Steve

Though Cillian Murphy takes top billing and turns in a visceral effort in the title role, this is really a formidable ensemble effort as he leads a small group to teachers in what seems to be a constant rearguard action with some of the most unruly teenagers you’ll ever see. Helped out by his deputy “Amanda” (Tracey Ullman) and self-medicating regularly, he has the added pressure of a local BBC television crew coming to do a piece on the place; the local MP is also coming to get in on that action and the local council are also along this day to tell them all that the school’s future - at around £30k p.a. per pupil, is making the whole enterprise increasingly unfeasible. Our first glimpse of the residents sees us meet “Shy” (Jay Lycurgo) who is dancing about in a field slowly getting ”baked” at 10am! Then there’s “Jamie” (Luke Ayres). Larger than life in every sense and sharp enough to wind up just about everyone else; “Riley” (Joshua J. Parker) is akin to the Duracell Bunny only at ten times the speed. “Shola” (Little Simz) is the newbie teacher and Emily Watson’s “Jenny” tries to fathom out the psychology of their erratic behaviour. They are all foul-mouthed, violent and obnoxious, sure - but they are all also bright; they fight and brawl but there is loyalty amongst them, affection even. Each character gets their moment under the spotlight, but essentially we focus on “Steve” - a man who has demons of his own and on “Shy” whose behaviour has left his mum and stepfather to cut all ties with the lad. You get the sense that both men are in a very similar boat, only one of them wears a tie and the other some orange-foam headphones - and both deliver emotionally-charged performances. Ullman is strong and sympathetic in support to just about everyone and there is a unifying cameo from Roger Allam who plays the typically pompous and condescending MP “Montague-Powell” (pronounced “Pole”) who, like all but those who actually lived in this rapidly dilapidating stately pile,...