A documentary crew arrives at Stanton Woods, a reform school for troubled teenagers, primarily to discuss whether such special private schools deserve the taxpayers’ money. Directed by Tim Mielants, Steve, as the title suggests, is about Steve (Cillian Murphy), the headteacher at the school, and we get to witness a day in his life and watch everything descend into a state of complete chaos. As demanding as his job was, Steve believed strongly in the objective of the reform school. He was of the opinion that juvenile offenders/troubled teenagers deserved another chance, and the school helped them prepare to step out into the world outside. He was well aware that a regular school would never cater to the needs of these children, and they needed specialized care to help them develop their moral conscience.
Spoiler Alert
How did the news affect Steve?
It becomes evident pretty soon that a day in Steve’s life is usually chaotic. He had too much on his plate, but as a result of the funding crisis, he couldn’t really afford any extra help. Moreover, he believed in the vision of the institution, and he was ready to go the extra length to ensure that the students got the opportunity to live a life of dignity. Steve knew each of his students like the back of his hand. While to the world outside they were a bunch of rowdy teens without any future, Steve saw the potential in them. He believed that as long as he recognized their talents and nudged them in the right direction, they would someday make him proud. His staff members included Amanda, the deputy head, who’d been with Steve through thick and thin; Shola, a young teacher who’d recently joined the school; and Andy and Owen, the other staff members. Steve had to handle logistics as well as constantly check on the kids to ensure that they were doing alright. On top of that, he also had to be presentable for the documentary crew, whose presence had created quite a disruption.
Steve also had a meeting with Julian and Charlotte. While he’d assumed they would announce a funding shortage and ask them to keep the heaters turned off through the winter, it turned out they had already sold the school. They only had six months left to vacate the school, which also meant that the students would have no place to go, and they didn’t have enough time to arrange an alternate option for them. Steve didn’t know how to deal with the situation. He tried to explain how complex these students’ lives were and how they deserved to have a place they could always return to, but Julian made it very clear that it was already too late and they weren’t ready to reconsider. Steve popped pills to cope with the stress, but it just wasn’t enough to help him deal with the fact that his project had failed. He was afraid that one day, when the kids would ask him what they were supposed to do now, he wouldn’t have an answer. He showed them hope, yet he couldn’t guarantee them a shelter to help them focus on education and behavioral changes. That day, MP Hugh Montague-Powell showed up at the school to encourage the boys to vote wisely. The PR stunt didn’t go as planned, and the man walked out, disappointed. Steve didn’t have the energy to deal with any of it. He resorted to alcohol and a vial of oxycodone that he’d carefully tucked away in a cupboard.
Was Steve an addict?
Steve struggled to cope with the news, and he spiraled out of control. He knew that the kids needed his guidance, and the shutting down of the institute made him feel helpless. When the pills didn’t help him calm his nerves, he consumed a vial of oxycodone and grabbed a few bottles of wine from the cellar. Jenna, the therapist, complained about Steve’s inability to give her enough time to discuss the progress of the students with him. A lot had happened in a short span. She sensed that one of their students, Shy, was going through a difficult phase, but he refused to discuss it with her. He’d stopped journaling, he’d given up on his morning routine and breathing exercise, and all of it indicated that he felt hopeless, and she wondered if he’d resorted to weed to cope with his feelings. Recently, Tarone had made suggestive sexual remarks at Shola, and while Jenna thought he would’ve ended up behind bars had he done the same in public, the school had been lenient on him, and they hoped that he would self-reflect on his actions. Jenna’s conversation with Tarone pointed out that the boys often missed their families, even though they always had a tough time respecting the rules of the house, but there were days when all they wished was to return to their safe space. This further underlines how important the institute was for the boys, because without it, they would’ve been frustrated and gone back to their usual problematic ways and ended up in prison. Jenna knew Steve cared about the boys, but she was afraid that he was trying to take on too many responsibilities and clearly struggling.
Amanda noticed that Steve was not his usual self. He was too jittery and overwhelmed, and she sensed he must have taken something to cope with the stress. We gradually discover that Steve had been in an accident a couple of years back. He was brutally injured, and perhaps that’s when he was prescribed oxycodone and he developed an addiction. A little girl had died in the accident, and Steve never really processed it. He preferred not addressing the constant aching pain he lived with, and Amanda knew that it had severely affected his mental health. The fact that Steve wasn’t imprisoned suggests that he wasn’t directly responsible for the death of the girl, but regardless, he never really got over the incident. Steve was often described by his colleagues as a sorted-out individual, but he’d gradually started to lose control of himself. He’d dedicated his life to saving those individuals whom society considered unwanted, yet his efforts didn’t really amount to the kind of change he’d hoped for. Every day was a struggle to make ends meet and keep things functional. So, when Shy mentioned in passing if he was an alcoholic and whether that was the reason he wanted to save them, he couldn’t really get the comment off his mind. He perhaps wondered if his purpose was rooted in self-interest, and if it was actually his guilt that had been his driving force. His need to resort to drugs and alcohol might have made him think that he wasn’t any better than the kids; just like them, he too didn’t know how to handle a hurdle and had resorted to the easiest way to keep himself distracted. He was embarrassed of himself, but he didn’t know how to deal with the situation.
What made Shy change his mind?
Shy struggled with addiction at a young age, and it was only after he’d hurt a kid and his stepdad that he realized that it was all very messed up. He had been working towards improving himself and had followed Jenna’s guidance to navigate his emotions better. He listened to music and collected stones, and even though he was prohibited from consuming weed within the premises, at the very beginning of Steve, Shy was seen smoking a joint. Steve saw him, but he didn’t make a big deal out of it. He instead tried to have a friendly chat with him; even though Shy wasn’t completely ready to step into the outside world, he was trying. But a phone call changed everything for Shy. He received a call from his mother; she was disappointed in him for losing his temper (he repeatedly called and insulted them). Shy didn’t think it was a dealbreaker, but his mother decided that she’d had enough of him. She and her husband had decided to sever all ties with him. Shy didn’t believe her at first; he thought that was not something parents could ever do to their children, but he soon realized that she was serious, and he was completely devastated. The thought of never being able to return home or have the support of his family left him feeling empty. The staff members at the school always told him that they wanted him to share his every thought with them, but he just couldn’t do it. He didn’t think anyone knew him like his mother did, so no one would actually understand the emotional turmoil he was going through.
Shy had mentioned that if he could go back in time, he would visit his nana’s place. He missed being an innocent boy, living an uncomplicated life—a time when his behavioral issues weren’t considered trouble and he was loved regardless of the mess that he made. His nana’s house was his safe haven, and all he wanted was to travel back in time and relish those moments a little longer. This just goes on to show the guilt that these kids lived with; the constant feeling of being a disappointment wasn’t easy to navigate, and when their parents gave up on them, they felt that the whole world had turned their backs on them.
During Steve’s ending, Shy attempted to take his life. He carried a bag full of stones to the nearby lake and had almost walked into the water body when something changed in him. It can be assumed that he was reminded of Steve, the man who never gave up on him and encouraged Shy to use him and the other staff members to unload his feelings. So, instead of using the bag of stones to drown himself, Shy used the stones to break the glass windows and grab the attention of the students and staff members. Steve had read the note Shy had left in his room before he attempted to kill himself. He thought he was already too late, but when he saw Shy return to the school premises, he was relieved. Maybe at any regular school breaking glass windows would’ve been considered a terrible violation, but in Stanton Woods the symbolic gesture triumphed over the rules. They were simply happy that instead of choosing the destructive route, Shy realized that he had a community he could always fall back on and they were worth returning to.
What does the final scene suggest?
Steve was drunk, and he couldn’t stop himself from overthinking about the comment that Shy had made. He felt the urge to check on Shy because he knew that, just like him, Shy too was going through a rough phase. That was when he found the letter, alerted the staff, and started searching for the boy. Steve was so intoxicated that he fell into a ditch while attempting to cross the school gate. But even at his lowest, when he could barely move, his past actions and words had an impact on Shy, and he chose light over darkness. Throughout the entire day, Steve felt like a complete failure, but in the end, he was glad that he could at least save Shy. Had it not been for Steve, the young lad would’ve given up. And that just goes on to show how important it was to have establishments such as Stanton Woods. Even though his mission hadn’t succeeded, Steve’s influence would continue to have a positive outcome on the lives he’d touched. Steve had left an audio recording for Shola to help her understand the kids better. During the ending of Steve, the audio is played, and we witness the deep affection that Steve had for the kids. He loved them with all their flaws and quirks, and he accepted them the way they were, something that even their families often struggled to do. He had the innate ability to see the best in people, and that was reflected in his actions.
In Steve’s ending, after an eventful day, the titular character returned home tired and weary. His two beautiful daughters greeted him as they left for school with their mother. His wife was supportive of his endeavor, and she advised him to rest the entire day, especially after seeing his muddy clothes. Steve tried to rest, but he couldn’t, and he ended up grabbing a bottle of alcohol. The film comes to an end with the protagonist climbing into the attic. Steve had always hoped that his students would one day realize that one’s existence isn’t always bleak, life could be beautiful, and all one needed to do was explore and hold on to what they loved. The ending can be interpreted as Steve losing faith in what he believed in. Since he was about to lose the one thing that he’d dedicated his life to, he didn’t feel he had anything left to keep going. Or perhaps he decided to stash the bottle of liquor in the attic once he figured he was struggling to keep his hands off it. One could also assume that maybe he climbed into the attic because he was planning on packing his things and disappearing just like he’d mentioned to the documentary crew. Maybe he thought he had served his purpose, and he didn’t know how to live with the guilt and disappointment, so he just wanted to run away. Steve was the one who needed saving this time. He needed someone to tell him that he had to live through it all instead of trying to escape from it. The vague ending leaves room for speculation; whether Steve continued to fight for what he believed in or gave up and left (or killed himself) is for the audience to speculate on.
What Does The Durdle Door Signify?
Throughout the film, the image of Durdle Door repeatedly appears, and it becomes Shy’s reason to keep going. He always stared at the picture of Durdle Door in his classroom, perhaps hoping to explore the place one day. He was fascinated with stones and their shapes, so naturally he developed a desire to visit the tourist spot, and it is likely that it gave him a sense of purpose and hope when he was consumed by darkness. Since the school had already been sold, there was not much Steve or Amanda could do. Gathering funds to start afresh will be a tiresome (and somewhat hopeless) process, and they’ll only succeed if they find someone who’ll strongly believe in their vision as well. But if that doesn’t work out, then the boys will be back on the streets, without anybody to help them or guide them. Some might choose the right path and stay out of trouble, but the same might not be true for all the students. It is likely that there will be a few who will gravitate towards their old lifestyle. Society has turned their backs on these kids, and they’ll only raise concern after a crime is committed. The system is flawed, and people such as Steve deserve appreciation and support, but unfortunately they are overlooked, underpaid and ridiculed.
