The Thursday Murder Club

If they continue with the other books, they need to make them a series. This movie had everything it needed to be a standout, except a good script. Even if I hadn't read the books I think it would feel rushed. There's just no real build up to the solution. It's very abrupt. Looking at the credits for the 2 writers it's not surprising the script is subpar. Neither has written anything outstanding. Having read the books it's even worse. To fit the limited time frame they made too many changes and oversimplified the plot. Additionally, with a murder mystery series you have to take time to build the characters and their relationships. With this type of mystery, 2 hours just isn't enough time to do either. I was left wondering if they spent too much of the budget on the cast and didn't have enough left to do justice to the story. I'm hoping they learn from the mistake and make the next one a series, or at least a much longer movie. With the one killer saying it was an accident, they could still do a course correction to include the character in the future as is done in the books. But looking at the ratings they may not continue at all. I'll never understand why Hollywood does this. They secure the rights to a popular book with a built in audience and then proceed to alienate that audience by not sticking to the source material. How does that make sense?

The book got me out of a reading slump because I loved it so much and is so well written, so obviously I was very excited for this film. Before cast had been announced I had thought Helen mirren and Ben Kingsley would be great in this. So I ended up feeling a little disappointed by film overall.

As others have said, the ending felt rushed, missing out parts of the book that would have given you as a viewer the satisfaction of finding out the reasons of why someone had done something.

It is a typical case of the book is better than the film and I imagine if you haven't read the book then the film is great.

It was good with some good laughs, however I feel like this could have pushed the comedy a little further. Plus, despite being two hours long, it felt rather condensed in places and that time could have been spent building up more suspects. The suspect list was so short, that it wasn't very difficult to deduce who the killer was. This might have worked a little better as maybe a three part mini series, making it three hours long. That way they could really get further into the story with some background information and build a good suspect list. Nevertheless a decent watch. Hope there's a sequel.

Excellent cast. The film starts off perfectly, and I immediately recognized the atmosphere of the book (The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman). The question I'd had ever since I heard this first novel would be adapted-"But can they really fit all that action into two hours? Because cutting out anything would chip away at the magic..."-was still buzzing in my head, though more faintly now, sulking in a corner.

But slowly, as the story speeds up and large chunks of the plot vanish, and even a character is completely changed for the worse (leaving me wondering: how will the next adaptations look without him?), that buzzing returns triumphantly. The ending leaves a sensation similar to the one where the ground is ripped out from under your feet, leaving you breathless for a moment and with the question: was that all?

This tale deserved to be told as a faithful miniseries; as a film, it feels like a missed opportunity, despite a cast that truly deserved.

Rating: 6/10

Summary: The Thursday Murder Club feels like a cosy mystery built for an older audience, packed with Oscar-winning talent but light on real intrigue. More about charm, quips, and the eccentricity of its cast than the murder mystery it sets up, it works better as a gentle comedy about retirement-home sleuths than a serious whodunit. If you go in expecting a soft, inoffensive ride - something your parents or grandparents would happily enjoy - it lands well enough. If you expect something sharp or tightly plotted, it falls short.

Full Review: I found this one quite jarring at first, coming straight off Mobland and suddenly seeing Pierce Brosnan and Helen Mirren sharing the screen again, especially with Geoff Bell appearing briefly too. It took me a while to adjust.

The Thursday Murder Club is an odd film to place. Right away, I'd say it's a movie I think my dad - who's nearly 80 - would love. That's not a criticism so much as a reflection of who this film is really for. And honestly, that's fine, because it doesn't pretend otherwise.

What's curious is the weight of the cast: Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Ben Kingsley, Celia Imrie, Tom Ellis, Jonathan Pryce, and David Tennant - directed by Chris Columbus, no less. With names like that, you'd expect something sharper, maybe even prestige-level. Instead, it plays like a cosy Sunday evening watch, designed to be as inoffensive as possible.

The story itself is a little muddled. It starts with a cold case, then shifts to a current murder, bouncing between the two while trying to juggle smaller character beats. Some of those beats - like Tom Ellis's subplot - feel unnecessary, padding out the runtime without adding much. There are fun gimmicks and jokes sprinkled throughout, but a lot of them feel more like sitcom humour than anything driving the mystery forward.

Tonally, it's closer to Only Murders in the Building than something like Knives Out. It even nods in that direction with a podcast joke that feels like a direct wink. But where Only Murders manages to keep its core mystery engaging across seasons, this film never fully commits to its own. You don't need to think too hard, and when it does try to redirect suspicion, it feels forced rather than clever.

What works best is the atmosphere. The retirement community setting is almost utopic, with its castle-like flats and eccentric residents. When the film leans into that vibe - older characters navigating friendship, mischief, and meddling in police work - it's genuinely fun. The murder plot, oddly enough, feels like the least interesting part.

In terms of performances, Mirren is the anchor, Brosnan gets a bit more to do through Ellis's character and family ties, Kingsley is barely used, and Imrie pops up enough to leave an impression. Tennant is reliably entertaining whenever he appears. No one is phoning it in, but they're also not given much to sink their teeth into.

For me, it ended up being more enjoyable as a vibe than a story. It's not really a murder mystery in the classic sense; it's a light comedy with a mystery tacked on. And as that, it succeeds - it's exactly the kind of film that parents or grandparents will love, the kind that goes down easily on a quiet night in. But for anyone expecting something sharp or layered, it's just okay.