CHRISTOPHERS, THE

(director: Steven Soderbergh; screenwriter: Ed Solomon; cinematographer: Steven Soderbergh; editor: Steven Soderbergh; music: David Holmes; cast: Michaela Coel (Lori Butler), Ian McKellen (Julian Sklar), Jessica Gunning (Sallie Milton Sklar), James Corden (Barnaby Sklar); Runtime: 100; MPAA Rating: NR; producers: Jim Parks, Iain Canning; A Department M production; 2025)

“It blew me away.”

Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz

The innovative great filmmaker Steven Soderbergh (“Black Bag”/”Let Them All Talk”) directs this acrimonious black comedy with his usual skill. It’s artfully scripted by Ed Solomon as a delightful acerbic two-character drama that’s set in London.

The elderly Julian Sklar (Sir Ian McKellan) is a once famous cancelled artist living as a recluse in a London townhouse that’s furnished with his finished and unfinished paintings and looks like a musty museum. He’s estranged from his greedy adult children, Sallie Milton Sklar (Jessica Gunning) and Barnaby Sklar (James Corden), who are afraid their grumpy father will die without finishing his masterpiece Christopher paintings (a series of portrait paintings). They figure to inherit the painting when he dies which will be worth millions if finished, but its value will be severely diminished if left unfinished.

The scheming children approach Lori (Michaela Coel), a former classmate of Sallie in art school, who is an expert forger now doing restoration work, with a proposition for her to finish the unfinished Christopher paintings in their father’s painting style. For her labor and taking such a criminal risk, Lori’s promised some of the profits.

Lori gets work as Julian’s assistant and eagerly accepts the forgery challenge.

During their interactions, Julian comes across as a self-absorbed artist who uses his influence to cruelly put down other artists.

The odd conversations between the ill-thinking Julian and the cunning but insecure Lori are priceless. The result is a smart and original art picture that gives voice to the arrogance of genius. It blew me away.


It played at the Toronto Film Festival.

REVIEWED ON 9/9/2025  GRADE: A-
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