As an avid reader from a young age, I grew up reading numerous mystery novels. From Nancy Drew to Encyclopedia Brown, there was nothing quite like diving into a story and trying to solve it before you reach the conclusion. This fascination with mysteries has only grown in my twenties and thirties, leading me to consume way more true crime documentaries than should be humanly possible. So when The Thursday Murder Club was announced at Netflix with an impressive cast attached, I was practically frothing at the mouth. It was everything I wanted and needed, and I hadn’t even seen it yet.
Based on the 2020 novel from Richard Osman, The Thursday Murder Club follows four retirees whose passion for solving cold cases collides with their real lives when a murder arrives on their doorstep. Much like a Murder, She Wrote, this group of septuagenarians and octogenarians is ripped from their cozy lives of tea and socializing into a dark reality that threatens to take away what they love the most: their home and ultimately, each other. With a screenplay from Katy Brand and Suzanne Heathcote, this Chris Columbus-directed film captures a quirky and cozy side to murder. The Thursday Murder Club spins a unique tale that sets it apart from others, while still giving mystery lovers exactly what they want and expect.
[Warning: light spoilers and impression of The Thursday Murder Club are below!]
Death comes a-knockin’ in The Thursday Murder Club
When we first meet the members of the Thursday Murder Club, they are well into the swing of their weekly hobby. What once was a foursome has inconveniently become three, with Elizabeth Best (Helen Mirren) stepping into the shoes as the de facto leader of the club. Now a retired spy, Elizabeth is well-versed in the psyche of people and the movements within the shadowy underbelly of government and cities. She possesses a wealth of knowledge, although she finds it challenging to let a case go without first finding a solution.
Balancing her precision and poise are those of Ron Ritchie (Pierce Brosnan) and Ibrahim Arif (Ben Kingsley), a union leader and psychiatrist, respectively. Each individual has a unique perspective on life and an expertise that helps solve crimes; however, they are lacking in the medical knowledge needed for their latest cold case. Thankfully, retired nurse Joyce Meadowcroft (Celia Imrie) also resides in the same retirement village, Cooper’s Chase, and is looking for a little excitement in her life.
However, what once was a hobby becomes all too real when the developer/builder of the luxurious Cooper’s Chase, Tony Curran (Geoff Bell), ends up murdered. With fellow developer Ian Ventham (David Tennant) threatening to bulldoze the retirement village for something more lucrative, it’s up to The Thursday Murder Club to gather the evidence and discover who is behind the devious actions happening at Cooper’s Chase! Can these four solve the mystery looming over all those residing in the establishment, or are they opening a can of worms that they can’t recover from?
A quick-paced ending makes up for a slow start in this Netflix film
The Thursday Murder Club falls into the trap that so many film adaptations of novels do; it doesn’t know how much or how little to keep from the source material. For many movies in this genre, the creatives tend to condense too much of the book, leaving glaring holes and underdeveloped narratives and characters (I apologize to Dudley Dursley, who deserved better than the Warner Bros. films gave him). However, The Thursday Murder Club feels like it did the opposite, keeping entirely too much in that made the beginning of the film way too tense.
I should note that I haven’t actually read the novel prior to seeing the film, so I don’t have too much to compare it to; however, that being said, the first 40 or so minutes of The Thursday Murder Club are bogged down with a vast amount of exposition and introductions that made this Netflix film feel like a crawl. I found myself checking the time of the film, because it felt like we were well into the film before any actual murder takes place. Instead, you get every character’s backstory, essential or not.
That also enhances the cozy factor of the film, as you come to know these characters quite intimately, gaining a front-row view of their personal lives and understanding why this club is so important to them. It also fosters deeper connections with the main four and their families as we enter the second half of the film. It’s in the second portion that The Thursday Murder Club truly comes alive. Once the murder of Tony Curran occurs, this Netflix film is off to the races, as the club stops at nothing to solve the murder and save their home.
The Thursday Murder Club is an endearing watch for mystery lovers
While I do feel that the first half of the two-hour film could have been trimmed by at least 15 minutes, overall, The Thursday Murder Club is exciting and enjoyable enough for me to watch it again. The acting from Helen Mirren alone is nothing short of cinematic wonder, as all films she does, with her charm carrying ninety percent of the film, although Pierce Brosnan’s Ron was a personal favorite with his go-with-the-flow attitude. There’s no denying that Brosnan is suave and cool, two characteristics that ooze from Ron, even though he’s a bit worn around the edges.
The Thursday Murder Club is a mystery equivalent of The Great British Baking Show, which is such a comfort series for me. It’s the type of film that I would turn on in the background when I need something cozy to relax to on a cold autumn day. It’s like visiting your grandparents and being enveloped in a warm embrace. There’s so much to love and appreciate about the film that I hope it spawns future sequels with this incredible cast, who seem to be having the most fun bringing the story to life.
The Thursday Murder Club is streaming Netflix! Have you read the novel? Plan on checking out the film? Let us know in the comments!
You might also like…
