While the new film Father Stu may initially come across as a simple bad guy breaks good by becoming a priest and righting his past wrongs, it also manages to tell an earnest and emotionally rewarding story. What could have been a pandering, emotion-laden tale of one individual finding his “divine” purpose in life, instead proves to be a heart-felt and well-executed story of personal discovery and salvation.

After a near-fatal motorcycle accident, Stuart Long (Mark Wahlberg) is forced to abandon his lifelong ambition to be a professional boxer. So, he decides to move to Los Angeles to pursue a career in acting, despite lacking any experience or training. Then, through another series of startling events, Stuart comes to the realization that he is supposed to be a Catholic priest. Although his family (both father [Mel Gibson] and mother [Jacki Weaver]) are skeptical of his sudden career path alteration – as...