The Thursday Murder Club Parent Guide

At the luxurious Coopers Chase retirement home, four pensioners have found a new interest in life: solving cold cases. Elizabeth Best (Helen Mirren) has a vaguely defined past in “international matters” and uses her net of contacts to find confidential information. Retired psychologist Ibrahim Arif (Ben Kingsley) brings his insight into human nature to the task. Ron Ritchie (Pierce Brosnan), with an activist past as a union leader, comes with energy and the will to fight. And newest member, Joyce Meadowcroft (Celia Imrie) has valuable medical expertise gained from her nursing career.

The Thursday Murder Club members are busy trying to unravel a decades old robbery and murder case when a contemporary crime lands in their laps. The owners of Coopers Chase, Ian Ventham and Tony Curran (played by David Tennant and Geoff Bell), disagree over the retirement home’s future. Ventham wishes to dig up the cemetery, build luxury flats, and turn the existing building into an event space. Curran wants to keep things as they are. Soon one man is bludgeoned to death, another suffers a fatal collapse, and a third is found dead in an open grave. With so many cases to solve, the senior sleuths need access to the police: thanks to their ingenuity and playacting skills, they are soon working with a helpful PC Donna de Freitas (Naomi Ackie) and the very prickly DCI Chris Hudson (Daniel Mays).

When reviewing this film, I must admit my biases up front. I have read and loved all four of the Thursday Club Murder novels by Richard Osman. As a hardcore fan of the books, I came to this film with both anticipation and dread: hope that the movie would live up to the book; fear that it wouldn’t. I needn’t have worried. Netflix’s adaptation of the novel is excellent and should please both avid readers of the books and casual viewers looking for a fun movie night.

The success of the film relies on the key elements of the novel – clever plotting, relatable characters, plenty of British humor, and heart-tugging pathos. To these elements the movie adds its superb cast. I have enormous respect for Helen Mirren and she ably anchors the film as the brisk, capable, and more-than-a-little ruthless Elizabeth. Celia Imrie and Ben Kingsley deliver excellent performances, as expected, and even Pierce Brosnan (whom I consider too handsome for the rough and ready Ron Ritchie) manages to deliver.

Given the murder mystery genre, it’s no surprise that violence is a concern, although little of it takes place on screen. Dead bodies are briefly seen, sometimes in pools of blood, and gruesome crimes are briefly mentioned. Euthanasia and suicide are also implied (and defended as being justified). There is brief alcohol consumption, minor sexual innuendo, and about two dozen profanities, including two sexual expletives. The PG-13 rating is fair and this film can be watched by anyone who wants to spend two hours trying to figure out whodunit. In fact, you don’t need to be a fan of whodunits, cozy murders, or detective films to enjoy The Thursday Murder Club. If you want to watch some fine actors, laugh a little, and try to solve a puzzle, this film is a good option for your next Netflix pick.

About author

Kirsten Hawkes

Kirsten Hawkes has a BA in Political Science and English and has worked in international development and medical education and marketing. Kirsten enjoys reading, watching movies, and debating politics with her husband and sometimes unwilling children.