Steve

9/10/2025

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