Dir: Steven Soderbergh | Cast: Ian McKellen, Michael Coel, Jessica Gunning | UK Drama 100′
The Christophers is a darkly comic, intimate ‘stage piece’ set in the London art world and starring Ian McKellen who very much carries the film with his magnetic lead presence a Julian Skar.
A once-celebrated painter, now living in reclusive decline, he is a rather tragic character who knows that his best days are behind him, but never appearing mawkish, or theatrical. His estranged children, eager to secure their inheritance, hatch a scheme: they hire struggling artist Lori Butler (Michaela Coel) to pose as Julian’s assistant and secretly finish his unfinished paintings—known as “The Christophers”—so they can later sell them as authentic works.
What begins as a bit of a con unfolds into a tense, almost duel-like relationship between Julian and Lori, as suspicion grows and the two engage in a battle of intellect, ego, and artistic integrity.
This latest Soderbergh outing deliberately keeps its focus narrow —and ends up saying much more because of it. The action takes place in the confines of Julian’s cluttered London home. There are no dramatic plot-turns as the action is driven forward by the shifting power dynamics between the characters, and Ed Solomon’s acerbic often cynical script, Soderbergh acting as his own DoP and making clever use of the claustrophobic setting.
Opposite Julian, Michaela Coel brings a quieter, more controlled energy. At first, she seems almost overshadowed—but that’s intentional. As the action unfolds, you realise she’s a match for him in a more subtle way. There’s even a faint “heist” structure going on here, but Soderbergh deliberately underplays it.
Naturally McKellen outshines the other members of the cast, but that’s only to be expected, and they are rather underwritten into the bargain, so this feels like a one-man show at times, the screen lighting up whenever Julian appears. Still, what lingers is the film’s strong premise: what makes art “real”? Is it the hand that paints it, the intention behind it, or simply what people are willing to believe?
The Christophers is very much a character-driven drama that would also work well as a radio programme: witty, entertaining and – if you like theatre – right up your street.
NOW ON RELEASE IN UK CINEMAS