Steven Soderbergh is one of the best and most prolific directors of modern cinema, effortlessly transitioning between genres. Presence and Black Bag are two of my favorites from last year, and this versatile filmmaker moves from crafting a family ghost tale and a spy caper to a dark comedy centered on an aging artist.

Ian McKellen is spot on for a role that feels tailor-made for the 86-year-old icon. Julian Sklar is a well-known bohemian artist whose glory days are behind him. His health is deteriorating, and death is looming, which makes his estranged children, Sallie and Barnaby (Jessica Gunning and James Corden), anxious that they’d be left with nothing if he passes away.

Then comes Lori Butler (Michaela Coel), an old college buddy of Sallie’s who now specializes in restoration. The siblings hire her as Julian’s assistant so she can access his unfinished artworks and finish them in his style. “The Christophers” refers to a series of never-before-seen portraits of Julian’s former lover decades ago, when he first came out. Sallie and Barnaby think (hope) they’d be worth millions, and Lori will get a third of the proceeds. There’s a sour history between Julian and Lori from her college days, which is revealed later, so they urge Lori to use the forgery project as “a chance for revenge.”

Soderbergh reunites with Ed Solomon, the screenwriter of his 2021 crime thriller No Sudden Move. With AI now embedded in the systems we use daily, it’s interesting to see a story that explores the idea of an artwork’s authenticity and the complex realm of authorship. To what extent does the original artist’s contribution render a piece of art authentic? Can excessive intervention from a restoration expert diminish the original creator’s artistry?

The script is essentially a two-hander, mainly consisting of dialogue between the artist and the con artist. It’s not really a witty repartee since Julian does most of the talking. Lori is quiet, deflecting Julian’s probing questions sternly but politely. Julian rarely picks up a paintbrush these days; for years, he has been earning his income by making personalized video messages for his fans. The valuable paintings have been relegated to a box in a cluttered room on the third floor, and Julian constantly asks Lori to dispose of them.

Soderbergh presents a stark contrast in their financial circumstances—Julian lives in a swanky, multi-level flat in the heart of London, whereas Lori resides in a humble artist’s loft on the outskirts. I can tell that Julian is aware of the true reason for Lori’s presence, yet she still manages to catch him off guard. Watching Lori do her restorative work on The Christophers is fun to watch, but the highlight comes when she matter-of-factly dissects Julian’s work in front of the artist. Instead of being offended by her critique, Julian is truly impressed and even excited to discover someone who connects with him both intellectually and artistically.

McKellen is a blast to watch here with his mischievous, devil-may-care attitude. “I was in a throuple back when it was just called cheating,” he’d nonchalantly say. At 86, he remains as sharp as ever, perhaps a bit too sprightly, portraying a character with a terminal illness. Coel, who rose to international fame through the BBC/HBO series I May Destroy You, proves to be an excellent match for McKellen. She’s got a formidable screen presence and effortlessly holds her own against the veteran actor.

Soderbergh has often embraced the adage ‘brevity is the soul of wit,’ managing to deliver a rich experience in just 1 hour and 40 minutes. I love films that explore unexpected connections, and Julian truly discovers a kindred spirit in Lori, who comes to care for him, much more than his own greedy children ever do.

While the film doesn’t provide clear-cut answers about the murky concept of authorship, it does have something to say about an artist’s legacy. The emotional finale encapsulates that notion while giving Lori a satisfying closure that she might have sought all along.