The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) lit up Friday night as Steve, starring Cillian Murphy, made its world premiere at the Royal Alexandra Theatre. The film, Netflix’s film reimagining of Max Porter’s Sunday Times bestseller Shy, earned a warm and emotional reception, with the spotlight also shining on breakout actor Jay Lycurgo for his deeply vulnerable performance as Shy.
Set in the mid-90s, Steve follows a pivotal day in the life of Steve (Murphy), a headteacher at a last-chance reform school fighting to save the institution from closure while battling his own mental health struggles. In parallel, Shy, played by Lycurgo, is a troubled teen trying to reconcile his inner fragility with violent impulses and the weight of his past.
Following the screening, Lycurgo joined the cast and crew onstage and reflected on the powerful connection he shared with his castmates. “I couldn’t have done it without these boys,” he said. “But they’re so open and vulnerable from the beginning. And because of that, when you go to that space, you go to that scene, and you feel like you can do anything. They really feel like brothers. I’m so proud of them as well. It makes me emotional just watching the film. Every time I sit there, I’m like, ‘F**k…s**t’ [laughs].”
Jay Lycurgo on the ‘real fragility’ and ‘struggle’ in ‘Steve’
He went on to speak about the emotional core of his character, Shy. “I feel like in a character like Shy, there’s a real fragility and a struggle… not all of us have that. And that’s us. We’re all here, getting on with life for all of us. [and going through things] behind closed doors. That’s what we’re really trying to show. I feel like this film is so vulnerable for that. And once again, because it built up gradually with all of us, I feel like we could really show that in the film.”
Lycurgo also shared how the film tackles masculinity and emotional growth across generations. “I feel like with Steve and Shy, though, what I love is that both of them have struggled in different stages of their lives. Like all of us have said, we’re all lost boys. No matter what age. I’ve always wanted to communicate better with men and be more open with men. But I feel like that generation weren’t taught how to do that.”
Directed by Tim Mielants and written by Max Porter, Steve was produced by Alan Moloney, Murphy and Tina Pawlik, with Porter also serving as executive producer. The film’s score comes from Ben Salisbury and Geoff Barrow. The cast includes Murphy, Lycurgo, Tracey Ullman, Simbi Ajikawo, Emily Watson, Douggie McMeekin, Youssef Kerkour, Luke Ayres, Joshua J. Parker, Araloyin Oshunremi, Tut Nyuot, Tom Moya, Ahmed Ismail, Joshua Barry, Archie Fisher, Ben Lloyd-Hughes, Priyanga Burford, George Fouracres, Marcus Garvey, Ruby Ashbourne-Serkis and Roger Allam.
When is ‘Steve’ on Netflix?
Steve premieres Sept. 19 in select theaters before hitting Netflix on Oct. 3.
