‘The Thursday Murder Club’ (2025) Netflix Movie Review - Director Chris Columbus Creates Magic

I have always loved it when some films start right on track. “The Thursday Club” wastes no time at all to show us that there is a group of detectives already on a case. A voice of narration in a black and white clipping tells us what the case is about. And to break it down for you, they are solving the murder of a young girl named Angela Hughes, who was murdered on May 11th, 1973. So this is the Thursday Murder Club at Cooper’s Chase, a retirement village where a retired spy, Elizabeth, along with her friends Ron, Joyce, and Ibrahim, solve spy cases in the jigsaw room. Joyce, mind you, is a nurse, so that helps to solve the cases that require murder or injury. While solving cases as a game was all fun, the group soon becomes active when the body of a local businessman, Tony Curran, is found in his own home. What’s more interesting is that there were no suspects at the time. When Joyce hears the news, she immediately calls the group for what is an “emergency meeting” to solve an “actual murder case”. Now the group has found a big purpose in their lives. But that’s not all, soon after Tony’s death, there is another death that takes place. Since this group has everyone who is partly experienced, they outsmart even the local police. As they investigate the matter, they are able to find and untangle many intertwined webs of financial corruption, old secrets, and long-due grudges. This leads to the group discovering that Curran’s business dealings had some connection with Cooper’s Chase. But the burning question is, who killed Tony? And what was the motive behind it?

So, first things first, the ensemble cast definitely does a great job with their roles and characters. I mean, what else can you expect when Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Celia Imrie, and Ben Kingsley come on screen together? They are charming, witty, and definitely great fun to watch. Also, you will get plenty of humor, which makes sure that there are no dull moments in the movie. What else do you want? You get a logical plot with humor, a perfect combination for detective story lovers.

What also goes in its favor is the fact that the film is steady with its pacing. It shows us that there is a murder solving club in the retirement home, a group of friends solving old cases, and soon enough, a real-life murder takes place that catches their attention. So all in all, there is no wastage of time taking place here. This is what makes the film interesting to watch. I particularly loved the plot, which, of course, is an adaptation of the book by the same name. But the screen play adaptation of bringing the characters to life is also interesting to watch.

I particularly believe that a lot of credit for this has to go to director Chris Columbus for heading the movie with a mix of intelligence and fun elements. Not to mention, everything in the movie, especially Cooper’s Chase, is very beautiful and picturesque to watch. So if you wish to watch a detective movie with an amazing and top-notch performance, this movie is a must-watch for you.

Final Score- [8/10]
Reviewed by - Neerja Choudhuri
Follow @NeerjaCH on Twitter
Publisher at Midgard Times