THE THURSDAY MURDER CLUB Reviewed by GREG KING
Director: Chris Columbus
Stars: Helen Mirren, Ben Kingsley, Pierce Brosnan, Celia Imrie, Naomi Ackie, Daniel Mays, David Tennant, Jonathan Pryce, Geoff Bell, Richard E Grant, Henry Lloyd-Hughes, Tom Ellis, Paul Freeman, Sarah Niles, Ingrid Oliver.
The Thursday Murder Club is an adaptation of the first book in the series od bestselling novels written by British author Richard Osman wand which centres around a group of retirees living in Cooper’s Chase, a former convent turned into a luxury retirement home, who investigate cold cases in the games room every Thursday. In typical British fashion they study grisly crime scene photos and discuss clues over tea and cake. The club consists of Elizabeth (Helen Mirren), a former MI6 boss and the de facto leader of the group; Ibrahim (Ben Kinglsey), a psychiatrist; and Ron (Pierce Brosnan), a former union leader and activist. When the film opens, they are looking at an unsolved case that was investigated by Elizabeth’s friend, DI Penny Gray, a former police officer who now lies unresponsive in a coma and is being looked after by her husband. Elizabeth ropes newcomer Joyce (Celia Imrie), a former nurse, into the group to draw upon her medical expertise and knowledge.
But soon a real-life murder case that has ramifications for their future comes along and they investigate. Tony Curran (Geoff bell) a colourful figure with shady connections aand one of the three partners who own Cooper’s Chase, has been brutally murdered following a heated argument with sleazy Ian Ventham (former Doctor Who star David Tennant) another partner. The corrupt Ventham now threatens to sell off Cooper’s Chase, evict the elderly residents, dig up the grounds – including the cemetery – and redevelop the property for upmarket luxury accommodation.
Elizabeth recruits perky local constable Donna De Freitas (Naomi Ackie, from the Whitney Houston biopic I Wanna Dance With Somebody, etc) to be their eyes inside the investigation. Underestimated and underappreciated by her largely misogynistic male colleagues, Donna’s instincts and intuition provide valuable insights to the club as they investigate, much to the chagrin of frustrated detective Hudson (Daniel Mays, from tv series Magpie Murders, etc). The case involves corrupt and crooked property developers, complex financial shenanigans, and a missing gangster. There are numerous suspects and red herrings aplenty, but the solution to the crime lies much closer to home though.
While watching this group of amateur elderly sleuths try to solve murders it’s not hard to think of several tv series featuring elderly sleuths (Murder She Wrote, The Snoop Sisters and Barnaby Jones amongst the more notable examples).
Osman’s 2020 whodunnit has been faithfully adapted to the screen by writers Katy Brand (Good Luck To You Leo Grande, etc) and first-time feature writer Suzanne Heathcote (tv series Fear The Walking Dead, etc) and they have an affection for these characters.
The main cast are all superb here and bring years of experience and an irrepressible energy and intelligence to their roles, creating their lived in characters and they have a palpable chemistry. Mirren is perfectly cast as Elizabeth and brings the same tenacity and feistiness that she brought to her Emmy award winning role as Jane Tennison in Prime Suspect. And there is a nice in-joke here: in one scene she is heading out in disguise and her husband Stephen (Jonathyn Pryce) remarks that she is “dressed like the Queen”, a sly reference to Mirren’s Oscar winning role as Queen Elizabeth in Stephen Frears’ 2006 biopic The Queen.
Kingsley is fine here as the fastidious Ibrahim, and his role was reminiscent of his performance as Dr Watson in the Sherlock Holmes comedy Without A Clue. Brosnan is continuing to shake off his suave image as James Bond and Remington Steele, and he can still throw a punch when required. Imrie has a nice twinkle in her eye and delivers a mischievous performance as the upbeat Joyce. Ackie seems to be having fun here while Mays’ performance as the frustrated veteran detective is pretty cliched.
This light hearted mystery has been directed in suitably restrained fashion by Chris Columbus (Home Alone, etc) who maintains an unhurried pace throughout in keeping with the cosy vibe of Osman’s novel. There is no real sense of urgency or danger, apart from one scene in featuring a snarky Richard E Grant who oozes subtle menace.
This is a glossy looking production. Don Burgess’s cinematography for the most part is bright and warmly lit, but the film (produced under the auspices of streaming giant Netflix) feels like the pilot for a probable television series rather than a big screen event. James Merifield’s production design is also excellent, and the exteriors for Cooper’s Chase resemble the façade of the palatial Downton Abbey.
The Thursday Murder Club is an easy watch and enjoyable enough if formulaic, and the characters are worth spending some time with. It is to be hoped that Netflix invest in filming more of Osman’s novels.
★★★
