Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		1.5
Overall		3.5

Father Stu Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman July 26, 2022

Father Stu tells the true story of Stuart Long, a one-time boxer who found faith and turned in his boxing gloves for Rosary beads. The story of a man finding faith and turning to the ministry is not particularly novel, but where the film finds its voice, and its purpose, is in Long's sudden onset of a rare muscular disorder that threatens to destroy his journey into ministry. The film is capably assembled and acted even if it's missing a certain spiritual depth and sense of movement within the audience as Long hears the call, answers it, and struggles to hold to his faith in light of a debilitating and deadly diagnosis.

Stuart Long (Mark Wahlbeg) is a professional boxer who is a success in the ring, but his body is signaling that it’s time to give up, even while he’s still in his prime. With his health is in decline and his doctor warning him that continued exposure to the physical traumas in the ring could lead to a precipitous decline in his health, Long hangs up the gloves and moves to California in hopes of pursuing a career in motion pictures. Like so many aspiring stars, he finds himself perpetually on the outside looking in and takes a job at a supermarket butcher shop to pay the bills and, he hopes, run into someone who will spot his talent and make him the star he knows he can, and should, be.

One day at work, he spots a beautiful woman whom he follows to church. Turns out she is a Sunday School teacher and a very eligible single named Carmen (Teresa Ruiz). Initially, Stuart goes to church only to impress the young lady. However, the Spirit begins to work in his life, and when he is involved in a near-death traffic accident, he comes to realize that God has saved him for something other than the life he has lived. He answers the call into ministry and decides to attend seminary, which in the Catholic faith puts an end to any possibility for a romantic relationship with Carmen. His parents, Kathleen and Bill (Jacki Weaver and Mel Gibson), believe that their son has lost his mind. However, Stu is certain of God’s plan for his life, which is threatened by yet another terrible medical diagnosis that, like his boxing career, may push him away from his dreams all too early. Can Stu cling to his faith and persevere through trial and tragedy, or will he allow his faith to be squashed before he can do God’s work?

This is a capable character-driven film. It tells an interesting story but does so in a way that is not particularly attention grabbing or, perhaps worse for the material, spiritually moving. The story is fairly flat, and the spiritual underpinnings are not particularly well developed. Film does not offer a lot of emotional resonance or feelings of spiritual pull. It’s a good film but plays with a detached personality that never gets to the very heart of the spiritual life. Wahlberg is good in the part and plays a spiritual man well enough, but there is no drive to build a life changing movie for the audience; all of the change takes place on the screen with no real sense of draw into Long's own conversion as it plays on the screen.

Father Stu Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Sony's Blu-ray release of Father Stu looks just about as good as anyone could want from a new release film. The picture is crystal clear, revealing intricate detailing across the board, including faces most prominently which reveal pores, pits, wrinkles, lines, facial hair, and other details with A-grade modern clarity and intimacy. Location details -- everything from a hospital room to a church sanctuary -- offer resplendent definition and fine-point attention to detail. Colors are expressive and accurate. The palette is naturally inclined with no pushes to alter natural temperatures or contrast. Primaries are vivid, skin tones are healthy, blacks are deep, and whites are crisp. Noise is next to nonexistent and there are no other source issues of note. There are no encode problems, either.

Father Stu Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Father Stu features a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack. The presentation is very good with a robust opening in the boxing ring. The listener is immediately pulled into the environment, experiencing the onslaught of surround content, hard hits, and robust immersive engagement, revealing the track's energy and vigor. However, much of the rest of the film takes a more dialogue heavy and sonically reserved approach, favoring dialogue and light ambience and music rather than heavy-hitting sonic thunder. Still, balance and clarity are held and the sense of general realism and immersion are constant. Dialogue is clear, well prioritized, and center focused for the duration.

Father Stu Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This Blu-ray release of Father Stu includes deleted scenes and a bevy of micro featurette. A Movies Anywhere digital copy code is included with purchase. This release ships with an embossed slipcover.

• Deleted Scenes (1080p, 11:54 total runtime): Included are A Liability, Ready for His Close Up, I Got a Date, Kobe Beef, I Got a Lot, Burning Up the Beads, Help the Sick Folks Hurt Themselves, I Need Something More, Purpose, What About My Grandbabies?, Can't Find God in a Bottle, and There's a Saying in the Service.
• You Don't Know Stu (1080p, 11:05 total runtime): A number of brief vignettes that explore additional details about Long's life. Included are Boxer, Troublemaker, Hollywood Dream, Deciding to Become Catholic, Path to Priesthood, A Real Character, Unlikely Apostle, Always In Your Corner, and Legacy.
• Previews (1080p): Additional Sony titles.

Father Stu Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

This is not a traditional Christian film. It's R-rated and explores some challenging content amidst a fairly steady barrage of language. Perhaps it is because of the film's push away from more traditional Christian cinema that it struggles. The film tells a story but never relays a true sense of the spiritual might behind it. It's a good watch, and Wahlberg is solid in an unorthodox (for him) role, but the film could have been much better were it just as concerned with the internal spiritual growth and undertones as it is the external character progression and overtones. Sony's Blu-ray offers scant extras with solid video and audio. Worth a look.