Review: The Christophers

25 June, 2026 William Eguizabal 0 Comments 2 categories

Title: The Christophers
MPA Rating: R
Director: Steven Soderbergh
Starring: Michaela Coel, Ian McKellen, Jessica Gunning
Runtime: 1 hr 40 mins

What It Is: A former aspiring artist turned art forger is hired by the children of a once celebrated artist Julian Sklar (McKellen). What Julian doesn’t know is that his new assistant Lori (Coel) and he have a history. One that’s stuck with Lori. As she gets closer and closer to Julian she starts to see his mask slip and eventually fall off. It is who she uncovers underneath that she finds the most intriguing. Who is this enigmatic man now resigned to former glory?

What We Think: The relationship between our two main characters is where the entire film hinges. Thankfully there’s not a disappointment to be had. Steven Soderbergh is one of my favorite working directors. This fully stems from his diverse filmography. I mean look at his previous two films to this. Black Bag is nothing like Presence in any way and yet both are Soderbergh. It is this diversity that makes it always rather difficult to call any movie a “Soderbergh Joint” because no one truly knows what that looks like. A genreless superstar behind the lens. Michaela Coel is having an excellent 2026 thus far with this and Mother Mary both showcasing her immense talent. Here she’s subtle, every line delivered almost in a whisper as if the secret of her perceived revenge is known only to us.

Our Grade: A-, Soderbergh is a legacy builder of the grandest kind. As his career ascends it becomes more and more diverse and I am so here for it. McKellen shows he’s still an incredibly rangy and great talent. We don’t have too many around like him. This is a duo that works together so well and they make the entire film operate. Check this one out! It’s a great film with a fantastic central message. Make sure not to miss it now that it’s on VOD.