Dir: Steven Soderbergh, UK/US, 2025, 100 mins
Cast: Ian McKellan, Michaela Coel, James Cordern, Jessica Gunning
Review by Carol Allen
Particularly popular were a series of portraits of one Christopher, a man with whom he was obviously in love, even though he was married at the time with two children – a not uncommon situation for a gay man in those days. Now Julian is an old man, hard up, a bit demented, irascible but also funny and a perfect role for Ian McKellan who does it full justice. Age cannot wither in his case
Returning to the Christophers, as they were known, rumour hath it that somewhere in the rambling two houses connected by a gap knocked in the wall where Julian lives – one is his studio, the other is for living in – are a further five unfinished portraits of the young man, abandoned by the artist presumably after the love affair ended. They would now be worth a fortune, reason his now adult children Sally (Jessica Gunning) and Barnaby (James Cordern), thinking of their inheritance.
Though the two houses alone in a smart part of London, ramshackle though they are, would be worth a million or two at today’s prices, I would have thought. Be that as it may, the siblings have pound signs in their eyes and they hire a down on her luck art restorer Lori (Michaela Coel) to befriend Julian, then somehow borrow the abandoned paintings and finish them in their father’s style so they can sell them for a lot of money when he dies.
And so begins an interesting, tricky and constantly changing relationship. McKellan relishes a role whose frequent changes, twists and turns reveal new aspects of the character. Cole’s role is overall more reactive. Her huge, expressive eyes are a great asset here.
She is always there, concentrating, in the moment. Unlike the more usual mentor/mentee relationship you might expect between an older and younger, this one is full of the unexpected. Cordern and Gunning have their moments but the real joy of the film is the complex and constantly changing verbal dance being played out by the two principals. It’s a delight.
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