Father Stu

"It’s a surprisingly sincere movie about religious feeling, but it is also, too often, a dramatically undernourished one."

"Despite some R-rated language, the whole enterprise seems bland and perfunctory."

"Watching the movie can feel like a two-hour hearty handshake."

"Told with sensitivity, earnestness and no small amount of sly, rascally charm..."

"It’s just too damn likable to judge harshly."

"Father Stu breaks no new ground in the biopic game, but it’s a solid and worthy tribute..."

"I’m not entirely sure that we need a movie starring Mark Wahlberg and Mel Gibson about problematic men finding a redemption arc..."

"The overly long, poorly edited Father Stu never finds its rhythm."

"Faith can only get you so far without structure, and the sincerity of this movie’s pivot from punishment to salvation doesn’t stop it from stalling out in purgatory along the way."

"A right-wing dog whistle disguised as a tribute to Catholic faith."

"The real-life Stu faced many complications and challenges, but the script seems to be designed around what would be fun for Gibson and Wahlberg to act."

"Its clumsy, inert storytelling seems less interested in converting nonbelievers than in convincing us of Wahlberg’s piety."

"Father Stu’s marketing materials make it seem like a faux movie, a parody. But after being invited to a press screening the other week, I can confirm that Father Stu is indeed a real-deal film – although it probably shouldn’t be."

"Father Stu (captures) the remarkable elements of his life without locating the transcendence within the biographical details."

"It’s raw, honest, and uplifting without tapping into preachy territory..."