Ian McKellen delivers his most compelling performance since his days as Gandalf in Steven Soderbergh's latest film, The Christophers. The veteran actor plays Julian Sklar, a cruel and bitter painter who torments his children and engages in a tense dynamic with a young art restorer.
A Masterful Performance
McKellen's voice, that thunderous and melodious instrument that has defined characters like Richard III and Magneto, fills every scene. It is put to beautiful use as he reinterprets the elder artist into a mad king, fuelled and decimated by his own ego. The role was written specifically for McKellen, and he seizes the opportunity with both hands.
The Plot Unfolds
The story follows Lori Butler (Michaela Coel), an art restorer with a side hustle in forgery, hired by Julian's disgruntled children (James Corden and Jessica Gunning) to complete his most famous series, The Christophers. The series consists of two sets of portraits of an old love, charting a relationship through shifts in style. Julian has not worked since, his imagination dried up and his reputation collapsed under a provocative persona.
Lori takes the job not only for a share of the sale money but as a form of vengeance against a disappointing man. When she arrives at his house under the guise of a new assistant, the power dynamics are clear. But Ed Solomon's script is deftly constructed, avoiding simple debates about cancel culture or parasocial relationships. Instead, it explores deeper questions about art, truth, and the gulf between them.
Soderbergh's Direction
Soderbergh's camera hovers eagerly, like a third body in the room, observing the interactions. McKellen's Julian is an endless torrent of pronouncements and unwarranted advice, but the actor summons the secret effort behind such recklessness. Michaela Coel brings her characteristic mental calculation to the role, keeping the momentum alive in a film that is mostly a young woman listening to an old man talk.
When Lori finally opens up and analyses Julian's work, it is a formidable moment. She sees his vulnerability splattered across the canvas. It is a testament to Soderbergh's skill that he connects so deeply with the material, revealing a piece of his soul in the film.
The Christophers is a lean, ambitious film that showcases McKellen at his best. It is in cinemas from 15 May.
