STEPHEN Movie Review -A technically compelling thriller that almost becomes a great one
Story
stephen, raised in a violent and dysfunctional home, grows into a young man who dreams of becoming a filmmaker. During auditions for his project, his attempts to extract “raw emotion” from female aspirants turn abusive and disturbing. Simultaneously, cop Michael hunts a serial killer responsible for nine murders — a case that takes a shocking turn when stephen calmly surrenders and confesses.
Counsellor seema is then brought in to peel back the layers of his scarred childhood, his fractured psyche, and the truth behind his chilling narrative.
Performances
Gomathi shankar delivers a standout performance as stephen — unsettling, soft-spoken, dangerously ordinary. His ability to project menace without theatrics is the film’s biggest strength.
Kuberan and Vijayashree, playing Stephen’s battling parents, leave a strong impression with their volatile presence.
Smruthi venkat and Michael Thangadurai get roles with promise, but the script never fully capitalises on them. Most other supporting characters exist mainly to serve Stephen’s arc, with little room to shine.
Technicalities
'Stephen' truly excels in its visual language.
Gokul Krishna’s cinematography is moody, anxious, and intentionally claustrophobic — perfectly matching the protagonist’s inner storm. The editing lends the film a razor-sharp rhythm that keeps tension alive even when the writing dips.
Raghav Rayan’s music subtly amplifies dread without overwhelming scenes, letting silence and ambiance do the heavy lifting.
Analysis
The opening scene — a frightened child forced onto a Ferris wheel at night — sets the tone for the dark psychological descent that follows. The film uses an unreliable narrator approach, with stephen recounting his life story in eerily calm detail to counsellor Seema. These sessions form the spine of the narrative and offer glimpses into how a toxic family and emotional neglect shaped his worldview.
The film’s staging is smart: cramped frames, dim lighting, disorienting editing, and a muted palette that immediately thrusts viewers into Stephen’s warped mind. director Mithun balaji clearly attempts to break formulaic thriller patterns — some sequences are genuinely gripping, especially the power dynamics between Stephen’s parents in the flashback and the subtle Biblical symbolism woven into Stephen’s character.
However, the writing falters in the middle stretch. Certain subplots — particularly those involving Mary and Krithika — feel half-baked, rushed, or unnecessarily dramatic. The cop and counsellor characters remain surdata-face-level despite their importance to the narrative. For a film so heavily focused on psychology, the secondary character writing needed more depth.
Yet, the climax redeems much. The supernatural-tinged final act, where stephen confronts the spirits of his victims, is chilling, clever, and unexpectedly impactful. It recontextualises earlier scenes and sets up a powerful path for a sequel.
Ultimately, Stephen is a film where the individual moments overpower the whole. The ambition is admirable, the style striking, but the narrative execution is uneven.
What Works
🔥 Gomathi Shankar’s chilling performance
🎥 Atmospheric cinematography and sharp editing
😨 Unsettling opening and climax sequences
🎭 Effective use of unreliable narration
🌑 Strong visual identity and mood-setting
What Doesn’t
✏️ Inconsistent writing with underdeveloped subplots
🧩 Shallow characterisation for key roles like the cop & counsellor
🔄 Mid-section drags with repetitive staging
❌ Several scenes feel more symbolic than substantial
Bottom Line
Stephen is a stylish, unsettling psycho thriller powered by a terrific central performance and exceptional technical craft. Its ambition is admirable, but inconsistent writing and uneven pacing hold it back from greatness. Still, the film is bold, visually gripping, and ends with a punch strong enough to spark interest in a sequel.