Actor Mark Wahlberg talked about the re-release of his film, “Father Stu,” which will be aimed towards being more “family friendly.” Wahlberg stated that over 200 curse words were removed but that it hadn’t taken away from the overall message of the film and “that the film is still powerful.” The film is being re-released as “Father Stu: Reborn.” “Given the nature of the R-rated movie, lots of families didn’t feel comfortable with their children seeing it, but they really wanted them to get the message,” Wahlberg said. “To see Stu’s journey and the struggle that he went through to find his calling, we felt, was really important for people of all ages to see,” he added. Wahlberg stated he hoped the film would be impactful towards young boys. “We want to prevent kids from making a lot of the same mistakes that we made – certainly mistakes that I made. So anything that we can do to kind of show them an easier path to serving God and just being positive, productive members of society.”

“Father Stu” was originally released in April. Wahlberg financed the film himself. “It’s a different thing when you actually paid for the movie yourself. But the movie was so blessed, and really many times there was a real intercession from some sort of higher power; I would have to say it would be God,” Wahlberg previously told the Christian Post. The film was received fairly positively by Christian audiences due to its strong redemptive story, but did receive some hesitation due to its heavy language and gritty content. Paul Asay, a reviewer at “Plugged In,” a Christian website that gives content considerations and movie reviews, wrote in his review of the film, “For some, to hear the Gospel from a character like Father Stu—a man who’s obviously been around the block a few times and made a few wrong turns—can be beautiful. It can remind us that God came to save not the saints, but the sinners. That God knows the gritty, messy realities of life far better than we often do ourselves… I found a lot to like in Father Stu. It’s funny and faithful and, ultimately, deeply moving. But it’s also very messy. And not everyone wants, or needs, to be subjected to such messes, even with this story’s holy purpose.” Joseph Holmes, co-host of the podcast “The Overthinkers,” questioned Christians’ ability to overlook the grittiness of the film, writing, “I hope that people who constantly say they want great faith-based movies will turn out for ‘Father Stu.’ And I hope that Christians who normally would shy away from movies with rough dialogue will give it a chance. As someone who hungers for quality and authentic representations of faith onscreen that celebrate God rather than simply deconstruct him, I hope that this movie does well and inspires other moviegoers to follow in its footsteps.” “Father Stu: Reborn” will be released in theaters December 9.