Review of Father Stu (2022) by Jluis_001 — 05 May 2022

I don't usually say anything against religions unless they mess with other people's rights. I only stress this to give an understanding of the fact that my criticism of this film has nothing to do with religion, but the manipulation this story employs by using it.

Especially given the huge dissonance between what this film seemed to want to tell at the start and what it ends up doing. Particularly the message it ends up giving.

Now when you're recounting a story about a boxer who wanted to be an actor and ends up with a call to priesthood after getting involved with the Catholic church because he was hoping to win the attention of a woman, you really need more than Mark Whalberg's lazy performance.

Mel Gibson and Jacki Weaver are also part of it, but both are just catalysts to explain the main character's demeanor.

It's at the moment when Whalberg's character has an accident that reinforces his conviction to become a priest when the film opts for a plot manipulation that doesn't justify anything that follows and only seeks to provoke an emotional reaction from the audience yet it feels flat and insubstantial. And I just hate it when these stories only hope that because of the idea of ''divine motivational grace'' the audience will fill in all the gaps the plot just couldn't.

And that' s ultimately Father Stu's entire bet.