Steve (2025)

A (very busy) day in the life of Steve, the headmaster of an alternative school for troubled boys. A "normal" day is probably eventful enough, but today they've also got a documentary team in to do a story on the school as well as a scheduled visit from a local official. 

The style of the film is chaos -- which is fitting as it captures the vibe of these very unsettled and often angry kids -- but it's also exhausting. Perhaps that was the point. The small staff here is dedicated but running on steam as they're often the target of tantrums and, in the case of the pretty new staffer, inappropriate attention. The point is well-made that tossing kids like these into prison-like situations will never teach them to manage their impulses and contribute to society, but it simultaneously illustrates just how much time and effort is necessary to help them. It's sobering, to say the least.

Cillian Murphy is brilliant here, but the film depends too much on vibes and doesn't give us enough of a story.

C+