Father Stu
Seen it?2022 | 124 min | Drama
Sunday Safe BetWhy it’s a Sunday Safe Bet
Audiences rate it highly (7.1 out of 10), though it had middling reviews (42% on Rotten Tomatoes). A safe bet when you want something reliable.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for anyone who loves a strong drama. If you loved The Fighter, start here. Audiences love it more than critics do: a crowd-pleaser first.
- The mood
- Thoughtful and character-driven.
- The pace
- Takes its time with its characters, at 2 hr 4 min.
- What might put you off
- Rated R: meant for adults.
- Critics were cooler on it than audiences.
The true-life story of boxer-turned-priest. When an injury ends his amateur boxing career, Stuart Long moves to Los Angeles to find money and fame. While scraping by as a supermarket clerk, he meets Carmen, a Sunday school teacher who seems immune to his bad-boy charm. Determined to win her over, the longtime agnostic starts going to church to impress her. However, a motorcycle accident leaves him wondering if he can use his second chance to help others, leading to the surprising realization that he's meant to be a Catholic priest.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsBelow par
42% on Rotten Tomatoes, 40 on Metacritic
- AudiencesStrong
7.1 out of 10
- AwardsNot counted
No major awards or nominations
- Box office & staying powerSolid
$22 million worldwide on a $4 million budget; spent 3 weeks in Netflix's global Top 10; interest faded quickly after launch
- Buzz & cultural impactSolid
About 156K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by Rosalind Ross
- Mark WahlbergFather Stuart 'Stu' Long
- Mel GibsonBill Long
- Jacki WeaverKathleen Long
- Teresa RuizCarmen
- Malcolm McDowellMonsignor Kelly
- Annet MahendruMary
- Cody FernPriest
- Winter Ave ZoliAllison
- Ronnie Gene BlevinsBartender
- Ned BellamyDr. Novack