The Christophers

Art appreciation might be in the eye of the beholder, but what about ownership? The family feud in The Christophers doesn’t have easy answers regarding legal rights, ethics, and commoditized value.

Driven by two standout performances, this efficient small-scale drama from acclaimed director Steven Soderbergh is a fascinating examination of artistic commerce, creative legacy, preservation, exploitation, and greed.

It begins with two London siblings (James Corden and Jessica Gunning) hoping to hire fledging art restorer Lori (Michaela Coel) to complete a series of unfinished paintings — known as The Christophers — by their father, Julian (Ian McKellen), a famous artist in deteriorating health. Their motives, of course, are financial — trying to cash out behind Julian’s back as his lucrative output wanes in old age.

“You said this was a restoration job,” Lori counters. “This is a forgery job.” As they become defensive, however, she remains intrigued enough to meet the cantankerous Julian at his home studio without spilling the secret.

Physically frail yet mentally sharp, Julian somehow is simultaneously caustic and charming, with a tendency to ramble into vague rhetorical musings. As a fan, Lori is initially intimidated and slightly uncomfortable as he crosses boundaries in a subtle effort to establish control. She’s resilient, though, as their conversation turns more personal.

Julian is forced to confront his mortality while Lori challenges her ambitions and abilities. Behind their adversarial barbs is a mutual respect and a desire for validation.

Meanwhile, as motives are eventually revealed, Lori becomes caught in the middle of the family friction — wondering how she might be able to spin it to her own advantage rather than taking sides or becoming too emotionally invested.

Julian’s meticulously decorate, multilevel flat becomes another character as the camera weaves in and out of its cluttered rooms.

With almost 50 years in age between them, McKellen and Coel (“I May Destroy You”) establish a convincingly volatile chemistry amid the shifting power dynamics and offbeat twits in the witty screenplay by Ed Solomon (Now You See Me).

The film strains for a deeper sense of profundity in the second half that remains elusive. However, Soderbergh steers the proceedings with a sense of curiosity that fuels our own.

The ultimate fate of the paintings becomes secondary in The Christophers to the scheming away from the canvas. That’s where the film reveals its true value.

Rated R, 100 minutes.