Steve
Adapted for the screen by Max Porter from his novel Shy, and directed by Tim Mielants, Steve takes place within a chaotic day at Stanton Wood, a reform school for delinquent teenage boys. Alongside the usual fights and arguments, a documentary crew is shooting a piece for a local interest story, an MP is scheduled to visit, and the staff are told without warning that the building has been sold and will close by the end of the year. The stress starts to take its toll on the eponymous headteacher (a phenomenal Cillian Murphy). Meanwhile, Shy (Jay Lycurgo), one of the school’s most promising pupils, receives devastating news from home, sending him on a downward trajectory. The result is an emotionally charged examination of mental health that’s laced with black comedy.
At the start of the film, Steve comes across as a cheerful individual with a great rapport with the teenagers. He’s able to joke with them while delivering fair punishments, and his words seem to resonate with them. However, like the troubled youngsters, Steve is also struggling with his own inner demons, which he copes with by taking drugs to numb the pain. By stripping away the barrier between teacher and student, the feature puts Steve and Shy’s experiences on an even playing field, which makes the narrative hit that much harder.
Despite the never-ending uproar, which is coloured by a soundtrack of pounding drum and bass and metal, Steve never stops caring about his charges. Murphy brilliantly captures the gamut of emotions his character goes through. Whether it’s explosive bouts of anger or deep melancholy, there is a visceral nature to his performance. Fellow cast members Tracey Ullman, Emily Watson and Little Sims are equally excellent. Lycurgo’s nuanced turn as Shy is another major highlight.
While some moments can be tough to watch, the students’ boisterous personalities bring a degree of levity to events. Combined with the genuine affection and sense of community that’s nurtured within the school, there’s a bittersweetness to Mielants’s film that poignantly captures the circumstances the characters find themselves in.
Steve is a film about what can happen when someone falls between the cracks. It’s a thoughtful exploration of mental health that’s carried throughout by a strong cast all the way to its triumphant conclusion.
Andrew Murray
Steve is released on Netflix on 3rd October 2025.
Watch the trailer for Steve here:
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