Powerhouse performances and the emotional labour of teaching - Neo O’Herlihy reviews Steve (2025).
Academy award winner Cillian Murphy stars in Tim Mielants’ new drama film, Steve. This film marks Murphy’s second time working with Mielants, having previously featured in Small Things Like These (2024). In a film based on Max Porter’s book Shy (2023), Steve takes place over the course of one day, set primarily on the grounds of Stanton Wood Manor, a boarding school for troubled young men.
From the outset, the film powerfully captures the vulnerability, responsibility, and unseen emotional labour of educators. As well as this, Steve explores teachers’ relationships with the lives of their students.
Cillian Murphy delivers a gripping performance as Steve. As Headteacher, he acts as a mentor and protector to the young men of Stanton Wood Manor. However, it does not go unnoticed that Steve faces his own problems with mental health, substance abuse and alcoholism. Although he is supported by Deputy Headteacher Amanda (Tracey Ullman), the school therapist Jenny (Emily Watson) and new hire Shola (Little Simz), he continues to struggle with inner battles amid a classroom of young lives that he is expected to positively influence.
In the narrative, a documentary crew is filming in Stanton Wood Manor. Tim Mielant does a superb job of using the documentary-style filming and close-up camera shots to highlight the characters eyes and facial expressions, bringing the audience closer to the characters’ emotions. It is a stunning choice of cinematography that makes it feel like you’re in the room with them.
Jay Lycurgo stands out in his role as Shy. He is a remarkably intelligent but violent young man, who struggles with depression, with a striking love for geology and loud music. The director contrasts the sound level of his everyday music to the sound level of a fire alarm that echoes throughout the school, to give the audience a sense of the overwhelming emotions that his character deals with daily. While the boys in the school erupt into madness, Shy is almost non-reactive.
In what seems to be an attempt to break up the storytelling to set itself up for the final act, the film makes use of a somewhat disorientating drone camera shot that ends up taking attention away from the story. This ultimately subtracted from being able to enjoy the complete film, however the raw emotional engagement sustains throughout.
On a day that feels especially bleak for the teaching team as they juggle a disruptive documentary crew, student conflicts, a visiting MP and the news that the Manor is to be closed, the educators show strength in the united support they provide. They focus on what they can control, knowing that although it is necessary, it will not be enough.
With such a large cast the film struggles to give adequate attention to all the characters, an unfortunate failure of this film. However, all performances are magnificent and worth celebrating.
Overall, this was a thoroughly enjoyable film. It is available to stream now on Netflix.