When Mel Gibson was first approached to play in “Father Stu,” a Mark Wahlberg film about a boxer-turned-priest, he was skeptical.
He didn’t think it would work but after he read the script, the Academy Award-winner told The Christian Post he was hooked.
Gibson said the script looked good, it was funny, and it wasn’t just preaching to the choir.
“Father Stu,” – released in theaters over the weekend is based on the true story of amateur boxer, Stuart Long – played by Mark Wahlberg, who moves to Los Angeles dreaming of stardom. There, he meets a Sunday School teacher and begins attending church in an effort to win her over. After surviving a terrible motorcycle accident, however, Stu begins to rethink his life.
That plan leads him to become a Catholic priest. Gibson plays Stu’s father who is an agnostic.
Despite a devastating health diagnosis and other challenges, Stu seeks to follow God’s calling on his life, inspiring countless others along the way.
But their story arch, according to Gibson, is a demonstration that redemption is possible for even the most flawed people.
He added, “There’s a transformation needed in all of us on a daily basis, It’s a continuing struggle.”
And he said watching “Father Stu” with an audience for the first time made him realize just how impactful it truly is. He said, “I got choked up.”