'Steve' Review
- Connor Petrey
- Sep 18, 2025
- 2 min read
Release Date: 09/19/25 [Netflix]
Genre: Drama.
MPAA: Rated R.
Distributor: Netflix.
The Verdict: A Must-See
Steve is a feature adaptation of the 2023 novella, Shy - from what I can tell the focus of the book to film has shifted slightly to now the headmaster Steve rather than one of the students. Now the students still play a major role in the film, they influence the actions that Steve makes (including Shy) and showcase his spiral when he learns that everything he knows is about to disappear.
Steve is a biting drama with some fantastic directorial decisions to make it have some period focused imagery (such as the clothing, cars and technology) and tells the story of those that reside within a British boarding school for some of the more troubled individuals that wouldn’t make it in traditional schooling. When the owner of the property (and trust) decide to sell without telling the facility, the film focuses on a singular day of the process of grief in an expedited manner.
Cillian Murphy is just terrific as the titular Steve, as usual with Murphy he dissolves into the role we’re witnessing and comes out a different man than how we knew him before. His performance is transformative to put it lightly. Subdued, putting on a facade for the students and staff, only to crash hard when alone with his own thoughts regarding his fate and that of everything he’s built. The cast of students are also top notch and truly embellish the realistic over the top nature of troubled young adults that are in an attempt to be rehabilitated, Jay Lycurgo is the obvious standout as we see the biggest emotional offerings from his performance as Shy. The entire staff as well can’t be ignored with such a cast as the legendary Tracey Ullman, Roger Allam, and Emily Watson.
The chaotic nature of this particular day makes for an anxiety driven experience with a camera crew present for a news special and the turmoil that comes from learning of the school’s closure all in the same set of hours, while still managing and teaching the students inside the building. The film deals heavily in mental health and the course that mental health can take when we have a bad day or a bad course lying ahead - we see this thoughtfully and honestly told through both the characters of Shy and Steve. It’s not a drama for everyone, in fact some may come out of it not having gotten much from the picture, but for those that have themselves suffered through any form of anxiety or depression - Steve is easy to relate to and become emotionally invested as his (and Shy’s) day continues to submerge deeper into the abyss of worries for the possibilities of tomorrow.
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