Steve (2025 film)
Film by Tim Mielants
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Steve is a 2025 drama film directed by Tim Mielants and written by Max Porter, based on his 2023 novella Shy. The film stars Cillian Murphy, Tracey Ullman, Jay Lycurgo, Simbi Ajikawo, and Emily Watson.[2][3]
| Steve | |
|---|---|
Release poster | |
| Directed by | Tim Mielants |
| Screenplay by | Max Porter |
| Based on | Shy by Max Porter |
| Produced by | |
| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Robrecht Heyvaert |
| Edited by | Danielle Palmer |
| Music by | |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Netflix (Worldwide) Volta Pictures (Ireland)[1] |
Release dates |
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Running time | 92 minutes[1] |
| Countries |
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| Language | English |
Steve had its world premiere in the Platform Prize section of the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival, and was released in select cinemas in the United Kingdom and the United States on 19 September 2025, before its streaming debut on 3 October 2025 by Netflix.
Premise
Steve is a headteacher in charge of a school for boys with social and behavioural difficulties.[4]
Cast
- Cillian Murphy as Steve
- Tracey Ullman as Amanda
- Jay Lycurgo as Shy
- Simbi Ajikawo as Shola
- Emily Watson as Jenny
- Douggie McMeekin as Andy
- Youssef Kerkour as Owen
- Luke Ayres as Jamie
- Joshua J Parker as Riley
- Araloyin Oshunremi as Benny
- Tut Nyuot as Tarone
- Tom Moya as Paul
- Ahmed Ismail as Nabz
- Joshua Barry as Ash
- Archie Fisher as Posh Cal
- Ben Lloyd-Hughes as Julian
- Priyanga Burford as Kamila
- George Fouracres as Angus
- Marcus Garvey as Geoff
- Ruby Ashbourne-Serkis as Charlotte
- Roger Allam as Sir Hugh Montague Powell
- Amy Cudden as Claire
Production
The project was announced for Netflix in February 2024 as being produced by Cillian Murphy's production company, Big Things Films, with his collaborator Alan Moloney also a producer. Tim Mielants directed, and Max Porter adapted his own novel Shy for the film.[5] Murphy and Porter previously collaborated on the stage adaptation of Porter's Grief Is the Thing with Feathers and on the short film All of This Unreal Time. Porter gave Murphy a copy of Shy in a proof edition before it was completed and Murphy was quoted as saying "it just broke my heart. They're the sorts of things I love as a reader and as a performer".[6] Jay Lycurgo also joined the cast.[7]
Principal photography began on May 24, 2024, and wrapped on July 5 in the UK.[8] Filming locations included Bath, Somerset.[9]
Release
Steve was released in select theaters in the United Kingdom and in the United States on 19 September, before being released worldwide on Netflix on 3 October 2025.[10]
Reception
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 77% of 88 critics' reviews are positive. The website's consensus reads: "A sobering drama that throws everything along with the kitchen sink at its doggedly determined hero, Steve's pileup of crises can strain credulity but Cillian Murphy's superb performance keeps it grounded in reality."[11] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 65 out of 100, based on 25 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[12]
Damon Wise for Deadline writes that the film "breezes by at a surprisingly brisk pace" and "packs a lot of deep thought into a seemingly slight tale."[13]
Accolades
The film received nominations for the British Independent Film Awards 2025, including best lead performance for Cillian Murphy and best supporting performance by Jay Lycurgo.[14] In January 2026, the film was nominated at the Irish Film & Television Awards for best film, and best lead actor for Cillian Murphy.[15] It was nominated for Outstanding British Film at the 79th British Academy Film Awards.[16]
