahlberg in a handful of features including Simon Cellan Jones’ Arthur the King, Julian Farino’s The Union (formerly titled Our Man from Jersey), and Simon Cellan Jones’ The Family Plan. Along with Father Stu, Netflix also has several other titles featuring Wahlberg including the aforementioned Uncharted and Me Time as well as Mile 22, The Fighter, and Ted 2.
