Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, and an all-star cast bring Richard Osman’s beloved novel to life in Chris Columbus’ glossy adaptation
London, August 23 – Some films arrive not to break boundaries but to offer the audience a warm cup of nostalgia and gentle intrigue. The Thursday Murder Club, adapted from Richard Osman’s best-selling novel, is exactly that kind of film: a cozy whodunit that feels like curling up with a good Agatha Christie on a rainy afternoon. It may not be groundbreaking, but it charms with wit, warmth, and a cast that gleams with Hollywood royalty.
A Mystery with Heart (and Llamas)
The story unfolds inside Coopers Chase, a seniors’ residence nestled in the English countryside, complete with lush lawns, cozy apartments, and — for reasons unexplained but amusing — llamas roaming the grounds. Here, a group of retirees gathers weekly to solve cold cases for fun.
At the helm is Elizabeth (Helen Mirren, dignified yet sharp-tongued), whose quiet hints of a secret intelligence past keep everyone guessing. Opposite her is Joyce (Celia Imrie), the cheerful nurse whose cakes are as much a contribution to the club as her curiosity. Ben Kingsley plays Ibrahim, a stiff but reliable psychiatrist, while Pierce Brosnan steals nearly every scene as Ron, a fiery ex-union activist whose revolutionary spirit hasn’t dimmed.
When a real murder lands at their doorstep — the co-owner of Coopers Chase is found dead — the group is pulled into a dangerous game far livelier than their usual puzzles.
Villains, Red Herrings, and Glossy Charm
Director Chris Columbus (of Harry Potter and Mrs. Doubtfire fame) gives the film a slick, polished sheen. The production design by James Merifield transforms Coopers Chase into a dreamlike mix of old-world grandeur and modern comfort, perfectly captured by Don Burgess’ cinematography.
The ensemble cast sparkles beyond the central quartet. David Tennant goes delightfully over-the-top as the scheming partner eager to cash in on the murder. Naomi Ackie brings grit and heart as Donna, the sharp police officer underestimated by her bumbling superior (Daniel Mays). And Richard E. Grant’s late arrival injects the story with just the right amount of macabre flair.
The film knows its tropes and occasionally winks at them. In one scene, Joyce beams, “I feel like we’re in one of those Sunday night dramas about feisty old ladies outsmarting the police.” Mirren’s Elizabeth, in perfect deadpan, retorts: “Never use the words bright-eyed, feisty old ladies in my presence again.”
It’s this self-awareness that saves the film from falling into cliché — though it never quite escapes them either.
A Gentle Dance Between Life and Death
Beneath the humor and hijinks lies a quiet acknowledgment of aging and loss. Elizabeth’s husband (Jonathan Pryce) is slipping into dementia, and her best friend lies in a coma. These moments ground the film with tenderness, even if Columbus rarely lingers on the melancholy.
The finale, set to Cat Stevens’ “Oh Very Young”, attempts a bittersweet note as Elizabeth and Steven dance — perhaps too on-the-nose, but heartfelt nonetheless.
The Beginning of a Cozy Franchise
Based on Osman’s first book in a four-part series (with another installment arriving this fall), The Thursday Murder Club feels designed to launch a franchise. Familiar, funny, and reassuring, it offers audiences exactly what cozy mysteries promise: the comfort of knowing that while death may loom, companionship, wit, and justice always win in the end.