Review. The Movie. Steve.

Movie Review: Steve (Starring Cillian Murphy)

Netflix consistently produces a lot of good movies, and the film Steve, starring Cillian Murphy, is no exception. While I initially had an overpowering urge to switch it off, I’m very glad I didn’t.

The film portrays Steve as a man in deep pain, constantly needing the stimulation of drugs he has cleverly hidden throughout the building. He is in charge of a school that serves as a last resort for troubled boys who have committed various crimes or whose families are unable to cope with them.

The cast features several notable names, making it an even better watch. The young actors playing the residents, or “service users,” all display distinct personalities, ranging from those with strong wills and violent tendencies to others who just want to chill or simply need someone to talk to.

The plot centers around a day when a camera crew visits the school to film a documentary on its operation and to gauge the feelings of the students and teachers. The film progresses nicely, but be prepared for a lot of strong language, which I think adds a necessary sense of realism.

A central element of the story is the impending closure of the school due to budget cuts—a timely plot point, as the film is set in the ’90s under a Conservative government. We also learn that Steve is profoundly haunted by a past car accident in which a young girl was killed, leaving him unable to cope without the medication he keeps stashed in a laundry room.

Cillian Murphy not only starred in the movie but also directed it, and I must say he deserved the success it achieved.

Go enjoy it—I certainly did!