One of the most active and prolific filmmakers working today, Steven Soderbergh has made a career of pumping out new films every 6 months. They’re rarely the same, too, as he constantly tackles new genres and cultural examinations with engaging characters, dynamic direction and fascinating ideas. Heists and ghosts and spies are all part of his illustrious repertoire, so it shouldn’t be all that surprising that he would turn his attention to art. The Christophers is Soderbergh’s stab at the art world, a character study of aging artists and the profound effect criticisms, connection and loss can have on creators. Unfortunately, it pales in comparison to his recent and incendiary spy thriller Black Bag and feels more like a director on autopilot rather than an insightful exploration of the art world.

I will always be seated for Soderbergh, even ones that don’t quite work as well as other films in his filmography. But The Christophers is a regressive step backwards and for the first time in a very, VERY long time feels like maybe he should take a break. Two out of 3 isn’t half bad – Presence and Black Bag being the winners – but the miss of The Christophers is more glaring based on all of these films being made is such quick succession. It’s all just so bland and frankly boring, void of any kind of spark or interest outside of its excellent lead in Ian McKellen. It feels more like Soderbergh read a book about art and decided he was an expert rather than having anything lasting to say about it all. As much as The Christophers is about art, it’s not really about anything in the end. It wants to appear more clever than it actually is and never really makes any statement about art or artists or artistry.

Written by Ed Solomon and directed by Steven Soderbergh, The Christophers follows Lori (Michaela Coel), a young artist who now makes a living through forgery. Julian Sklar (Ian McKellen) is a famed painter past his prime, living in a secluded flat and happy to be alone and unbothered. When his estranged children hire Lori to recover lost paintings known as The Christophers that would be worth millions and forge them, Lori enters Julian’s life under false pretenses and begins learning more and more about the famed artist. It becomes clear that Lori has her own vendetta against Julian, and a battle of wits and discovery and a very unique, unorthodox relationship between student and master begin to take shape. The Christophers also stars James Corden and Jessica Golding.

A true chamber piece, The Christophers his held together by McKellen’s electric performance. The script requires a vast majority of the dialogue to be delivered by McKellen, reciting monologue after monologue while Cole is left simply watching him rant and muse. It’s incredibly fun and funny to watch McKellen go off the rails as a curmudgeon old man, and The Christophers would be nearly unwatchable if it wasn’t for McKellen going full tilt and completely committing to the bit. Thankfully he is still one of the greatest living actors among us and is able to make anything interesting if given the chance. it’s Cole who gets the short end of the stick. She’s relegated to a watcher in her own story, and Soderbergh never gives her enough to do or enough on the page to feel as impactful as she ends up being. Cole is an excellent performer, but she is incredibly restrained whereas McKellen is completely unshackled.

McKellen Outshines the Film Surrounding Him

That dynamic is by design, and should be an effective character study of the multifaceted sides of artists, the successes and failures and the purpose it instills upon those who dedicate their life to creating. But The Christophers lacks dynamism across the board and can’t get any of those more intriguing ideas across because of it. It’s visually bland, awkwardly paced, and spends most of its time talking AT the art world instead of engaging with it in any meaningful way. There’s certainly a reverence for McKellen, and The Christophers almost feels like an allegory for his own career. It’s the only real effective lens with which to interpret the film, and were the rest of the surroundings giving as much as the star does it would work significantly better.

Soderbergh is also attempting a bit more emotionality here, doing away with a twist or twist ending (spoiler alert: there isn’t one) and trying hard to dial into the characters themselves. Which would work if it wasn’t so reliant on a singular performance that is honestly giving far more than the material deserves. The Christophers’ flatness robs it of being emotionally effective and struggles to get their relationship and understanding of each other and art across in any meaningful way. It constantly talks in circles about a blank canvas and bringing a painting to life with every stroke, but fails create something that stirs the soul and connects with viewers.

It’s never fun to see one of the greats swing and miss. I’m confident it won’t slow him down, and I’m sure he’s got another film ready to go by the end of the year. But The Christophers just can’t hold a candle to Soderbergh’s previous work and can’t keep up with the Ian McKellen’s fastball. He’s a joy to behold and almost worth the price of admission, but an electric star with a great performance does not a good movie make. You can come to The Christophers for McKellen, but you certainly won’t stay for the art gallery show.

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