The Thursday Murder Club (2025)

Mildly Entertaining Mystery - The Thursday Murder Club review by GI

Adapted from the ingenious and fun filled novel by Richard Osman I can't help but think that the film has been given a veneer of gentle, Father Brownesque Sunday afternoon TV to make this nothing other than a mildly entertaining mystery with a great cast who often struggle for something to do. Helen Mirren dominates as a feisty former spy Elizabeth, now living in a very plush retirement home with her dementia suffering husband (Jonathan Pryce). Her fellow residents Ron (Pierce Brosnan), Ibrahim (Ben Kingsley) and Joyce (Celia Imrie) get together and pore over old unsolved murder cases which they then try to solve. The details of these cases Elizabeth gets from files kept by a dying resident who is an ex cop. But when there is a threat by the sleazy co owner of the home (David Tennant, having the time of his life) to sell it, the group rally everyone to try and stop him. The resulting murders of the owners starts the group onto a real life investigation much to the frustration of the police led by Daniel Mays. The story comes across in the film as utterly preposterous and rests on ridiculous coincidences which leaves the film feeling rushed and underwhelming. This would have been better as an episodic TV series with a slightly edgier take on the mysteries that run through the story. It has its moments but the plethora of talent often overwhelms the somewhat weak script. Lovers of the book will either love it or be disappointed depending probably on whether the casting matches the reader's vision of the characters.