Richard Osman’s debut novel The Thursday Murder Club became an instant sensation when it was released in 2020, topping bestseller lists and winning readers over with its warmth, humor, and unlikely heroes. Foreseeing its success, thanks to Osman’s reputation on TV and strong manuscript buzz, Steven Spielberg’s Amblin bought the film rights even before the book reached stores. Now, five years later, the story arrives on screen under the direction of Chris Columbus, a filmmaker best known for crowd-pleasing hits like Mrs. Doubtfire and the first two Harry Potter films. Netflix backs the adaptation with a cast as polished as its setting, led by Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Ben Kingsley, and Celia Imrie, with support from David Tennant and Richard E. Grant.
The film follows four residents of Cooper’s Chase, a luxury retirement village in the English countryside, who meet every Thursday to look over old unsolved crimes. Elizabeth, with a mysterious past, is the group’s sharp leader, joined by Ron, a fiery former labor organizer, Ibrahim, a methodical psychiatrist, and Joyce, a kind but underestimated nurse. Their hobby suddenly becomes serious when a local property developer is murdered and the police investigation proves slow to uncover the truth. The four friends decide to pursue the case themselves, using their wits, charm, and persistence to chase down suspects, untangle secrets, and show that experience can be just as valuable as youth when it comes to solving a mystery.
The whodunnit genre will always carry its appeal, especially when it delivers well-constructed twists. As seen recently in Only Murders in the Building, it is also a great platform for actors, particularly seasoned ones, giving them the chance to remind us why we enjoy them. Every suspect, investigator, and side character needs to feel distinctive, which allows performers to lean into quirks and presence in ways other genres rarely allow. Combined with the natural lightness of the form, it becomes a strong fit for a “book club” style of ensemble film. That is where The Thursday Murder Club shines most: a cast that is playful, clearly enjoying themselves as they investigate suspects, bend rules, and ignore police instructions.
The main cast plays well off one another, and maintain a warm spirit, all there clearly having fun but never downplaying the material. Lively supporting turns from Jonathan Pryce, David Tennant, and Richard E. Grant also entertain, and are the film’s most memorable aspects. Added to that, director Chris Columbus brings polish and theatrical weight that prevent it from feeling like another disposable Netflix production. Yet the script keeps it from reaching the wit and consistency of Steve Martin’s series, leaving it as a feel-good, entertaining, but ultimately forgettable film.
One weak point is how Pierce Brosnan and Ben Kingsley’s characters are pushed into the background. The film begins with promising interactions between them and Mirren, but their subplots gradually feel secondary. They are given screen time, but their roles, and their actions throughout the investigation resemble those of very minor characters in this kind of films, rather than equal leads. The imbalance leaves the film leaning heavily on Mirren’s Elizabeth and the police characters instead of the four working as a true ensemble. Mirren, as always, is excellent. Watching her effortlessly fake her name and slip into Polish to gather information is delightful, but a stronger balance across the group would definetely have lifted the film.
The mystery itself is adequate and moves smoothly between investigations and encounters, though it drags in the final stretch, especially after a certain reveal. The charm is there, with good jokes that make good comebacks (cake, model drawing, police being surprised at how ahead they are). That plus Columbus, the art direction, the score, and the cast ensure it remains enjoyable. It never finds the energy that would make us eager for sequels the way Only Murders in the Building did, but for a two-hour watch, it entertains and certainly brings a smile.