After two theatrical releases last year, the ever-prolific Steven Soderbergh is back this spring with The Christophers, which brings together Ian McKellen, Michaela Coel, James Corden, and Jessica Gunning. Following its premiere at TIFF last fall, NEON has picked up the dramedy for an April 10 release and now the first trailer has arrived.
Here’s the synopsis: “Julian Sklar (Ian McKellen) was once a star of London’s 1960’s and 70’s pop art explosion, but he hasn’t painted in decades and has been broke for years. His two estranged children (James Corden, Jessica Gunning), desperate for an inheritance, hire Lori, an art restorer and former forger (Michaela Coel), to pose as a prospective assistant in order to access 8 unfinished canvases Julian has buried deep in storage. Her plan is to complete them, then return them to storage, where they are to be “discovered” upon Julian’s death.”
Christopher Schobert said in his TIFF review, “The Christophers’ chief relationship is a drippy mix of all the above. It’s centered on a failed artist, Lori (played with confidence and seen-it-all annoyance by Michaela Coel), who is hired by the heirs (embodied with lustful nervousness by James Corden and Jessica Gunning) of the legendary painter Julian Sklar (Ian McKellen) to grab his famous (or infamous) series of unfinished paintings known as “The Christophers.” What follows is a (seemingly) long dialogue between McKellen and Coel. And it is generally pretty compelling. Unfortunately, it’s also a bit dull, visually and dramatically.”
See the trailer below.
