Saagar Kote
Directed by Mithun Balaji, Netflix’s ‘Stephen’ centers on the actions of a troubled man named Stephen. The psychological thriller film chronicles the trials and tribulations in his life as he makes a shocking decision. When reports of nine girls going missing shock the local community, Stephen surrenders to the cops and claims that he was involved in killing the nine girls. This unexpected confession causes chaos as it leads to a media frenzy and public outrage against him.
With the situation worsening, it is up to the case officer, Michael, and forensic psychologist Seema to unravel the truth or lie behind Stephen’s confession. As Seema questions Stephen about his past, she may discover that his enigmatic personality cannot be easily cracked. With Michael and Seema pushed to the limits, Stephen’s motivations, his past, and his present converge in mysterious ways. The Indian Tamil-language crime film intricately delves into themes of murder, deception, identity, human fragility, and justice. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Stephen Realistically Depicts the Intertwining of Murder and Psychology
Written by Mithun Balaji and Gomathi Shankar, ‘Stephen’ is a fictional story that reflects the chaos of the titular character and the complex convergence of violence and psychological factors. Despite the imaginary nature of the plot, the film explores serious themes of killing and the motivations behind it. On the one hand, it is a character study of a troubled man, and on the other hand, it serves as a commentary on social reality. The narrative sheds light on broken families, abusive parents, and social structures that may have an effect on young minds. In the film, Stephen’s journey highlights how violence sometimes stems from social factors, such as isolation and neglect. One of the most unique aspects of the film is the interactions between Seema and Stephen, which provide us with a deeper insight into the latter’s mind.
The narrative doesn’t glorify murder or use it as a tool of entertainment. It is more interested in the psychology of the killer and the reasons behind his actions. Seema represents the struggles of psychologists who are tasked with handling individuals who pose a danger. Spiritually, the interactions between Stephen and Seema in the narrative can be compared to the scenes between Hannibal and Clarice in ‘The Silence of the Lambs.’ The elements of suspense, fear, and violence intertwine in unsettling ways as we go deeper into Stephen’s mind. The film doesn’t portray people as violent, but looks at it from an individualist perspective. It isn’t interested in “who” the killer is, but is more concerned about “why” the killings took place. Ultimately, ‘Stephen’ is a fictional story that navigates real human emotions.
Stephen Explores the Mental Complexities of a Serial Killer
Although a fictional tale, ‘Stephen’ is a profound exploration of the criminal mind. It negates the genre trappings of classic “whodunnit” films and instead focuses on the act of killing. The thrill comes from the unpredictability of Stephen’s character and not from the technical details or clever deductions made by detectives. We don’t see a caricaturish or generalized idea of what a killer is supposed to be. In an interview with IANS, Mithun Balaji, the director of the film, divulged that the film originates from a 10-minute short film. He said, “There was no violence in that short film. It was about 10 minutes long. And it was a conversation by a serial killer with a psychiatrist. People found it interesting. We got a few awards for it which really encouraged us.”
Even with its runtime of nearly two hours, the movie primarily focuses on the conversations between Seema and Stephen, which is the emotional crux of the story. Talking to OTTplay, the director expressed, “The USP that we see for our film is that when mostly all the films are whodunit, here it is whydunit.” The core of the story is a character study, and not a thrilling chase sequence or a murder mystery. This also allows the characters to breathe and not be burdened by too many twists or turns in the story. In conclusion, ‘Stephen’ is not a one-dimensional or formulaic approach to killers, but a meditation on the complexities that make murder possible.
Stephen is a Fictional Killer With an Enigmatic Presence
In ‘Stephen,’ the most appealing aspect of the story is the unraveling of the titular character. He is given multiple shades of secrecy and deception, which make him a difficult character to morally judge. The film does not intend to deliver a social message or preach morals, but is more interested in gritty storytelling that goes deeper into Stephen’s soul. The co-writer, Gomathi Shankar, who also plays Stephen in the film, opined that the identity of the serial killer is revealed at the very beginning, which gives it the opportunity to explore the reasons behind his actions. The mindset of the fictional titular character makes him an intriguing figure. Gomathi also revealed that there was significant preparation and research behind the role.
He stated, “We went through a lot of docu-fictions, interviews on serial killers like Edmund Kemper, Ted Bundy and Jerry Brudos. Not that we were finding material to lean on completely, but help us figure out who Stephen will be, given we obviously cannot draw out of personal experiences,” Stephen’s character doesn’t exist in a vacuum, and is inspired in parts by the realities of the aforementioned infamous serial killers. Although he is essentially an imagined main character, his actions stay grounded in reality and do not appear cinematic or otherworldly.
Spiritually, the film shares similarities with works like David Fincher’s ‘Zodiac’ and Netflix’s ‘Mindhunter,’ created by Joe Penhall. Stephen is not depicted as a larger-than-life main character, but rather as a deeply flawed man who intends to leave his mark on the world through the act of killing and satisfy his ego. Ultimately, ‘Stephen’ is a unique work of cinema that seamlessly blends multiple perspectives on crime, violence, and psychology in a world of lies and deception, without succumbing to genre trappings.
Read More: Stephen Ending Explained
