By Bonnie McLaren
Copyright standard
Cillian Murphy hit the red carpet in London for the UK premiere fof his latest film, Steve.
The actor, 49, walked the red carpet at the Curzon cinema in Mayfair, London.
Also attending the glitzy event were other members of the the film’s cast including Tracey Ullman, Jay Lycurgo, and Little Simz, alongside director Tim Mielants.
The European premiere for the film happened on Monday in Cork, Ireland, Cillian’s hometown, something the actor said was meaningful to him.
“I’m a bit emotional to be bringing the film here. It means a great deal to me,” the actor said while introducing the film to an audience at the Arc cinema.
The film – an adaptation of Max Porter’s novella Shy – follows a headteacher (Murphy) at a reform school, who struggles to keep his students in line while dealing with his mental health and addiction issues.
Writing in the Guardian, Peter Bradshaw gave the film four stars, and called Murphy’s performance “one of his most uninhibited and demonstrative”.
In a four star review for Rolling Stone, Anna Smith writes: “As the title suggests, the focus is on Steve, and Murphy puts in a committed and believable performance as the man trying to hold everything together while battling his own demons.
“The extent of those demons is gradually revealed as the film continues: this invites you to piece the puzzle together as you go on a journey with the characters. It’s darkly funny and thought-provoking – and as nail-biting as you might expect.”
Variety go as far to call it “this year’s best Netflix movie”.
“A profoundly moving and superbly acted diamond in the rough, Steve is better than anything the streamer has pushed for best picture to date,” Peter Debruge writes.
Little Simz plays a new teacher in the film, and she has just released new track Don’t Leave Too Soon, which appears on the film’s soundtrack.
At a Q&A after the European premiere, Murphy also said his preparation for the role was shaped by the fact his parents were teachers.
“Both my mum and my dad are retired teachers, educators. My dad was also a cigire [school inspector] so like, I grew up around that,” he said, according to the Irish Examiner.
“And I kind of knew what it was like to live with the after-shock of teaching 35 adolescents and then coming home to look after your own adolescents.”
Steve drops on Netflix Steve on October 3, and will be shown in limited cinemas from September 19.
