FATHER STU (2022)

April 12, 2022

Greetings again from the darkness. Well, if you are going to make a movie about redemption and bettering one’s self, who better to cast than Mark Wahlberg and Mel Gibson? Both men are stars who on multiple occasions have needed redeeming. Writer-director Rosalind Ross’ first feature film is based on the true story of Stuart Long, and Mr. Wahlberg was so committed to the project that he funded production when others chose not to.

OK, so maybe it’s a bit of a stretch having Mr. Wahlberg play the guy who becomes a priest, but that’s why they call it, “the magic of Hollywood.” Stuart Long was a real person and his story is compelling and worth sharing. Wahlberg so believed this that he self-funded the production, and clearly gave his all in the performance. My advice to anyone watching the movie is to stay seated. Things move extremely fast … and it’s that expeditious approach to storytelling that gives this a bit of a movie-of-the-week feel. Here’s what I mean by fast: We see Stu (Wahlberg) as a boxer. His parents are long-divorced, and after an injury, Stu decides to head to California to be an actor. He falls in love with a girl who convinces him to get baptized, and the experience inspires him to become a Catholic priest. Severe health issues ensue, yet he persists. That’s a whole lot to cover in two hours, and it explains why each piece skims only the surface and feels rushed … and this is only a partial list!

The pedigree here is beyond question. Wahlberg has twice been Oscar nominated. Two-time Oscar winner Mel Gibson plays his father, while 2-time Oscar nominee Jacki Weaver is Stu’s mother. Screen legend Malcolm McDowell plays the local monsignor who finds himself in a pickle, and the always-great Colleen Camp has a brief appearance as a seen-it-all motel clerk. Teresa Ruiz is terrific as Carmen, Stu’s reluctant love interest who first think she understands him, then learns she doesn’t, and then ultimately respects what he’s made of himself.

Catholicism plays a big role here, and there is plenty of guilt to go around. Wahlberg leans heavily into his charm to help us relate to Stu, but he and Gibson both have cringe-inducing moments for those familiar with some of their off-screen activities. Gibson’s ‘Hitler’ crack seems to walk an especially fine line. On the other hand, Gibson delivers a couple of memorable lines: one early on when he’s watching young Stu dance, and another later on when the two are re-connecting as grown men. Filmmaker Ross includes some actual Stuart Long audio recordings, photographs, and video over the closing credits.

Opens in theaters April 13, 2022

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Posted by David Ferguson

THE MARKSMAN (2021)

January 14, 2021

 Greetings again from the darkness. Liam Neeson’s particular set of skills, and his grumpy face, seem to show up on screen most every January. If there is a surprise to this year’s entry, it’s that the annual Liam action movie is not directed by Jaume Collet-Sera, as were THE COMMUTER (2018), RUN ALL NIGHT (2015), NON-STOP (2014), and UNKNOWN (2011). Mr. Collet-Sera has apparently traded Liam in for The Rock as his go-to action star. Instead, it’s director Robert Lorenz (TROUBLE WITH THE CURVE, 2012) who co-wrote the script with two other first time screenwriters, Chris Charles and Danny Kravitz. As with most (not all) of Mr. Neeson’s aging-action-hero films, this one is both watchable and forgettable.

Jim Hanson (Neeson) is a struggling Arizona cattle rancher. He’s also a flag-flying former Marine, who carries a walkie-talkie so he can immediately inform the Border Patrol whenever he spots “IAs” (illegal aliens) crossing his land. Jim is a shell of his former self ever since his beloved wife passed away. He spread her ashes on the hill next to his rundown home … a home that sits on land in the final stages of bank foreclosure. Her daughter Sarah (Katheryn Winnick, “Vikings”) is part of the Border Patrol and periodically keeps tabs on Jim.

Although he never seems to care much for those crossing the border, Jim’s quick to offer a drink to anyone stranded and injured, even as he calls the Border Patrol. A young boy and his pleading mother are no different until a carload of cartel boys show up. The subsequent shootout leaves a couple of people dead and ignites a cross-country cat-and-mouse chase. A previous scene from Mexico taught us that the mother, Rosa (Teresa Ruiz), and her son, Miguel (Jacob Perez), were sent on the run thanks to her brother’s crossing of the cartel. Mauricio (Juan Pablo Raba, THE 33, 2015) is the intimidating cartel soldier sent to kill the mother and son.

The story covers Monday through Saturday, in what would be considered a stressful week for just about anyone. Jim had promised Miquel’s mother that he would take the boy to her cousin’s home in Chicago, and being the good soldier, he is committed to fulfilling his duty. Along the way, the grizzled old man and the angry young boy bond while driving in Jim’s bullet-riddled pickup truck. Hot dogs and hamburgers play a role, but mostly a late confrontation in a barn attempts to add some character development to a story that, to this point, had very little.

Filmmaker Lorenz has a history with Clint Eastwood, and offers up a respectful nod to his mentor by including a grainy scene from HANG ‘EM HIGH on a motel television. There is surprisingly little political commentary included, which actually adds to the slowness and dryness of the material. Liam Neeson is now 68 years old, and he has developed a nice little niche for himself with these action movies that are interesting enough to burn a couple of hours for viewers.

Coming to theaters January 15, 2021

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Posted by David Ferguson