Release Date - May 15

Cert - 15, Run-time - 1 hour 40 minutes

Director - Steven Soderbergh

Art restorer Lori (Michaela Coel) is hired by the children (Jessica Gunning, James Corden) of artist Julian Sklar (Ian McKellen) to forge unfinished masterpieces for the sake of their inheritance.

On the promotion trail for his latest film, Steven Soderbergh has been much quoted in regards to looking to use AI in his next feature. It's particularly a shame that a director such as himself, known for low to mid-budget crowd pleasers with quick turnarounds, would make headlines with these remarks whilst publicising a work all about the humanity and emotion of art, and our connection with it and the expression it allows.

As Ian McKellen's renowned artist character Julian Sklar revisits unfinished masterpieces he throws paint and assorted art supplies at the canvas with mixed intent and emotions. The camera never pans to the front of the canvas to tell us if the third set in his Christophers series is being further formed or destroyed.

His aim is to remove a part of the past that's been sat covered up on the top floor of one of his neighbouring homes for 25 years. Having hired new assistant Lori (Michaela Coel) he asks her to do the job; unaware that she's been hired by his children (Jessica Gunning, James Corden) to forge the remainder of the works in the hope they'll be worth millions.

Lori works part time as a restorer when not making her own private work and the relationship between her and Julian is punchy and fluctuates as much as their bonds with their shared bond with art itself. Throughout, McKellen and Coel are truly magical, appearing to relish the opportunity to perform beside each other.

Soderbergh makes a quieter film than expected from the trailer which shows The Christophers as much more comedic than it actually is. One that's reflective, interwoven with a scattering of chuckles; largely in the form of quips and jabs from Sklar.

There's a lot hidden of him, and equally for Lori, that gradually unravels over the course of the film. Although, intentionally, not in its entirety, and certainly not in an upfront style. Yet, you can see how much is held within by both characters from their pasts, leaking through in their interactions and resentments.

The aforementioned scene where McKellen attacks the canvas of an unfinished Christopher makes it clear that this isn't a film about art itself, but out relationship with it and what we put in it because of that. From beginning to end, the film acts as a finely constructed, welcoming look at creation and the feelings that go into, and come from, it; and how long those can linger and change over the years.

Gently told with a gliding pace, it's easy to be captured by the performances and details unveiled gradually throughout, by them and the screenplay. With effects and specifically crafted shots and artworks lasting in the mind long after the credits have finished.

Four stars.