Fresh off his Academy Award-winning turn in Oppenheimer, Cillian Murphy continues to choose roles that dig deep into complex emotional terrain. After the quietly powerful Small Things Like These, he now steps into the intense world of Steve, a character-driven British drama set in the mid-1990s.
In Steve, Murphy embodies the titular headteacher of a last-chance reform school. A man determined to uphold the integrity of his institution while battling his own inner demons. The film’s premise unfolds over one pivotal, tension-charged day, offering viewers a tense, immersive look at the fragile heart of an education system on the brink.
The trailer preview underscores just how raw and unfiltered Steve’s environment is. The character himself describes himself as being “very, very tired,” a sentiment that immediately frames the school’s atmosphere as weary and fraught. Murphy’s Steve faces defiant, volatile teens he refers to as “extraordinarily complex young people”. A group whose volume and vulnerability both demand attention.
The trailer hints at the clash between harsh institutional realities and the students’ silent cries, with glimpses of physical outbursts, emotional breakdowns, and a teacher on the edge that is seen drinking from a small bottle in a moment charged with desperation.
A compelling narrative device in Steve pits the headteacher’s struggle with that of a student named Shy. Played by Jay Lycurgo, Shy epitomises volatile youth, torn between a tumultuous past and a self-destructive present. In weaving together their stories, the film illuminates the intertwined fragilities of authority figures and the young people they seek to reach.
Reuniting with director Tim Mielants, who worked with Murphy on Small Things Like These, Steve delivers a continuity of intense, character-focused storytelling. Adapted by Max Porter from his own novella Shy and produced by Murphy’s Big Things Films alongside Alan Moloney and Tina Pawlik, the film blends personal investment with singular artistic vision.
Supporting the central pairing of Murphy and Lycurgo are actors Tracey Ullman and Emily Watson, both of whom bring gravitas and nuance. Mulltilevel casting which includes Simbi Ajikawo, rounds out a cast poised to explore brittle human relationships under pressure.
Steve is set to premiere at the prestigious Toronto International Film Festival in September 2025, introducing international audiences to its emotionally charged narrative. Following its festival debut, the film releases theatrically in select locations set to begin on 19 September, before streaming globally on Netflix from 3 October 2025.
With Steve, Murphy delivers more than just another protagonist. He channels a figure caught in the crossfire between institutional collapse and the emotional needs of unseen youths. This is a film that’s as much a personal reckoning as it is a social commentary. A story that refuses to let either its characters or its audience look away.
As Netflix continues to expand its catalog with intimate, issue-driven stories, Steve promises a haunting, insightful cinematic experience, and one of Murphy’s most affecting performances yet.
Watch the trailer here
