The Christophers

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2:09

The Christophers

R

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1h 40m

Comedy

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

96%

Tomatometer

127 Reviews

86%

Popcornmeter

100+ Verified Ratings

Desperate for an inheritance, two siblings conspire to forge their father's unfinished paintings so they become valuable after his death.

Critics Consensus

A sly caper carried off with director Steven Soderbergh's characteristic panache, The Christophers is a superb two-hander featuring Ian McKellen and Michaela Coel at their very best.

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Kate Stables

Sight & Sound

18h

For a film about approaching death, and the sudden, devastating loss of talent that may precede it, it’s a surprisingly sparky movie – one that exudes warmth and life.

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Tim Cogshell

FilmWeek (LAist)

1d

This is a really wonderful film. Very funny, but also sort of moving.

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Adam Kempenaar

Filmspotting

Apr 30

4/5

That's what makes [Coel] such a foil for McKellen's Julian here. She's so composed. She's so still... She studies Julian, not like a painter... but like a painting.

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Sarah Manvel

Movies We Texted About

5h

How do we bring out the best in each other? The Christophers knows, and shows us so expertly it might not get its full due. This is what happens when an artist’s normal standard, like Mr. Soderbergh’s, is so high we forget how hard it is to be this good.

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Rubén Rosario

MiamiArtZine

18h

The film, while occasionally funny, feels claustrophobic and stagy, even though it was written for the screen. Soderbergh's direction here often feels like he's on autopilot, as if his mind is already on his next project.

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Beandrea July

FilmWeek (LAist)

1d

Ian McKellen and Michaela Coel are the platonic couple you never knew you needed.

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Mr Hollywood

12h

The art parts are pretentious. The other parts dragged on and on. Too much none interesting dialogue

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Dianne

1d

Superb acting/script.

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ryan j

Apr 29

Fantastic movie! They don’t make enough smart dramedies like this these days. Excellent performances from both leads, too.

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jesse v

Apr 28

A young very very patient artist works for an old British artist that has a rich art collection and listens to him ramble and each other calls out their bluff. Good performances but need action from the characters rather than speak art jargon.

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Brian

Apr 27

It was a little bit of a slow start , but then I really enjoyed the movie

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Robin E P

Apr 27

Art, like almost everything under the sun, has become something of a "racket" with quality/review/interpretation variations, etc. etc. I enjoyed the spoofiness of this movie very much with the serious undercurrent. Especiallly enjoyed the dig at Warhol. Michaela Coel was stunning and marvelous Ian M always a delight! They played very well together. Loved the ending.

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Steven Soderbergh

Director

Ian McKellen

Julian Sklar

Michaela Coel

Lori Butler

James Corden

Barnaby Sklar

Jessica Gunning

Sallie Milton Sklar

Daniel Fearn

Locksmith

The Christophers: Trailer 1

2:09

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Synopsis

Desperate for an inheritance, two siblings conspire to forge their father's unfinished paintings so they become valuable after his death.

Director: Steven Soderbergh
Producer: Iain Canning, Jim Parks
Screenwriter: Ed Solomon
Distributor: NEON
Production Co: Department M, Butler & Sklar Productions
Rating: R (Language)
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 10, 2026, Limited
Box Office (Gross USA): $1.6M
Runtime: 1h 40m
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)