This United Kingdom comedy is about an artist with two estranged children, who hire a forger to complete the art works of their dying father. They want their father to leave them with a rich inheritance when he passes away.
THE CHRISTOPHERS. Starring: Sir Ian McKellen, Michaela Coel, James Corden, and Jessica Gunning. Directed by Steven Soderbergh. Rated MA15+. (Strong coarse language). 100 min.
Review by Peter W Sheehan, Jesuit Media Australia
Ian McKellen plays the part of a master painter who paints a series of art works with the same title as this film. He plays a famous, ageing artist who is completing art that features his own children. Another painter (Michaela Corel) is hired to assist and bring his art to completion. His children, Sally (Jessica Gunning) and Barnaby (James Corden) scheme to ensure their inheritance is worthwhile, when their father dies – which they think is soon. The art work requires further work, and both want their father to be “richly” honoured when he dies.
The movie features the accomplished actor Ian McKellen as an ageing artist, Julian Skylar, and the film is directed by Steven Soderbergh, who is well-known for films such as “Contagion” (2011), “Traffic” (2000), and “Logan Lucky” (2017).
McKellen’s performance as the dying artist is wonderful; the film captures precisely the power dynamics of a greedy family, and McKellen’s acting demonstrates both subtlety and sharpness. The film brilliantly contrasts the darkness of family scheming with plot elements fuelled by comic intent, and Soderbergh as Director explores lively comedy-drama with acumen. Sally and Barnaby want their father to be famous when he passes away, but they want him more to leave behind art that is very valuable.
This is a film about the nature of art that combines excellent acting with distinctive direction. The movie is highly satirical of the art world, and is directed by Soderbergh to alert viewers to come to the bargaining table with well-informed conclusions about what exactly is being sold.
Peter Sheehan, an Associate of Jesuit Media