TIFF Review: Cillian Murphy Keeps the School Drama Steve on Course

      It’s an awful, terrible, very bad day for Steve (Cillian Murphy). As the headmaster of Stanton Wood, a boarding school for troubled boys, he arrives at work to find students arguing, fighting, and a staff that feels unappreciated and needs his support. He also discovers from a couple of trustees that the board plans to permanently shut down Stanton Wood in six months. Additionally, a documentary crew has already taken up residence in the hallways and classrooms to interview students and teachers for an exposé on this tumultuous institution.

      If the initial setup for Steve feels overwhelming, it only represents the start. Tim Mielants’ adaptation of Max Porter’s novel Shy unfolds over 24 hours, closely following Steve’s administrative and caregiving duties as they lead him into a downward spiral of substance abuse. Despite being overwhelmed, Steve remains a kind-hearted leader who builds genuine connections with the students, even as they challenge his authority and grapple with their rebellious tendencies. He understands that every small victory and resolved conflict can make a significant impact on their lives; yet, he faces obstacles and is running out of energy to fulfill the promise of a brighter future. He knows he can’t continue like this much longer.

      Steve marks the second collaboration between the Belgian filmmaker and the Oscar-winning actor after last year's Small Things Like These. However, Murphy’s nuanced performance struggles to shine through in the same way, hindered by Mielants’ jarring tone shifts and constrained by Porter’s erratic script, which fails to fully commit to its main character without sacrificing the drama surrounding its intriguing students. Among them, Shy (Jay Lycurgo) stands out, constantly blasting EDM through his headphones, especially after his mother calls and forbids him from returning home. This represents one of the film’s few quiet, poignant moments, while the rest of his narrative feels frustratingly absent and underdeveloped. Whether due to the script’s urgent one-day timeline or a desire to give Murphy more screen time, Mielants can only tell—not show—how special and equally troubled Steve's students truly are.

      In some respects, the structure mirrors Porter’s script, which employs documentary-style interviews with various teachers and aides (notably Tracey Ullman and Emily Watson) to convey essential background information about the school and its students. Mielants captures these moments with lo-fi digital cameras to create a documentary feel that highlights the mindset of each child. However, every time Steve finds a rhythm, the film makes distracting, stylistic choices that seem rooted in Mielants’ access to drones and an energetic electronic soundtrack. In one scene, the camera soars and circles around the school grounds, detailing the dynamics between Steve, Shy, and the other boys, but this choice doesn’t add any dramatic weight—it feels more like a music video that diminishes the gravity of the situation. Such tonal shifts increase the energy and occasionally shed light on certain characters’ states of mind, but they mostly contribute noise without clarity—provocative filmmaking that merely mirrors the boys’ unchecked aggression.

      Murphy keeps Steve grounded. Among his many talents is the ability to express emotions while processing thoughts internally. You believe in his authority not because he acts authoritative, but due to the weary resignation that the school has instilled in him, coupled with a deep empathy that persists amid adversity. Like most educators in this rich subgenre (the underdog instructor facing a group of unruly students and indifferent superiors), Steve operates in constant reaction mode, extinguishing fires and striving to maintain balance just to make it through the day. However, he also walks the halls carried by a persistent sense of regret and anxiety. Is he to blame for the school’s closure? Could he have done more? Without Murphy, those feelings and questions lack the depth they deserve, detracting from the intended impact of the film’s ambiguous ending. He represents Steve’s only solid hope.

      Steve premiered at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival, opens in theaters on September 19, and will be available on Netflix starting October 3.