Steve (2025) Movie Review: Cillian Murphy Shatters Every Inspirational Teacher Trope in This Raw and Unflinching Look at Educational Neglect

The year 1996 in England is often remembered for the euphoria of the Euro semi-finals and a nation gripped by football fever, but for the residents of Stanton Wood, the reality is far more claustrophobic. Steve (2025), directed by Tim Mielants and written by Max Porter, is a searing drama that takes us inside a rural reform college that serves as the absolute last resort for "very disturbed young men." Produced by Big Things Films and distributed by Netflix, this 92-minute feature marks a significant creative reunion between Mielants and star Cillian Murphy, who previously collaborated on the haunting Small Things Like These.

The film follows the eponymous Steve (Murphy), a headteacher whose life is a constant act of de-escalation. He manages a small, dedicated staff including the tough-as-nails Amanda (Tracey Ullman), the empathetic therapist Jenny (Emily Watson), and a promising newcomer named Shola (Simbi Ajikawo). Their mission is to prevent their students, particularly the volatile but brilliant Shy (Jay Lycurgo), from destroying themselves or each other. However, on a single, calamitous day, Steve must navigate a visiting documentary crew, a condescending politician, and the devastating news that the government is shutting the school down. Premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 5, 2025, before its Netflix debut on October 3, Steve matters because it provides a voice to an under-resourced underclass and the exhausted workers who refuse to give up on them.

Story and Screenplay: The Anti-Dead Poets Society

If you are expecting a heart-warming tale where a charismatic teacher stands on a desk to inspire his pupils, you are in the wrong classroom. Max Porter, adapting his own novella Shy, has crafted a screenplay that deliberately subverts every "inspirational teacher" cliché in the book. The narrative structure is compact and propulsive, unfolding almost entirely over the course of twenty-four hours. This ticking-clock element adds a layer of dread to the proceedings, as we see Steve recording rambling, desperate notes into a Dictaphone just to keep his head above water.

The script’s greatest strength is its brutal honesty regarding systemic failure. Set at the tail-end of a Conservative government that has hollowed out social services, the story highlights how institutions like Stanton Wood are sold out from under the very people they protect. The dialogue is sharp, often profane, and captures the "aggressive wit" of teenage boys who use humor as a shield against a world that has already discarded them. While the film occasionally teeters on the edge of chaos, the writing remains grounded by a deep empathy for its subjects. It explores themes of "generous pain" and the cycle of rejection without ever resorting to preachiness, making the inevitable eruption of violence feel both tragic and avoidable.

Acting and Characters: A Masterclass in Weathered Humanity

Cillian Murphy delivers a performance that is nothing short of transformative. Following his career-defining work in Oppenheimer, Murphy channels a different kind of intensity here: a man whose "scruff" and "disheveled frame" suggest a soul running on pure adrenaline and repressed trauma. His Steve is a man who has "effectively joined" the boys in his care: he is just as troubled, just as prone to outbursts, and secretly numbing his pain with a stashed bottle of alcohol. It is a humble, selfless piece of acting where Murphy frequently yields the screen to a cast of unknowns, yet he remains the "nucleus" of the film’s raging emotional energy.

The supporting cast is equally formidable. Jay Lycurgo is a revelation as Shy, capturing a "cocky bravado" that masks a terrifying depression. His chemistry with Murphy is the heart of the film: two individuals who are essentially "two sides of the same coin," both drowning under the weight of past demons. Tracey Ullman brings a welcome "part battle-axe, part mommy" energy to her role, providing a cynical but deeply loving counterpoint to Steve’s fraying nerves. Emily Watson’s therapist character provides the film's moral compass, even as she becomes a target for the students' misplaced aggression. The young ensemble actors, playing the "ragbag collection of ne’er-do-wells," are startlingly convincing, creating an atmosphere where violence can erupt at any moment.

Direction and Technical Aspects: Immersive and Chaotic Vision

Tim Mielants’ direction is characterized by a "gonzo energy" that perfectly mirrors the volatile mental states of his characters. He avoids the static, stagy feel that often plagues single-location dramas by utilizing a "hyperactive" visual language. The cinematography by Robrecht Heyvaert is a technical triumph, seamlessly juggling two distinct formats: the grainy, low-res SD Betacam used by the visiting documentary crew and the lush, piercing film used for the characters' private moments. This contrast allows us to see the "famous Steve" through the lens of the media while witnessing the "weathered, naturalistic" reality of a man on the edge.

The editing by Danielle Palmer keeps the pace relentless, cutting between "obstreperous outbursts" and stolen moments of intimacy with surgical precision. One of the film's most talked-about sequences is a showstopping drone shot in the final act that travels in and around the retrofitted castle of the school. It is a breathtaking piece of visual storytelling that captures the scale of the isolation these boys feel. Mielants’ style is turbulent and unpredictable, yet he possesses a "final delicate touch" that allows for quiet, poignant closing passages. He effectively visualizes the feeling of "drowning" while suggesting that the ascent out of such chaos, though agonizing, is worth every ounce of effort.

Trailer Steve (2025)

Music and Atmosphere: The Sound of Redemptive Noise

The atmosphere of Steve is defined by a "death-metal chaos of emotional pain," a mood that is significantly bolstered by an eclectic and intuitive score. Composed by Ben Salisbury and Geoff Barrow, the music moves from an almost imperceptible background hum to frantic, intrusive tones as the pressure on Steve mounts. The soundtrack is a "diverse stew" of electronica and heavy metal that reflects the "helter-skelter" environment of Stanton Wood.

Sound design plays a crucial role in immersing the audience in Shy’s world. The ear-splitting drum and bass blaring through his Walkman serves as both a tip-off to the 1990s setting and a literal wall of sound he uses to block out his reality. The audio experience is designed to be "exhausting," forcing the viewer to adjust to the constant tumult of a place where silence is a luxury. However, the film also knows when to turn the "amp down from 11." A dialogue-free snapshot near the conclusion uses a lack of sound to "moisten the eyes," creating a bond between teacher and pupil that words could not possibly capture. It is a masterful use of audio to enhance the film's balance of ferocity and redemption.

Strengths and Weaknesses

What works well:

• Cillian Murphy’s Performance: A career-best, uninhibited turn that manages to be both quiet and explosive.
• Authentic Young Ensemble: The teenage actors provide a level of "verisimilitude" that makes the threat of violence feel genuinely terrifying.
• Innovative Visual Formats: The mix of documentary-style VHS footage and high-quality film creates a fascinating postmodern collage.
• Absence of Clichés: The film courageously avoids the "suicide as a plot device" and "miracle teacher" tropes that plague the genre.
• Emotional Resonance: The ending provides a sense of "generous pain" and hope that feels earned rather than manufactured.

What doesn't work:

• Exhausting Perspective: The "up-close-and-personal" camera work and high-volume sound can be physically draining for some viewers.
• Initial Adjustment Period: It takes a solid thirty minutes to acclimate to the "tumult" and shaggy narrative energy.
• Bleak Tone: The "grimly uncertain future" of the school and its students may feel too oppressive for those seeking escapist entertainment.
• Government Meeting Climax: While realistic, the boardroom scene where the funding is pulled feels slightly more conventional than the rest of the film’s "gonzo" energy.

Final Verdict: A Sombre Masterpiece in the Rough

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Steve is a "profoundly moving" and "superbly acted" diamond in the rough that stands as a testament to the power of responsible, intelligent filmmaking. By shifting the focus from the book's original protagonist to the weary headmaster, Tim Mielants and Max Porter have created a "stirring tribute" to those who sacrifice their sanity for the sake of the forgotten. It is a film that refuses to succumb to hopelessness, instead memorializing the "decency and worth" of young men who are too often dismissed as "irredeemable garbage." In a year crowded with blockbusters, this "tiny film" carries more weight than most Oscar winners.

Who should watch it? This is essential viewing for fans of gritty British social dramas in the tradition of Scum or If.... It will deeply resonate with anyone who has worked in the educational or social service sectors, as well as those who appreciate Cillian Murphy’s ability to inhabit deeply conflicted, "weathered" characters. If you are looking for a movie that respects your intelligence and isn't afraid to show you the "barbwire and slippy" reality of life on the margins, Steve is for you.

Who might not enjoy it? Those looking for a lighthearted "teacher movie" or a traditional, plot-driven mystery will likely find the film’s "gonzo energy" and oppressive atmosphere off-putting. It is "high drama" that is "not always comfortable viewing," and its lack of easy answers might frustrate audiences who prefer their stories wrapped up with a neat, happy bow. If you are sensitive to sensory overload or depictions of substance abuse and teenage aggression, you may want to approach this with caution.

Recommendation: I cannot recommend Steve highly enough. It is a "ferocious reform school drama" that demands your full attention and rewards it with one of the most poignant cinematic experiences of 2025. Whether you catch it during its limited theatrical run or on Netflix, make sure you do not let this "diamond in the rough" slip through the cracks. It is, quite simply, the best film the streamer has released to date.