--- title: "Steve: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/steve/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/steve" critics_score: 70 critics_reviews: 17 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Steve (2025): what the critics said Critics' score 70 from 17 reviews: 8 positive, 8 mixed, 1 negative. The reviews lean positive on Steve, though enthusiasm is far from uniform. Praise centres on Cillian Murphy’s strained, committed performance, with Jay Lycurgo and the young ensemble also drawing strong notices. Several critics find the drama deeply affecting and compassionate in its treatment of care under institutional pressure. The restless cinematography earns praise for conveying that strain, although even some favourable reviews find individual flourishes excessive. The divide is over whether that intensity gives the characters depth or crowds it out. More cautious reviews describe a scattered, cluttered film whose emotional force is weakened by divided attention. The AV Club argues that the abbreviated storytelling leaves characters underdeveloped, while IndieWire objects to the lack of detail about teaching and the students’ lives. The spread is wide: admirers find the film’s urgency moving, while detractors see frantic technique trying to compensate for too little substance. ## The Observer — Wendy Ide Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 19 September 2025. Ide delivers a strongly positive verdict, calling the film gripping and exhausting and Murphy’s performance devastating. She especially praises the frazzled tension created by the cinematography and the standout performances from Murphy and Jay Lycurgo. [Read the review](https://observer.co.uk/culture/film/article/steve-is-a-nerve-shredding-portrait-of-troubled-souls) ## Empire — Miriam Balanescu Fi1m's normalised score 88/100 (inferred from the text). 18 September 2025. The critic calls the film an emotionally powerful, rallying portrayal of a broken education system. They praise its forceful emotion and disorienting cinematography, while noting that some aerial shots overreach. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/steve/) ## Variety — Peter Debruge Rating Critics Pick. 6 September 2025. Festival review. Debruge calls the film profoundly moving and superbly acted. He praises Murphy’s committed performance alongside the convincing young ensemble. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2025/film/reviews/steve-review-cillian-murphy-1236509285/) ## Radio Times — Terry Staunton Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 17 September 2025. The review presents the film as powerful and stylish, with Cillian Murphy in awards-worthy form. It particularly praises the drama’s responsible and intelligent approach. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movies/steve-review-netflix/) ## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 6 September 2025. Bradshaw finds the drama fiercely affecting and ultimately hopeful, while noting that its ending softens some of its earlier ferocity. He praises Cillian Murphy and Jay Lycurgo’s performances, which lead an outstanding cast. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/sep/05/steve-review-cillian-murphy-is-outstanding-in-ferocious-reform-school-drama) ## The Hollywood Reporter — David Rooney Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 11 September 2025. Festival review. Rooney finds the film harrowing but deeply moving, and ultimately compassionate rather than despairing. He especially praises Cillian Murphy’s riveting performance as a teacher whose care for his students persists through personal strain and institutional neglect. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/steve-review-cillian-murphy-netflix-1236367923/) ## Screen Daily — Nikki Baughan Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 6 September 2025. Baughan’s headline signals a positive verdict, describing Cillian Murphy as impressive. The standfirst also characterizes the film as propulsive, but the review’s details are behind a paywall. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/steve-review-cillian-murphy-impresses-at-the-heart-of-netflixs-max-porter-adaptation/5208613.article) ## Los Angeles Times — Robert Abele Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 19 September 2025. Abele finds the film sincere and energetic but too scattered to deliver its full emotional impact. He praises its vivid performances and especially its moments focused on the vulnerability of Steve and Shy. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2025-09-19/steve-review-cillian-murphy-jay-lycurgo-tracy-ullman-emily-watson-tim-mielants) ## RogerEbert.com Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). The page could not be accessed, so the critic’s verdict is unavailable. No specific praise or complaint can be verified. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/steve-film-review-2025) ## The New York Times Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 2 October 2025. The article body is inaccessible, so the critic’s verdict cannot be established. No praise or complaint can be reliably identified. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/02/movies/steve-review-cillian-murphy.html) ## Time Out Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). The page identifies this as a review of the film, but its article text is unavailable. The critic’s verdict and any specific praise or complaint cannot be verified. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/steve-2025) ## The AV Club — Jacob Oller Rating C+. 26 September 2025. Oller finds the film a frustratingly abbreviated, cluttered drama that leaves its characters and story underdeveloped. He praises Cillian Murphy’s magnetic performance as the weary headmaster, but says the film’s short runtime and split attention undermine it. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/steve-review) ## IndieWire — Richard Lawson Rating C-. 5 September 2025. Festival review. Lawson finds the film a frustrating, hollow exercise that mistakes frantic style for meaningful realism. He faults its failure to show the school’s educational work or give its students nuance, despite Cillian Murphy’s energetic performance. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/steve-review-cillian-murphy-stars-1235149339/) ## Little White Lies — David Jenkins Rating 4/2/2. 17 September 2025. The review finds the film frantic and overstuffed, with too little detail to make its emotions convincing. It praises Tracey Ullman’s appealing, nuanced performance. [Read the review](https://lwlies.com/reviews/steve) ## Deadline — Damon Wise Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 6 September 2025. Festival review. Wise finds the film thoughtful, affecting, and a bittersweet celebration of caring for people in their darkest moments. He praises Cillian Murphy’s immersive performance and the ensemble, especially Tracey Ullman. [Read the review](https://deadline.com/2025/09/steve-review-cillian-murphy-tim-mielants-british-school-drama-1236509968/) ## Paste — Jesse Hassenger Rating 4.9. 19 September 2025. Hassenger finds the film unfocused and only half-successful as a character study. He praises the chemistry, charisma, and humor of the young performers, and notes that Murphy’s unusual outbursts have novelty. [Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/cillian-murphy/steve-cillian-murphy-netflix-movie-review) ## The Wrap Fi1m's normalised score 55/100 (inferred from the text). 6 September 2025. Festival review. The review finds Steve powerful but flawed, with a premise and direction that never quite come together. It praises the performances, especially Cillian Murphy and Jay Lycurgo, and the student ensemble. [Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/steve-review-cillian-murphy-tim-mielants-netflix/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/steve.md