STEVE Review

Steve (Cillian Murphy) is the headmaster of a reform school named Stanton Wood. If the children were Steve's biggest worry at the school, he might consider his job a cake walk. Instead, in addition to trying to get these kids on the right track, Steve must also deal with the school falling into a state of despair, being chronically understaffed and underfunded, and if all of that wasn't enough, there's the ever-present fear of the school being sold.

While most of those issues are ultimately out of Steve's control, what he can control is trying to make the best of it and creating a nurturing environment for the kids. As for the kids, for the most part, they just wind each other up to get a reaction. Some pick fights, some showboat, others have dreams of pursuing music, and then there's Shy (Jay Lycurgo). Shy is no different in that he also has a troubled past, but there's something about him that makes him standout from the others. He comes across as wise beyond his years and there's a softness to him that makes you want to root for the best possible outcome for him.

The day that we spend at Stanton Wood is a big one for the school. There's a documentary team present to interview the staff and kids for a segment that'll air at the conclusion of the local school. Because of this, Steve is a bit on edge today. He's got to try and make sure that everyone remains on their best behavior so that Stanton Wood is portrayed in a positive light. If this segment is received well, it could result in funding increases.

Unfortunately for Steve, that's not the only big event to happen at Stanton Wood that day. No, as it turns out, members of the trust are present to infrorm Steve that they've sold the school. Not that they're thinking about it or that they have a potential buyer, but that the deed is done. To make matters worse, the sale is scheduled to complete in December, smack in the middle of the current school year.

Can Steve somehow manage to put on a happy face and keep it together for the kids?

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By no means was it a hard sell for me to be interested in Steve. I've said before that I could watch Cillian Murphy watch grass grow and be entertained by it. I'm happy to say that that statement rings true yet again as Murphy puts on an absolute master class in Max Porter's adaptation of his own novella titled Shy. Admittedly, I have not read the novella but from what I was able to gather, it places the focus primarily on Shy and his journey.

While I would absolutely be invested in that version, I think splitting the focus between Shy and Steve allowed for some necessary layering for a film adaptation. By splitting time between Shy's journey and Steve's, we're able to see the impact of just a single day's events on the mental health of both of them. Whether it is losing contact with the people who were keeping you going, or dealing with unresolved grief and trauma, both Porter and director Tim Mielants carefully handle each topic with the respect they deserve.

I also appreciated that everything took place over the course of one day. We don't spend time with elaborate backstories and we don't see how things fared 6 months, 1 year, etc. down the line for anyone. We get just enough information to hook us and then are off to the races in a "life in a day" sort of approach.

If I were to nitpick, some of the cinematography felt out of place. I loved the use of handhelds to really immerse you in the conflict and drama as it is unfolding. However, there are some drone shots that while they look pretty cool, they don't necessarily match the style or tone of the rest of the film.

What's truly disappointing is that Steve is the type of movie that just doesn't get a wide release anymore. It's not "flashy", it doesn't continue to build out any franchise, and not a lot of people are keen to talk about, let alone go see a movie about, mental health. I liken it to my days of working at Hollywood Video where I'd take a movie home and it'd open with the STUDIOCANAL or Samuel Goldwyn Films logos, where when the film ends, you're left sitting there thinking about what you just watched.

Before Steve gets lost in the shuffle of Netflix, please do yourself a favor and give it a watch.

🍿 SCORE = 90 / 100