The Thursday Murder Club (Netflix) Review

The cast of The Thursday Murder Club makes the film highly entertaining, but illogical plot choices hold it back from being great.

Their world is turned upside down when a murder hits too close to home, and they’re left to uncover who is responsible for the killing.

What makes The Thursday Murder Club so entertaining is its star-studded cast. The core four, which consists of Elizabeth (Helen Mirren), Joyce (Celia Imrie), Ron (Pierce Brosnan), and Ibrahim (Sir Ben Kingsley), have fantastic chemistry, and watching them comedically piece together the mystery enhances the viewing experience. The characters are distinct in their own way, which adds depth to the story. Each of them has unique qualities that serve a purpose within the club and help them excel when they come together to brainstorm.

Elizabeth is smart, cunning, and thorough, which enables the club to generate excellent leads in the investigation and overcome hurdles. As a former nurse, Joyce is able to assess crime scene photos and provide expertise on wounds and the medical side of the equation. Then there’s Ibrahim, a former psychiatrist who is well-versed in understanding human behavior, which only strengthens the team’s ability to dissect each crime. The last member of the club is Ron, a blunt, former trade union leader who isn’t afraid to rustle a few feathers and take charge to achieve results. The actors do a fantastic job of making the club feel as though the members have all known each other for years, and their genuine bond and friendships are believable.

There are also many other talented actors involved in The Thursday Murder Club, though it never feels like they’re making cameos just for the sake of it, as each serves a purpose in the story. I won’t name all of them, as some viewers may be going in blind, and I don’t want to ruin any reveals, but once they show up on-screen, it will be a nice surprise. This is a movie where every fifteen minutes or so, another actor appears that you didn’t know was going to be in the film, which only adds to the fun. One personal highlight for me is David Tennant, who portrays Ian, the owner of Coopers Chase. The character is an unbearable, thoughtless, and highly unpleasant individual that you love to hate. As always, Tennant’s performance is on point, and he delivers on all fronts.

Another strength is The Thursday Murder Club’s setting, which truly brings the film to life. Not only is the setting of Coopers Chase stunning, but it also feels like a character in itself. The retirement community is vast and monumental in scale, consisting of numerous rooms, floors, and common areas. As the murder mystery plot unfolds, you never know who might be in danger, or where and when an unsuspecting, sinister guest might show up on the remote grounds, which certainly keeps viewers on their toes.

Despite the talented cast on board, one of the major drawbacks of the film that significantly brought down the score for me is that it requires viewers to suspend their disbelief. If you can get past this and just enjoy the thrilling ride, then The Thursday Murder Club will be a fun watch. However, if, like me, you can’t get past certain details due to the fact that they bend the rules of reality of the world the film establishes, then you may not be fully sold on what’s presented in the story. Though it is explained in the film, one of the biggest plot holes is how this group has access to said case files in the first place, as the reasoning behind it is far-fetched and a breach of protocol. It’s a convenient device to move the plot forward quickly, which may not work for everyone.

If you can get past some illogical plot choices, then The Thursday Murder Club will be an enjoyable, albeit goofy, adventure, elevated immensely by the film’s incredibly talented cast. It’s not the most memorable whodunnit of recent years, but it certainly isn’t one of the worst, either.

The Thursday Murder Club will be available to stream globally on Netflix from August 28, 2025.