Ronit J

The Thursday Murder Club (2025) Synopsis:

A group of senior sleuths passionate about solving cold cases get plunged into a real-life murder mystery in this comic crime caper.

The Thursday Murder Club (2025) Review:

Every other weekend, after a particularly gruelling week, you just want to sit back and relax with a lighthearted movie that’s entertaining and warm. If you are looking for that kind of a film, The Thursday Murder Club is a brilliant contender.

With an interesting premise that’s equal parts quirky and familiar, I went into this one with zero expectations. I almost didn’t bother writing this review, mostly because I went on vacation right after. But, I’m back now, and this film has strangely stayed with me. So, here we are…

Do you like Knives Out? How about Kenneth Branagh’s Hercule Poirot films? Well, I really enjoy the former, while the latter is really bad, but is kind of a guilty pleasure of mine. What I mean is, I love classic whodunnits, be it movies or books. While I might not always be able to guess who the killer is, I do enjoy piecing the puzzle together. And when films present the puzzle in an interesting manner, the experience of solving the crime becomes all the more rewarding.

Doesn’t Break The Mould

The Thursday Murder Club doesn’t break any moulds. And yet, the quirky setting of a posh retirement home where a bunch of aging individuals starts their own whodunnit club to solve cold cases. When an actual murder (or two) occur, the Thursday Murder Club takes it into their own hands to solve it. After all, these aren’t just regular jolly geriatrics. They’re each a retired expert. Elizabeth (Helen Mirren) is—SPOILER ALERT—a former MI6 agent, Ibrahim (Ben Kingsley) is a psychiatrist, and Ron (Pierce Brosnan) is a union leader. Even Joyce (Celia Imrie), who’s the newest addition to the retirement home, and is in consideration for membership, is a retired nurse. Using their skills, they often outsmart the silly DCI Chris Hudson (Daniel Mays), whose incompetence comes only because their town is so small and free from drama.

The Thursday Murder Club has all the makings of a classic whodunnit. Quirky characters, an interesting murder with multiple possible motives that implicate several different people. As more clues are found, we get a glimpse into real human drama, from longing to meet one’s family to loneliness and desire to stay connected with your true self even when you are past your prime. That’s what good whodunnits do, no? Each character’s motive, each character’s hopes and dreams, all come to the forefront contributing to the narrative of this murder mystery.

Lastly, the humour actually lands because each character feels real. The actors have realised their roles brilliantly, despite the characters themselves feeling a tad two-dimensional at times. But, their behaviour, mannerisms, and more, hint at a deeper, more complex personality. Their interactions, despite being plot-driven, feel real and human. And that, again, is a big achievement.

An Interesting Conflict Blended Well With Believable Characters

The primary conflict is two-fold, beautifully weaving in the need to have old protagonists. The two murders happen right after Ian Ventham (David Tennant) reveals his plans to redevelop Cooper’s Chase. From a younger perspective, that is a valid proposition. Development and progress is a constant after all. However, for the old folks, it’s a literal disruption of everything they know. They want to spend their last years in a familiar place with friends and loved ones, which is at threat from the redevelopment plans.

The other side of this conflict is the murder that Peter Mercer allegedly committed but got away with because of the inherent misogyny of the police department. While there are developments in society paving the way for more female enrolment in the force, sexism still prevails. Donna (Noemi Ackie) comes from a big city, but still has to face discrimination. However, it’s her involvement that truly allows the Thursday Murder Club to use their skills, which in turn help the police solve all the cases.

On the surface, the film is very entertaining. But even under the surface, the conflicts are quite admirably constructed. The redevelopment plans that make the retirement home obsolete mirrors the fears of the older generations. The rapid pace of progress sometimes tends to ignore those close to their ends, and their inability to cope with the same makes a simple process more daunting than it should be. Lack of empathy from the young towards the old results in more pain than necessary. After all, young or old, rich or poor, everyone wants one thing only: to feel like they belong. And at its core, that’s what The Thursday Murder Club is all about.

The Thursday Murder Club (2025) Ending Explained (SPOILERS)

Elizabeth learns from Bobby Tanner (Richard E. Grant) that he and Tony Curran (Geoff Bell) bring in illegal immigrants for cheap labour. However, Curran would withhold their passports, leaving them stranded here. Connecting the dots, Elizabeth deduces that Bogdan (Henry Lloyd-Hughes) killed Tony Curran. She rushes back to Cooper’s Chase along with the cops, where she finds Bogdan playing chess with Stephen (Jonathan Pryce). Bogdan confesses that he killed Curran by accident, and that he just wanted to go home to see his ailing mother. He also confirms that he did not poison Stephan, because Stephan is his friend, and that he didn’t commit any other crimes.

One murder solved, but two more unclear… The Thursday Murder Club reevaluate all the clues. The body found in the grave turns out to be Peter Mercer (the man from the opening who got away with killing his wife). The Club come to the conclusion that the original founding member, Penny and her husband, John, probably took matters into their own hands. Vigilante justice. However, with Ian Ventham’s plans to redevelop Cooper’s Chase, their crime was on the verge of being discovered. To conceal that crime, John uses his veterinary skills to administer a lethal dose of fentanyl to Ventham.

John confesses, asking for a few last moments with his wife. Despite seeing two fentanyl syringes in the drawer, Elizabeth obliges. Off screen, John administers the doses to himself and his wife in a merciful murder-suicide. At their funeral, Elizabeth formally inducts Joyce into the Thursday Murder Club. Joyce’s daughter, Joanna, considers buying Cooper’s Chase, now that it’s up for sale. Life continues as usual.

Is The Thursday Murder Club (2025) worth watching?

Yes. It’s a fun movie. Admittedly, it is a Netflix film, and might not appeal to everyone out there. But, I found it quite endearing.

In Conclusion:

The Thursday Murder Club (2025) is a classic whodunnit that breaks no moulds, but still delivers an entertaining murder mystery.

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• Bring Her Back (2025) | Film Review
• Nobody 2 (2025) | Film Review
• Weapons (2025) | Film Review
• The Handmaiden (2016) | Film Review
• Nope (2022) | Film Review
• The Monkey (2025) | Film Review
• Island of the Dying Goddess

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