After the twinned successes of Peaky Blinders and Oppenheimer, Cillian Murphy could have done anything. Steve is adapted from a 2023 novella by Max Porter, entitled Shy, which artfully navigates the inner monologue of a troubled teen named Shy. However, the adaptation pivots from Shy (Jay Lycurgo) toward the titular Steve (Cillian Murphy), who acts as the head teacher of the embattled school. The brevity of the runtime (clocking in around ninety minutes), coupled with the sheer number of pupils, staff, documentary crew and various visitors, means that Steve is an aptly named film: only Steve emerges as a fully realised character. Technically impressive, Steve is often shot on handheld to achieve an off-the-cuff look that complements production designer Johnny Byrne’s striking work here.