Netflix’s new release Steve features Cillian Murphy in a powerful role as an inspirational teacher navigating the challenges of a troubled reform school. Set in 1996 at Stanton Wood, this intense drama portrays the tireless efforts of staff facing aggressive teenage students in an institution on the verge of closure.
A Gritty Portrait of a Last-Resort Reform School
Stanton Wood is not your typical school; it serves as a final step for young men who have exhibited extreme behavioral issues, often labeled “very disturbed” by novelist Max Porter, whose work inspired the film. The institution operates with limited resources and strained support, relying on a handful of devoted teachers and therapists—including the headmaster Steve, played by Murphy—to manage the violent tendencies of these adolescents. This reform school is heavily funded by English taxpayers, but with diminishing government support, its future remains uncertain.
Production and Festival Journey of ‘Steve’
Contrary to expectations for a film so deeply resonant, Steve did not debut at major festivals like Venice or Telluride, where it could have received more attention. Instead, it premiered in the Platform competition at the Toronto Film Festival, where it faced stiff competition among over 200 titles and risked being overshadowed. Netflix’s release strategy involved a theatrical launch on September 19, followed by streaming availability from October 3, signaling a cautious approach despite the film’s artistic strength. In many critics’ eyes, Steve stands as one of the streaming service’s most profound and moving contenders to date.
Collaboration Brings Depth to the Screenplay and Performances
The film reunites Cillian Murphy with director Tim Mielants and co-star Emily Watson, who previously worked together on the poignant Magdalene Laundries drama, Small Things Like These. Murphy played a key role in encouraging Max Porter to adapt his novel Shy into the screenplay, with an eventual shift of focus to Steve, the headmaster. Unlike Porter’s original book, which was a poetic monologue focusing on a troubled youth, the film centers on the struggles of the weary leader fighting to keep the school functioning amidst growing political and social pressures.
The Daily Struggles Within Stanton Wood
The story unfolds on a day when Steve invites a documentary film crew into the institution, offering outsiders a rare glimpse into the harsh realities faced by staff and students alike. The institution’s workers, including psychiatrist Jenny (Emily Watson) and the tough-love figure Amanda (Tracey Ullman), juggle multiple roles, blending discipline and care to manage the volatile environment. Attuned to the fragile peace, these staff members continuously work to prevent violent outbreaks and self-harm among the students, creating a constant tension that pervades the film’s 92-minute runtime.
Complex Characters and Unvarnished Realism
Central to the film’s emotional depth is Jay Lycurgo’s portrayal of Shy, a sensitive but troubled teenager whose mental state becomes increasingly apparent during a scene when the film crew inadvertently explores his room. The discovery of a rucksack filled with stones symbolizes his inner turmoil, a detail the school’s headmaster Steve has overlooked despite warnings from Jenny. This moment injects a stark moment of horror akin to found-footage films, heightening the raw and unsentimental tone that director Mielants maintains throughout.
Stylistically, the film blends documentary-style footage with intimate, candid moments captured by cinematographer Robrecht Heyvaert. Editor Danielle Palmer skillfully intersperses explosive confrontations staged for the cameras—such as a sharp exchange with a visiting MP played by Roger Allam—with quieter, privately observed scenes. This approach immerses viewers in the realistic chaos while revealing glimpses of humanity often hidden beneath the surface.
Challenging Institutional Problems Through Personal Stories
The story also explores personal struggles beyond the school walls, such as Steve’s hidden battle with guilt and alcoholism, shown through secretive sips from stashed bottles. A deeply moving subplot involves Shy’s phone conversation with his mother, who has decided to sever contact. These moments emphasize the emotional weight carried by everyone involved and serve to deepen the narrative beyond a simple institutional critique.
While the film touches on a tragic boarding school cliché, where a suicide sparks reform, it ultimately subverts expectations by focusing on Steve’s perseverance and sacrifices. The shift from the youth’s perspective in the novel to the headmaster in the film underscores the complexity of those trying to make a difference amid systemic neglect.
Cillian Murphy’s Nuanced and Committed Performance
Following his acclaimed role in Oppenheimer and previous work with Tim Mielants, Murphy brings a raw, subdued intensity to Steve, revealing the headmaster as a man burdened by his responsibilities and personal demons. His willingness to cede focus to lesser-known actors and his portrayal of vulnerability mark a departure from his more celebrated, heroic roles. Murphy’s embodiment of Steve showcases the depth and complexity required to portray a flawed yet heroic figure in a challenging environment.
“Steve is a man who gives too much of himself, and it takes a man of Murphy’s commitment to suggest where that comes from.” —Critic (Unnamed)
