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Steve
2025 92 min Ireland R 16+
★6.7
Drama
Director: Tim Mielants
📖 Based on the novel
«Shy»
byMax Porter
Trailers
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Description
Over one intense day, the devoted head teacher of a last-chance reform school strives to keep his students in line while facing pressures of his own.
Starring
Cillian Murphy
Actor
Tracey Ullman
Actor
Jay Lycurgo
Actor
Awards
Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award. 1 win & 7 nominations total
Key opinion
Steve is a character-driven drama that highlights the internal struggle and professional burnout of educators navigating a broken system. While the film is praised for its raw, neorealist style and strong ensemble acting, critics are divided on whether its emotional message offers genuine depth or relies on overly simplistic solutions.
| Acting | Cillian Murphy anchors the film with a compelling, nuanced portrayal of a fractured teacher grappling with guilt and impostor syndrome. | |
| Cinematography | The cinematography employs a gritty, hand-held realism that effectively captures the volatile and claustrophobic environment of the school. | |
| The narrative succeeds in portraying the quiet, existential toll of professional burnout and the desperate need for human connection within archaic systems. | ||
| Ending | The film’s resolution is polarizing; some view it as a poignant, simple conclusion to an emotional journey, while others find the reliance on themes of love and forgiveness to be banal or lacking in substantive closure. |