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What is Steve, the Netflix (2025) Film Starring Cillian Murphy, About?
- TalkTeaV
- 6 minutes ago
- 3 min read
A devoted teacher fights to save his reform school and reach a troubled teen during one life-changing day.
Cillian Murphy, Araloyin Oshunremi, Joshua J Parker, and Luke Ayres, cast of Steve (2025): Image Courtesy of Netflix
The Netflix drama Steve premiered on October 3, 2025, following a limited theatrical run that began September 19 in the United Kingdom and the United States. Directed by Tim Mielants and written by author Max Porter from his own bestselling novel Shy, the film stars Oscar-winning Cillian Murphy alongside Jay Lycurgo and Tracey Ullman. Mielants and Murphy, who previously worked together on Peaky Blinders and Small Things Like These, deliver a grounded story about endurance, empathy, and the quiet power of teachers.
Set in mid-1990s England, Steve follows one intense day in the life of a head teacher fighting to keep his reform school open. Murphy plays Steve, a man trying to protect his students from a system that has given up on them while struggling with his own mental health. Meanwhile, one of his students, Shy (Jay Lycurgo), faces the pull between violence and vulnerability as he searches for hope in a place built for second chances.
The film balances realism with compassion, showing how teachers and students mirror each other’s battles. Director Tim Mielants said the story resonated with him personally: “I was very dyslexic and a lost case, and thanks to a few teachers who refused to give up on me, I'm here right now. Teachers are so important. They're building our future.”
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(L to R): Alan Moloney, Tim Mielants, Simbi Ajikawo, Cillian Murphy, Jay Lycurgo, Max Porter, and Tracey at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival
Along with Murphy and Lycurgo, the cast includes Tracey Ullman, Simbi Ajikawo (Top Boy), Emily Watson, Douggie McMeekin, Youssef Kerkour, and Roger Allam. The film’s music, composed by Ben Salisbury and Geoff Barrow, deepens its emotional tone.
Murphy, who also produced the film with Alan Moloney and Tina Pawlik, recalled the moment Lycurgo won the role: “We had all seen the tape, and it broke everybody’s heart. Everyone was weeping, and we knew that he was the kid. Jay has such a mature and complex approach to film acting — he’s really a stunning actor for someone so young.”
Steve premiered in the Platform Prize section of the Toronto International Film Festival, where programmer Jason Ryle described it as “a bruised elegy for institutions under siege and a character study shaped by the courage of those who persist within them; a chamber piece of forceful commitment, lost boys, and stubborn acts of hope.”
Tracey Ullman as Amanda and Cillian Murphy as Steve in the Netflix film Steve (2025): Courtesy of Netflix
Steve drew a mixed response from critics, though most agreed on its emotional weight and strong performances. Anna Smith of Rolling Stone called it “darkly funny and thought-provoking — and as nail-biting as you might expect.” In contrast, Brian Tallerico of RogerEbert.com felt the film “feels designed to get a response from the viewer on the other side of the glass when a better movie would give us the feeling we’re actually in the same room.”
Despite differing opinions, both critics highlighted the film’s intensity and the impact of Cillian Murphy’s performance. Steve remains notable for how it portrays vulnerability and connection in a world that often overlooks both. As Mielants told Tudum, “Vulnerability is the strongest weapon we possess as human beings.” Through Steve and Shy’s parallel struggles, the film reminds viewers that even in broken places, hope can still take root.
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