Father Stu

Follows the life of Father Stuart Long, a boxer-turned-priest who inspired countless people during his journey from self-destruction to redemption. A faith-based drama co-starring Mark Wahlberg and Mel Gibson that was written and directed by Gibson’s 31-year-old girlfriend, Rosalind Ross (whose only previous credits are a short film that she co-wrote in 2014 and a guest appearance on one of Laura Ingraham’s demonic talk shows), “Father Stu” doesn’t sound like a movie so much as it does a biblical exercise in faith and forgiveness. Alas, watching this messy-as-hell biopic about a foul-mouthed boxer priest requires a Christ-like amount of both, and inspires precious little of either in return.

Of course, as an agnostic Jew who wouldn’t go within 10 feet of Gibson unless I was wearing one of those padded bomb suits from “The Hurt Locker,” I’m not exactly the target audience for a movie that aspires to feel like a “Passion of the Christ” remake directed by David O. Russell (Wahlberg’s initial creative partner on the project, and a guy whose fingerprints are smudged all over the final product). But as a critic who’s professionally obligated to reckon with the latest trends in Christian cinema, I have to admit that Wahlberg’s R-rated conception of godly entertainment seems almost divine when compared to the culture war militance of “God’s Not Dead” or the Sunday school hokeyness of “I Still Believe.”

Genres:Drama

Director:Rosalind Ross

Cast:Mel Gibson, Mark Wahlberg, Jacki Weaver, Faith Jefferies