When a double-decker Scottish bus rolled past wearing an ad for The Thursday Murder Club, I knew it was a sign. Netflix’s two-hour crime comedy had gotten an incredible buzz, and I needed to see it. If I was a bit disappointed, the movie was still worth it. Who’d miss a cast, after all, that includes favorites like Pierce Brosnan and Helen Mirren?
Based on a British producer’s debut novel, the plot is complicated enough. The aging retirees at the care home Coopers Chase want something to do—why not solve cold cases?
Trade union leader Ron Ritche (Brosnan) gathers with psychiatrist Ibrahim Arif (Sir Ben Kingsley) and—hmm ... former spy?—Elizabeth Best (Mirren) each week to review unsolved cases. They focus on the murder of young Angela Hughes. The boyfriend who disappeared may be the murderer. But with this case, they need a nurse and might have found a possible new TMC member in retired nurse Joyce (Celia Imrie).
If cold cases aren’t enough, what about the legal situation of their beautiful care home, Coopers Chase?
Novelist Richard Osman got a seven-figure publishing contract for his debut novel and its sequel. Osman didn’t disappoint. Sales skyrocketed.
Mirren plays with usual spirit her intense—and, ahem, highly skilled—leader. Many of us have loved her work over the years such as Gosford Park and The Queen. Now 80, her career began in 1963—the longest run of the cast. Kingsley, 81, had his start in 1966.
Other familiar faces join the cast with the likes of Jonathan Pryce (The Two Popes) and David Tennant (Doctor Who). Director Chris Columbus’ span of beloved work includes The Gremlins, Home Alone, and the first two Harry Potter films.
This cozy mystery travels within a moral universe where bad guys are the bad guys and good always wins (Netflix).
About the Author
Cynthia Beach authored the 2024 novel, The Surface of Water, and the writing book, Creative Juices for Writers. She co-directs Scriptoria Workshop with Newbery-winner Gary Schmidt. In 2025-6, she will serve as Artist in Residence in Dundee, Scotland.