The Thursday Murder Club, 2025.
Directed by Chris Columbus.
Starring Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Ben Kingsley, Celia Imrie, David Tennant, Jonathan Pryce, Naomi Ackie, Daniel Mays, Henry Lloyd-Hughes, Richard E. Grant, Tom Ellis, Geoff Bell, Paul Freeman, Sarah Niles, Ingrid Oliver, Joseph Marcell, Martin Bishop, Ruth Sheen, Imogen Leaver, Will Stevens, David Garlick, Gary Bates, Shane David-Joseph, Susan Kirkby, Richenda Carey, Jacqueline Clarke, Stan Pretty, David Burton, Rashford Angus, and Anah Ruddy.
SYNOPSIS:
Four irrepressible retirees spend their time solving cold case murders for fun, but their casual sleuthing takes a thrilling turn when they find themselves with a real whodunit on their hands.
As someone who routinely dreads stories about elderly circles due to filmmakers primarily seeing them as fodder for cringeworthy sexual humor and modern-day technology cluelessness, The Thursday Murder Club admittedly simultaneously set off some of those alarm bells while also sounding as if it could be the antidote to such unspeakable attempts at comedy.
For one, it’s directed by veteran filmmaker Chris Columbus who, even if he has been a long way away from Home Alone or Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone lately regarding quality (Pixels and The Christmas Chronicles sequel serving as a couple of recent duds), remains a case for optimism given the sincerity and movie-magic feel present in his work. What that means for a movie such as this is that, maybe, it will take those older characters seriously, treat them with dignity, and tell an actual story without punching down at their club.
With a rather impressive ensemble of recognizable and beloved British faces across generations, it’s also pleasant to report that, for the most part, The Thursday Murder Club (from a screenplay by Katy Brand and Suzanne Heathcote, based on the book by Richard Osman) does give these characters everything from personalities to inner worlds and the occasional moving moment. It might not be as fun as a movie with that title might suggest, but it is a joy watching these actors solve a mystery while having fun.
Meeting every Thursday within their retirement home to discuss cold cases, the group – which involves everyone from widows to divorcees to former nurses and more – has a knack for working together and piecing together clues. Helen Mirren’s Elizabeth is the leader, otherwise spending time with her husband (Jonathan Pryce) in the early stages of dementia. Ben Kingsley’s Ibrahim is skilled in applying mathematical science to questions regarding a crime scene (such as deducing whether it’s possible to go from point A to point B in a certain amount of time). Pierce Brosnan’s Ron is educated in addressing injuries and pinpointing the cause of death since his son Jason (Tom Ellis) went on to be a celebrated MMA champion. With one member, Penny (Susan Kirkby), currently in hospice, this opens the door to allowing the newest arrival to the retirement home, Joyce (Celia Imrie), into the fold, especially since her knowledge as an ex-nurse proves handy.
In what is both a disappointment and a strength, The Thursday Murder Club is less about solving their current cold case (which involves a woman in the 1970s stabbed before falling out of a window, with her boyfriend cleared of any foul play before suddenly disappearing) but an actual deadly investigation that occurs once a bitter public battle over possession of the land the retirement home resides on leads to a body turning up. There are three shareholders of the land, with Tony Curran (Geoff Bell) hell-bent on stopping Ian Ventham (David Tennant) and his henchman (Henry Lloyd-Hughes) from not only demolishing the homes and replacing them with an event center, but also digging up bodies and renovating the cemetery into something more financially lucrative as well. Meanwhile, their partner, a notorious criminal named Bobby (Richard E. Grant), hasn’t been seen in years but might possess valuable knowledge for cracking the mystery that emerges.
Conveniently, the club gets in touch with police officer Donna de Freitas (Naomi Ackie), who is initially hesitant but more than happy to ditch her unfulfilling and boring traffic stop post to get in on some real action and prove herself to the rest of the force, including the bumbling DCI Chris Hudson (Daniel Mays), quick to give up priceless information in exchange for delicious cake. There is a charming, underdog, underestimation angle to this club and what they can accomplish, which carries the film a long way, even if there aren’t too many surprises in store regarding the case. The one big surprise there is also a ludicrous stretch, but even that also comes from a place of character, refusing to see some of them as walking punchlines.
Even when The Thursday Murder Club does occasionally mine elderly aloofness for a laugh (such as not knowing what “WTF” means), it’s believable and not cartoonishly over-the-top. There are breaks in the investigation for these characters to reminisce on the past and converse about the present, with their future hanging in the balance on the resolution of this case. It’s a slight, delightful film with charm and dignity for its characters, alongside a passable enough mystery. More than reason enough to join the club and meet again should Netflix greenlight a sequel.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★
Robert Kojder
