'The Thursday Murder Club' Review: Netflix’s Cosy-Crime Adaptation is Charming, Well-Cast & True to the Spirit of the Books
- Dan Bremner
- Aug 30, 2025
- 4 min read
By Dan Bremner - August 30, 2025
Richard Osman’s Thursday Murder Club books were what got me back into reading a few years ago, and I burned through the series with pure joy, so I was always curious to see how the inevitable adaptation would pan out. I always felt it lent itself perfectly to a BBC series, a cosy Sunday night fixture with dry humour and weekly mysteries. Instead, we got a Netflix film with Chris Columbus at the helm, which made me a bit nervous. Luckily, most of those fears were unfounded. While it’s a shame this “geezer-pleaser” didn’t release theatrically for a packed crowd of over-60s to cackle along with, this is still a largely faithful adaptation that captures the charm, wit, and warmth of Osman’s creation, even if it occasionally struggles with the limitations of cramming everything into a single feature.
The main drawing is the casting, and the film absolutely nails it. Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Ben Kingsley, and Celia Imrie embody Elizabeth, Ron, Ibrahim, and Joyce with an ease that feels almost fated. Their chemistry is instantly believable, friends bickering, teasing, and supporting each other in equal measure. Mirren brings a sly authority to Elizabeth, Brosnan is surprisingly great as the brash ex-union man Ron, Kingsley plays Ibrahim’s meticulous quirks with subtle humor, and Imrie is simply a delight, even if she’s sadly underused. Each actor avoids condescension or caricature, instead of offering performances that feel lived-in and affectionate. It’s hard to imagine a more perfect ensemble for this material. The only mistake I'd argue is Jim Broadbent was tailor made for this club, but he was nowhere to be seen (Maybe the sequel will rectify this).
The supporting cast is equally impressive, even if they don’t get much narrative breathing space. David Tennant hams it up as the grotesquely disgusting and greedy Ian Ventham, one of the more memorable antagonists. Naomi Ackie brings warmth as PC Donna De Freitas, the local cop quietly caught up in the retirees’ hijinks, while Jonathan Pryce brings quiet depth to the role of Elizabeth’s husband, Stephen. Daniel Mays adds exhausted energy as DCI Hudson, keeping the official investigation ticking along, and Henry Lloyd-Hughes and Tom Ellis offer well cast turns as Bogdan and Jason Ritchie, respectively, both providing familiar arcs that feel just developed enough to leave you wanting more. It’s just a shame the screenplay doesn’t lean into these talents further.
A Faithful Cosy Crime Adaptation That Keeps the British Charm
The adaptation itself is mostly faithful to the first book, and it’s refreshing to see the filmmakers embrace the cosy crime tone without trying to Americanise or sensationalise it. Osman’s balance of warmth, wit, and intrigue comes through, offering a genuinely charming whodunit that manages to be light-hearted without losing sight of the stakes. There’s enough suspense to keep the story ticking, but it never tips into the grim or gritty. It’s crime fiction as comfort food, something you can sink into without feeling exhausted afterward. The mystery itself is simplified a little compared to the book, but it still delivers a few clever twists that differ from the book and enough intrigue to stay engaging.
Fans of the book may find themselves disappointed that some arcs are rushed or underdeveloped, as the film seems to pick and choose what to highlight for the sake of pacing. It’s understandable given the format, but a reminder that perhaps a series really was the better fit. The film also glosses over some of the deeper emotional beats from the novel, like characters’ personal struggles, moments of vulnerability, which blunts some of the poignancy that made Osman’s writing so affecting. It’s heart-warming, yes, but rarely moving.
Chris Columbus’ Direction: Safe, Solid, but Uninspired
Chris Columbus directs with competence, but not much flair. There are moments where the film visually looks indistinguishable from an ITV crime drama, functional, workmanlike, never offensive, but rarely inspired. It doesn’t ruin the experience, but it reinforces that nagging question of why Netflix went for a film at all. Had this been developed for television, the pacing could’ve breathed more, characters could’ve had richer arcs, and Columbus’s safe direction might have felt more at home. Instead, as a film, it sometimes feels like the material is straining against its container.
What does work in the film’s favour is its sense of place. The Coopers Chase retirement village is beautifully realised, lush and picturesque without tipping into cartoonish quaintness. It feels lived-in and warm, with little touches in the set design that give the impression of a community full of stories. The location almost becomes a character, enhancing the “cosy” part of cosy crime. Combine that with the sharp, quintessentially British humour peppered throughout, dry one-liners, witty exchanges, and a steady stream of understated gags and the result is a consistently enjoyable watch.
The climax, unfortunately, is where the film stumbles the most. The resolution of the central whodunit is rushed, with several plot threads tied up too quickly or too conveniently. It doesn’t ruin the film, but it does leave you wishing for a more fleshed-out, satisfying pay-off.
Final Verdict: : Comforting but Flawed
Overall, The Thursday Murder Club is a comforting, well-cast mystery that delivers good entertainment. It may not dive as deeply as the books, but it remains largely faithful, funny, and watchable, which makes it a masterpiece by Netflix Original standards.
'The Thursday Murder Club' is streaming now on Netflix
Want more film reviews? Check out more content on our website Film Focus Online!
