FATHER STU
A powerful redemption story for discerning adults, marred by excessive language.
Should You Watch It?
FATHER STU is a powerful, entertaining drama about a rough man whose life is transformed by Jesus Christ. The movie is well-made and well-acted, with witty humor and touching moments that can deeply move you. Its Christian worldview gives the story a hopeful center: people can change, and redemption is possible.
That hope comes with serious costs for your conscience and your family. The film contains excessive foul language, including many “f” words and several strong profanities. It also includes perverse sexual content, violence, drinking, and smoking. Those concerns will turn off many media-wise viewers and families.
If you are an adult or older teenager able to approach those issues with discernment, this is a worthwhile, moving story. For children and young teens, choose something else. WORTH THE TRIP — ADULTS ONLY.
The Story
NO SPOILERS — WE KEEP THE SURPRISESBased on a true story, FATHER STU follows Stuart “Stu,” a rough man whose boxing career has left him badly beaten. When a doctor tells him he must stop fighting or die, Stu moves to Hollywood to pursue acting and works as a butcher.
There, he meets Carmen, a beautiful woman connected to the local Catholic church. To see her, Stu agrees to attend church and help teach Sunday School. The experience begins challenging the life he has built.
Is It Any Good?
Four stars means FATHER STU is a highly entertaining, well-made, well-acted movie. Mark Wahlberg leads a drama with witty humor and touching moments that can melt your heart.
The film remains constantly entertaining even when the story changes direction toward the end and its issues and plotline shift. Its strongest achievement is the combination of engaging drama, humor, and emotional force.
The Worldview
FATHER STU presents a very strong Christian worldview from a Catholic perspective. It emphasizes that everyone can change and be transformed by Jesus Christ. Redemption and transformation stand at the center of the film.
The story includes confession, a Jesus statue, a reference to a homosexual encounter, and a man dressed in women’s clothes. It also presents supernatural elements, including Jesus appearing to a man, the Virgin Mary appearing to a man, and a man coming back to life after prayer. These elements are part of the film’s Catholic understanding of faith and transformation.
The film’s central conviction—that a broken life can be redeemed and changed through Jesus Christ—aligns with the biblical promise, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
The Content Guide
The specifics — spoilers included by nature — so you can judge for your own family.
Dominant Worldview and Other Worldview Content/Elements
Very strong Christian worldview with strong moral content from a Catholic perspective where Jesus appears to a man, the Virgin Mary appears to a man, man comes back to life after prayer, confession occurs, a Jesus statue is shown, man hits Jesus figure but nothing happens to it, and there’s redemption and transformation by the appearance of Jesus, plus a reference to a homosexual encounter, and one man is shown dressed in women’s clothes
Foul Language
106 obscenities (including 44 “f” words) and seven strong profanities
Violence
Some strong fight scenes and other violence, such as a bar fight, man gets hit by a car, a boxing fight with blood, and a man hits another man
Sex
It’s implied that one man is doing a sexual act for another man, there’s implied sex outside of marriage, and a man dressed in women’s clothes is shown walking around
Nudity
Upper male nudity
Alcohol Use
Some drinking and drunkenness
Smoking and/or Drug Use and Abuse
Smoking, but no drugs;
Miscellaneous Immorality
Some lying.
Talk About It
Questions for the drive home, the dinner table, or the youth group.
Stu’s life begins to change when he encounters the church. What helps a person recognize the need for transformation?
Romans 12:2 · 2 Corinthians 5:17The film presents redemption through Jesus Christ. What does biblical redemption change in a person’s life?
Ephesians 2:8–10 · Titus 2:11–14How should Christians respond when a story contains genuine spiritual themes alongside serious moral concerns?
Philippians 4:8 · 1 Thessalonians 5:21–22What place do confession, prayer, and the church have in turning someone back toward God?
James 5:16 · Hebrews 10:24–25The Final Word
FATHER STU is an entertaining, well-acted, deeply Christian story of transformation. But its excessive foul language and sexual content make it unsuitable for children and young teens. For discerning adults and older teenagers, it is WORTH THE TRIP — ADULTS ONLY. For younger viewers, consider.
