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Soderbergh’s The Christophers Opens in UK Cinemas to Strong Reviews

Reviewers single out Ian McKellen with Michaela Coel in a lean London drama about art and legacy.

Overview

  • The film arrives in UK theaters with praise centering on Ian McKellen’s performance alongside Michaela Coel.
  • The plot follows a skilled forger, played by Coel, recruited by an ageing painter’s estranged children (James Corden and Jessica Gunning) to finish his valuable, unfinished portraits.
  • Steven Soderbergh made the movie on a modest budget in London, serving as director, camera operator, and editor during a brisk 19‑day shoot.
  • Critics describe an intimate two-hander set largely in a single townhouse, noting sharp writing and roving camera work that keeps it cinematic.
  • One review casts the film as a quiet rebuttal to Soderbergh’s stated plan to lean on AI in a future project, underscoring its focus on craft and authenticity.