'Thursday Murder Club' Is a Delightful Mystery with an A-Plus Cast

The Thursday Murder Club is the latest film drop on Netflix, and it's a decadent treat for Telly Visions readers. The movie is adapted from Richard Osman's debut bestselling novel about a group of pensioners who like solving cold cases from their luxurious retirement home. The cast includes Helen Mirren (1923), Ben Kingsley (The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar), Pierce Brosnan (MobLand), and Celia Imrie (Trying) as the central quartet. So off the bat, we have a kooky, cozy mystery to be solved by U.K. icons. I imagine that at least half of you have already left to put it on, because you don't need more convincing. 

For those who have stayed, I would be delighted to reinforce why The Thursday Murder Club is worth your time. Sure, we'd watch that foursome do a dramatic reading of the phone book, but The Thursday Murder Club gives each of them a fun character to dig into that not only equips them with unique skills helpful in solving crimes, but also creates a fun dynamic within the group. 

Mirren plays Elizabeth Best, a former spy who is all business and hasn't lost her dogged ability to chase down a lead. Kingsley plays Ibrahim, a "confirmed bachelor" and former psychiatrist who would do anything for his friends. Brosnan steps in as Ron Ritchie, a retired union organizer with a useful flair for the dramatic. Imrie is Joyce, a new resident of Cooper's Chase whose former nursing career and current baking skills make her an ideal addition to the club. 

The gang is initially together to solve a cold case from the 1970s, but quickly becomes embroiled in a current murder case when the co-owner of their retirement village, Tony (Geoff Bell), is found bludgeoned to death, leaving their home vulnerable to the greedy developer Ian Ventham (a scenery-chewing David Tennant). It's all hands on deck to figure out who killed Tony and to stop Ian from turning their beloved home into luxury condos and an event space. 

If the initial cast wasn't enough to draw you in, they're supported by Jonathan Pryce (The Crown) as Elizabeth's husband, Stephen, Tom Ellis (Washington Black) as Ron's son, Jason Ritchie, and Ingrid Oliver (Doctor Who) as Joyce's daughter, Joanna Meadowcroft. 

The most delightful part of the film is watching how the quartet manipulates themselves into an active police investigation. They team up with the local constable, Donna (Naomi Ackie), who quickly realizes she has a lot to learn from these "old timers." Elizabeth is initially wary of Joyce joining the group because she's ostensibly replacing Elizabeth's friend Penny; however, they soon figure out that everyone has their part to play and wants the same thing: to save Cooper's Chase. The tensions are settled quickly, and then it's just fun times to watch the group work together and play off one another. 

Of course, there is the odd joke here and there about the group aging, but that's not what The Thursday Murder Club is about as a whole. These are free-thinking and still agile older individuals who remain very skilled at what they do. It's refreshing to have a movie starring people of this generation that doesn't waste time debating the usefulness or ability of its characters. They simply get to do the thing, which gives the audience more time to enjoy the unfolding mystery. 

Enjoying that mystery is precisely what you should do as the movie progresses, rather than trying to solve the whole thing before the TMC. If there is a flaw in the film, it's that the three mysteries the group ultimately needs to solve before the end are a bit disjointed, and you need to pay close attention to see how they overlap. There have been tidier reveals in murder mystery cinema, but this one isn't so messy that it takes away from a good time. You do get answers for every case, and the loose ends feel tied up by the time the credits roll, which is the most important thing. 

What's even more exciting is that The Thursday Murder Club leaves the door open for more adventures with our intrepid investigators. (The fifth book in the series, The Impossible Fortune, is scheduled to arrive on shelves in September 2025.) This is a delightful film from top to bottom, and I would love to spend more time with The Thursday Murder Club solving whichever case they choose next. 

So if you're still wondering whether you need to add The Thursday Murder Club to the queue, the answer is a very staunch: YES! The acting is incredible. The story is fun and intriguing, with multiple twists and turns to keep viewers on their toes. It's laugh-out-loud funny while also deeply touching at multiple points in the drama. These are characters you absolutely want to spend an afternoon – or several – with. 

Go ahead and turn it on, maybe multiple times, and then we'll see if we can get the gang all back together again. It's a fun, twisty mystery where all of the ingredients are used properly. Netflix knocked this one out of the park. 

The Thursday Murder Club is now streaming on Netflix worldwide.