Steven Soderbergh's latest film, The Christophers, is a deep dive into the complexities of artistic legacy and the lengths one might go to preserve it. The movie centers around artist Julian Sklar, a once-celebrated painter now reduced to recording personalized messages on a Cameo-style platform. Played by the legendary Ian McKellen, Sklar is a blustering, indefatigable figure who spends the entire film running up and down the stairs of his grandly decrepit London townhouse. His cachet has waned, and his recent work sells for a fraction of what his early paintings fetch. This is why his rapacious children, played by James Corden and Jessica Gunning, enlist the help of art restorer Lori Butler (I May Destroy You's Michaela Coel) to "complete" eight of their father's never-seen portrait sketches. The goal is to pass them off as recently discovered early works from his most celebrated period, The Christophers, which have sold for upwards of $3 million each. The children's plan involves Lori getting a job as Sklar's assistant, finding the unfinished canvases, finishing them in his style, and replacing them to be found after his death. This setup leads to a series of hidden agendas, blackmail, betrayal, and a masterstroke by Sklar, who decides to burn The Christophers. The film explores questions of artistry, authorship, and legacy, with Soderbergh and writer Ed Solomon placing their trust in the performers. McKellen's blustering and cajoling, contrasted with Coel's reserved and steely take-down, create a compelling dynamic. The film could have settled for being a masterclass in technique, but instead, it delves deeper, providing artful answers to the questions it raises.
