• Consequence
  • Music
  • Film
  • TV
  • Heavy
Menu Consequence
Menu Shop Search Sale
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Features
  • Live
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Mobile App
Advertisement
  • Reviews
  • Film Reviews

SXSW Film Review: Miss Stevens

A handsomely directed tale about a high school teacher at a crossroads

B

Directed by

  • Julia Hart

Starring

  • Lily Rabe
  • Rob Huebel
  • Oscar Nuñez

Release Year

  • 2016
Advertisement
Randall Colburn
March 15, 2016 | 9:59am ET

    Bookmark and follow our exclusive coverage of the South by Southwest Film Festival 2016.

    sxsw film 20162 e1457283247553 SXSW Film Review: Miss StevensMiss Stevens, the debut feature from writer/director Julia Hart, is perhaps most notable for what it’s not, and that’s another ennui-soaked tale of a high school teacher’s taboo affair with a student. Sure, ennui is everywhere in this handsome, well-acted feature, but what’s weirdly revolutionary about Miss Stevens is how it doesn’t assume a teacher’s depression stems from a longing for the freedoms of youth. As played by Lily Rabe, the film’s namesake character is struggling with something much more complicated, namely the psychological toll that comes with caring for your students as people rather than, well, students. That she’s still figuring out how to be an adult isn’t helping her any, either.

    So when she volunteers to take three students on a weekend trip to a high school drama competition, Rachel Stevens is forced to navigate the nebulous shift in dynamic that occurs when a teacher and her students meet in the real world. Margot (Lili Reinhart), for example, relies on Rachel for emotional support when she screws up her big audition. The boy-crazy Sam (Anthony Quintal) wants relationship advice. And then there’s Billy (Timothée Chalamet), a moody delinquent with a passion for drama and an interest in Rachel that’s, at best, spectacularly unhealthy.

    Related Video

    Rachel is also only 29, just a little more than a decade removed from the students she’s paid to educate. As such, she sees no problem drinking in front of the kids, dancing at their social, or hooking up with a married teacher (Rob Huebel) she meets on the dance floor. Fear not: this isn’t Bad Teacher territory; Rachel’s behavior is absolutely normal for her age, but is it appropriate here? And how does it change her students’ perception of her, not to mention her impact as an educator?

    Advertisement

    Rabe’s performance here is nothing short of stunning. The sharp, lived-in tics and details of her character work are instantly endearing, an open window into her vulnerabilities and passions. What’s especially wonderful is watching her navigate the subtle shifts, the moments when she realizes a conversation with a student is veering into uncomfortable territory. Out-of-classroom conversations between teacher and student, after all, can be something of a minefield. Hart also culls strong supporting performances from the ever-charming Huebel–effectively dialed down from the absurd characters he often plays in comedies–as well as Chalamet, a talented young actor who can oscillate nimbly between charming and unhinged.

    Hart’s direction, as well as her script, is sharp and elegant. Both maintain a brisk pace with short, impactful scenes heavy on humor and pathos. But she’s not afraid to let her camera linger during pivotal moments, resulting in a few scenes that hypnotize with their stillness, including a long, beautiful monologue Rachel spins about her mother. She’s also clearly well-versed in the academic festivals that serve as this film’s setting. Several details are pitch-perfect, from the chintzy lighting of the mixer to the precious, soft-spoken moderators who live and die on meaningless aphorisms (“Today we learn what’s you, what’s me, and what’s us,” says one, hilariously).

    But despite the film’s impressive pedigree and refreshing thematic bent, Miss Stevens still plays at times as slight. The existential plight of the white, pretty, and privileged are the indie world’s bread and butter, and Hart’s film falls squarely into that subgenre. Its appeal is likely to be less than encompassing. That said, Hart’s perspective is something to be lauded; Rachel’s plight is never once hinged upon her relationships, romantic or otherwise, with men. Sex isn’t the cause of or the solution to any of her problems. For those reasons and others, Miss Stevens is a more mature film and blessed with a point of view that helps it transcend other stories of its ilk.

    Advertisement
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Reddit

More on this topic

  • Julia Hart
  • Lili Reinhart
  • Lily Rabe
  • Rob Huebel
  • SXSW 2016 Coverage
  • Timothée Chalamet

Sign up for updates

Subscribe to our email digest and get the latest breaking news in music, film, and television, tour updates, access to exclusive giveaways, and more straight to your inbox.

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitch
  • Tiktok
Advertisement

Popular Stories

Kyle Mooney, Kate McKinnon and Aidy Bryant SNL

TV

Saturday Night Live Shakeup: Kate McKinnon, Aidy Bryant, and Kyle Mooney Leaving Show

the cure new album

Music

Robert Smith Says The Cure's New Album Will Be Out by October

Shop This Limited-Edition Bundle from GWAR

Shop This Limited-Edition Bundle from GWAR

Advertisement

the smiths songs ranked

Features

Every Song by The Smiths Ranked From Worst to Best

aimee osbourne fire

Heavy Consequence

Ozzy Osbourne's Daughter Aimée Escapes Recording Studio Fire That Left One Dead

Personalized Stories

Around The Web

Latest Stories

B
Downton Abbey 2 Review

Downton Abbey: A New Era Delivers Exactly the Sort of Period Drama Fans Crave

May 18, 2022

B-
Chip N Dale Rescue Rangers Review

Chip n' Dale: Rescue Rangers Review: Disney+ Attempts Chipmunk Neo-Noir in Live-Action Reboot 

May 17, 2022

C-
Firestarter Review Zac Efron

Firestarter Review: Zac Efron Stars In a Stephen King Remake That Quickly Flames Out

May 12, 2022

B+
Top Gun Maverick Review

Top Gun: Maverick Review: Tom Cruise Goes Full Throttle In a Sequel That Does the Original Justice

May 12, 2022

Advertisement

News

  • Music
  • New Music
  • Album Streams
  • Upcoming Releases
  • Film
  • TV
  • Pop Culture
  • Tours

Reviews

  • Music Reviews
  • Film Reviews
  • TV Reviews
  • Concert Reviews
  • Festival Reviews

Features

  • Editorials
  • Interviews
  • Lists
  • Rankings
  • Artist of the Month
  • Song of the Week

Live

  • Concert Tickets
  • Festival Tickets
  • Festival News
  • Tour Dates
  • Livestreams
  • Music Instruments & Gear

Heavy

  • News
  • Interviews
  • Concerts

More

  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Music Videos
  • Streaming
  • Wellness
  • Giveaways

Other sites

  • Heavy Consequence
  • Consequence Media
  • About
  • Privacy policy
  • Advertising
  • Terms
  • Contact
  • Copyright
  • Do not sell my personal information

Download our app

  • Get it on the App Store
  • Get it on Google Play
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitch
  • Tiktok
Consequence
Current story

SXSW Film Review: Miss Stevens

Menu Shop Search Sale
Consequence
News
  • All News
  • Music
  • New Music
  • Album Streams
  • Upcoming Releases
  • Film
  • TV
  • Pop Culture
  • Tours
Reviews
  • Music Reviews
  • Film Reviews
  • TV Reviews
  • Concert Reviews
  • Festival Reviews
Features
  • Editorials
  • Interviews
  • Lists
  • Rankings
  • Artist of the Month
  • Song of the Week
Live
  • Concert Tickets
  • Festival Tickets
  • Festival News
  • Tour Dates
  • Livestreams
  • Music Instruments & Gear
Podcasts
  • The Opus
  • Kyle Meredith With...
  • Stanning BTS
  • The Story Behind the Song
  • The What
  • Going There with Dr. Mike
  • The Rome and Duddy Show
  • Rootsland
  • This Must Be The Gig
  • Assembly
Videos
  • Interview
  • Video Essay
  • Fan Theories
  • Sole Kitchen
  • Annotated Video
Heavy
  • News
  • Interviews
  • Concerts
  • Premieres
  • Culture
  • Beyond the Boys Club
  • Mining Metal
Shop

Follow Consequence

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitch
  • Tiktok
Close
Close
 

Loading Comments...