Netflix takes on The Thursday Murder Club with a brand-new whodunnit, but fails to fully capture the magic of the book. Richard Osman’s debut novel has been adapted with an impressive star-studded cast. The result: an entertaining whodunnit that just lacks a certain spark.
Elizabeth, Ron and Ibrahim make up the Thursday Murder Club. Every Thursday, they gather to discuss and attempt to solve an old cold case. Meanwhile, plenty is happening in the luxurious retirement village where they all live.
The owners of Coopers Chase cannot agree on what to do with the land. One wants to keep the home standing so his aunt can enjoy her old age there, while the other plans to build flats and shut the home down altogether.
What seems like an innocent property dispute soon escalates when a murder takes place. Luckily, the Thursday Murder Club is never far away. Much to the dismay of the police, they meddle in the case, trying to solve it before things spiral further out of control – and to save their beloved homes.
A familiar recipe
Whodunnits have been around forever, and in recent years the genre has only grown more popular. With successes like the Knives Out and Poirot films inspired by Agatha Christie, and series such as Only Murders in the Building and A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, fans of the genre are spoilt for choice.
So what makes The Thursday Murder Club different? Honestly, not much. Perhaps the fact that it’s an older generation stepping into the role of amateur sleuths. But beyond that, it’s more of the same: a curious outsider barging into a police investigation, somehow managing to outsmart the authorities. The film sticks so closely to the genre rulebook that surprises are sadly few and far between. Where the aforementioned examples keep you guessing and second-guessing suspects along the way, here you simply wait patiently for the protagonists to catch up.
It could have stood out. With its gorgeous set and fine cast, this could have been a film brimming with that unmistakable British wit. Somehow, it never quite lands. There are a few attempts (Helen Mirren nodding to her role in The Queen, Pierce Brosnan’s ABC motto – Always Bring Cake), but they don’t stick. A missed opportunity: it might have been a future classic.
Stars saving a flat script
The star-studded cast is worth mentioning. Helen Mirren once again delivers at a fantastic level. Ben Kingsley and Pierce Brosnan try their hand as the comic duo, but the script does them no favours – though they still manage to bring their characters to life convincingly.
With Chris Columbus directing (Harry Potter 1 and 2) and Steven Spielberg producing, there are golden oldies behind the camera too. Columbus has created a pleasant atmosphere that makes the film enjoyable enough. Still, his direction could have injected more pace – and with it, more tension. Spielberg might have had more work to do here. One wonders: could the absence of British humour have something to do with the American producer’s influence?
Alongside the main cast, we also see David Tennant, Richard E. Grant, Jonathan Pryce and Naomi Ackie in supporting roles. Hardly minor names, yet all four are underused. Pryce, however, is given a subplot involving his character’s dementia, which he handles with impressive weight. It’s a storyline that deserves more attention.
What’s next for The Thursday Murder Club?
So far, Richard Osman has published four books in the series, with a fifth due out in September 2025. Plenty of material for another film. The question is whether Netflix and Spielberg feel the same way.
Although the film is entertaining and topped Netflix’s most-watched list during its release week, it hasn’t yet become a viral success. Whether a second instalment of The Thursday Murder Club will follow remains uncertain. But without more pace, wit and boldness, The Thursday Murder Club risks being forgotten as quickly as the cold cases it tries to solve.
The Thursday Murder Club (2025) – Netflix
A group of senior sleuths passionate about solving cold cases get plunged into a real-life murder mystery in this comic crime caper based on the novel.
Cast: Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Ben Kingsley, Celia Imrie, and others.
Director: Chris Columbus
