Review: Mark Wahlberg stars in the spiritless 'Father Stu'

This Easter, Mark Wahlberg is offering us a gift as sweet as a box of Peeps or a chocolate rabbit — and just as nutritious

This Easter, Mark Wahlberg is offering us a gift as sweet as a box of Peeps or a chocolate rabbit — and just as nutritious.

“Father Stu” is a loving biopic of a one-time real-life hell-raising, blue-collar hustler who somehow becomes a white-collared Roman Catholic priest. So why is it ultimately as hollow as that chocolate bunny?

You can instantly see why Wahlberg — the star, executive producer and financier — was attracted. “Father Stu” is right in his wheelhouse, from his character's love of amateur boxing to his meathead humor. And as an ardent Catholic, this is his Hollywood message film flex, his “The Passion of the Christ.” He even brought Mel Gibson along.

But Wahlberg is simply miscast, out of his depth, and the overly long, poorly edited “Father Stu” never finds its rhythm. Good at humor, sweet with regret but the film ironically ends up short when it comes to the most important part: handling faith itself.