Auteur Steven Soderbergh is back with a new film in theaters after last year’s double treats of Presence and Black Bag. Since 2017, Soderbergh has released at least one movie a year, most of which have had theatrical runs. Soderbergh obviously knows how to churn them out, and churn them out well! So, a little more than a year since his last theatrical release (Black Bag), The Christophers is now playing in theaters, making the Soderbergh fans salivate.
The movie stars Sir Ian McKellen as a fictional legendary artist named Julian Sklar. During his heyday, Sklar took the art world by storm as a rebel who vehemently fought conventions, but also did not make much money in the process. Now that Sklar is in his eighties and very ill, his own children are ravenously salivating over his estate, an estate that could benefit from more expensive art. In his younger days, Sklar began a series of paintings featuring a male subject, titled The Christophers, and while in the middle of producing it, he abruptly canceled the project. Now that it seems Sklar cannot put up much of a fight, Sklar’s son, Barnaby (James Corden), and his sister, Sallie (Jessica Gunning), hire “art restorer” Lori Butler (Micaela Coel) to steal the unfinished works and complete them for sale. Though this plan initially seems foolproof, Lori runs into several snags after meeting Sklar and discovering that he isn’t done fighting.
Written by Ed Solomon, Soderbergh’s The Christophers is a prime example of his most minimal work. Now, I don’t mean that in a negative way, but the film mostly takes place in Sklar’s home, and the bulk of the movie revolves around conversations between Sklar and Lori. Ed Solomon (or even Soderbergh, for that matter) could easily adapt this screenplay into a stage play. That said, both McKellen and Coel are incredible to watch on screen. McKellen’s theatricality and eloquence are tempered by Micaela Coel’s subdued, subtle performance. Watching the two of them perform is like attending an acting masterclass, showcasing distinct styles.
High praise must be given to Ed Solomon for writing a deeply layered script that works on several emotional levels despite its apparent simplicity. And again Soderbergh delivers exceptional work. It almost seems like the director could make movies in his sleep. He has gotten so good at his craft that he can put out a movie every year, sometimes two! The movie probably won’t appeal to all audiences, but fans of Soderbergh are sure to love it. Also, admirers of high art and the artists who create it. It is clear that Soderbergh, Solomon, and McKellen are at that level, while Coel is getting there. The Christophers is now playing in theaters everywhere.