Richard Crouse

SYNOPSIS: In “The Christophers,” a new dark comedy now playing in theatres, the greedy, estranged children of a once famous artist hire an art restorer to complete their father’s unfished paintings so they can sell them after his death. “This isn’t about the unfinished Christophers is it?” asks Julian Sklar (Ian McKellen). “I won’t paint them. I can’t paint them. Please don’t ask me. Please don’t even speak of them. My children are obsessed with them.”

CAST: Ian McKellen, Michaela Coel, Jessica Gunning, James Corden. Directed by Steven Soderbergh.

REVIEW: A finely observed story of second chances, “The Christophers” is given heart by top tier work from stars Ian McKellen and Michaela Coel.

McKellen is Julian Sklar, an ailing artist whose portraits of his ex-lover Christopher made him a sensation in the 1990s. His star faded in a swirl of cancel culture accusations, his work going the way of “the lava lamp and the leisure suit.” He lives alone in a cluttered London apartment, surrounded by memories of his heyday, visited only by health care workers and delivery people.

Even his children are forbidden from stopping by. “She’s s trainwreck; completely off the walls,” he says. “He’s a shipwreck, completely sunken.”

His hermetic existence is interrupted by Lori (Michaela Coel), a forger hired by his estranged children Barnaby and Sallie (James Corden and Jessica Gunning).

She is to pose as his assistant, find the unfinished paintings of his most famous subject, complete them and secret them out of the house for resale. “How would you know how I would have painted them when even I don’t know how I would have painted them?” he asks.

As Julian and Lori spend time together, what began as a small-scale art heist becomes a war of wills and a study of restoration of art and life. “It’s almost worth staying alive for,” Julian says.

A chamber piece, “The Christophers” is essentially a two hander. Director Steven Soderbergh opens up the action somewhat, with the occasional scene outside of Julian’s home, but the vast majority of the story happens with the two leads face-to-face.

Intimate, edgy and sweet, the back-and-forth between McKellen and Coel sparkles. In those moments the movie sings.

He’s a lion in winter, unrepentant, ravaged by time but filled with piss and vinegar.  McKellan gives the verbose Julian a fierce intelligence and humor always tinged with acidity. It’s a masterful performance, theatrical yet human, funny but touched with tragedy.

Although temperamentally different, Coel’s Lori is a perfect match in this battle of wits. She’s chillier than Julian, more subdued but radiates intensity, intelligence and a sense that there is more to her relationship with Julian than is immediately obvious. It’s layered work that acts as an anchor to McKellan’s more heightened performance.

“The Christophers” would likely work well as a stage play. Dialogue-heavy and character-driven, the fireworks here come from the performances and ideas on friendship, art and legacy, more than from Soderbergh’s tasteful, subtle presentation.