Mark Wahlberg’s Father Stu is getting a second chance. Per a Motion Picture Association bulletin, an edited version of the religious drama — titled Father Stu: Reborn — will be re-released with a PG-13 rating. First released to theaters in April during Holy Week, the true story about boxer-turned-Catholic priest Father Stuart “Stu” Long received an R rating for “language throughout.” The film, a passion project of two-time Oscar nominee Wahlberg, contains “nearly 40 F-words and other strong language,” including “5 sexual references, 51 scatological terms, 22 anatomical terms, 16 mild obscenities,” according to content tracking website Kids-In-Mind.
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Father Stu: Reborn is rated PG-13 “for language, an accident scene, sexual references, some violence and smoking.”
Sony Pictures describes Father Stu as anunflinchingly honest, funny and ultimately uplifting drama about a lostsoul who finds his purpose in a most unexpected place.
Per the synopsis, “When an injuryends his amateur boxing career, Stuart Long (Wahlberg) moves toL.A. dreaming of stardom. While scraping by as a supermarket clerk, hemeets Carmen (Teresa Ruiz), a Catholic Sunday school teacher who seemsimmune to his bad-boy charm. Determined to win her over, the longtimeagnostic starts going to church to impress her. But surviving a terriblemotorcycle accident leaves him wondering if he can use his secondchance to help others find their way, leading to the surprisingrealization that he is meant to be a Catholic priest. Despite adevastating health crisis and the skepticism of Church officials and hisestranged parents (Mel Gibson and Jacki Weaver), Stu pursues hisvocation with courage and compassion, inspiring not only those closestto him but countless others along the way.”
Where to Watch Father Stu
Father Stu is currently streaming on Netflix and now available to own on Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital HD. Digital retailers include Apple TV+, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play, Vudu, Xfinity, and Microsoft.
Father Stu Cast
Written for the screen and directed by Rosalind Ross, Father Stu stars Academy Award nominee Mark Wahlberg (Best Supporting Actor, The Departed) as Father Stu, along with Academy Award Winner Mel Gibson (Best Director, Braveheart), Academy Award Nominee Jacki Weaver (Best Supporting Actor, Silver Linings Playbook) and Teresa Ruiz (Narcos). Wahlberg produced with Stephen Levinson (Entourage, Deepwater Horizon) and Jordon Foss.
Did Mark Wahlberg Gain Weight for the Part of Father Stu?
Wahlberg ate 11,000 calories a day to undergo his physical transformation for Father Stu, revealing that the dramatic change from his muscular physique “really took a toll” on him.
“I put on 30 pounds and went from being a guy who was in fighting shape to a guy who was wheelchair-bound, suffering from a rare muscular degenerative disease,” Wahlberg told EW. “I was just turning 50 by the time we finished the movie, and I was eating 11,000 calories a day. That drastic weight gain really took a toll on me over the course of the last seven, eight months.”
Father Stu is streaming on Netflix and available to own or rent on disc and Digital HD.
