Even an A-list cast can’t breathe life into The Thursday Murder Club , a serviceable cozy murder mystery that ultimately falls flat.
Adapted from the hit novel by Richard Osman, directed by Chris Columbus, and produced by Steven Spielberg, the new Netflix mystery boasts some impressive talent. Retirees Elizabeth (Helen Mirren), Ron (Pierce Brosnan), Ibrahim (Ben Kingsley), and Joyce (Celia Imrie) call Coopers Chase Retirement Village home. Looking more like Downton Abbey than Shady Pines, the former convent would make anyone envious, no matter their age. From llamas to art classes to spacious, stylish apartments that look like they could house a family of six, Coopers Chase is the perfect way to spend your golden years.
And while jigsaw puzzles may be wonderful for some residents, some others need a bit more excitement in their lives. So naturally, on Thursdays, the quartet at the heart of the film gather together to solve cold case crimes. As the group investigates a suspicious 1970s murder, they learn that Coopers Chase co-owner Ian Ventham (David Tennant) wants to sell their beloved home and convert it into luxury apartments. When another of the co-owners turns up dead, the gang has a fresh murder right on their doorstep to solve, all while trying to save their home.
So, how does so much potential add up to so little?
On paper, The Thursday Murder Club has all the right ingredients – the first book in a beloved best-selling series, a stellar cast, and a seasoned director – but the result is more lukewarm than crackling whodunit. The plot of The Thursday Murder Club sticks closely to Osman’s original story, too; a book that didn’t depend on big twists or thrills, but delivered a neatly packaged murder mystery. The film’s screenplay, by Katy Brand and Suzanne Heathcote, hits all the same plot points, but unlike the book, goes down like a weak cup of tea.
Not all mysteries are exciting, but they at least have to be interesting. The Thursday Murder Club is a deeply uncool movie that forgot the mystery needs to at least catch viewers’ attention. The screenplay is so watered down that it barely generates anything beyond mild interest and the characters so broadly overwritten that even the likes of Oscar winners Mirren and Kingsley can’t save them. Overall, the film is unbelievably corny, with the camera drawing so much attention to plot devices and clues, that any hint of intrigue is wiped away. The score undermines any drama or poignancy at every turn, further emphasizing what a bland story this really is.
Through a stroke of luck, the group enlists local police officer Donna (Naomi Ackie) to aid in their murder investigation. Though one of the few characters under the age of 70, she brings little spark, especially compared to her spirited elders at Coopers Chase. It’s refreshing to see the older characters granted agency and energy, yet frustrating that the script gives them so little of real substance to do. The film too often plays like an excuse to assemble an impressive roster (including supporting actors Jonathan Pryce and Richard E. Grant) without ever figuring out how to truly use them. Truth be told, the only reason to watch the film is its cast. Mirren shoulders much of the story, delivering her lines with cool deceit when called upon and even a few laughs.
The source material is just the first in a series by Osman, so there is a lot of potential here. One can only hope that if Netflix pursues sequels, they breathe some more life into the screenplay.
Despite the pedigree of its cast and the popularity of the source material, The Thursday Murder Club never manages to rise above mediocrity. Instead of a light, witty mystery, it delivers a flat and overcooked adaptation that wastes both its talent and its premise.
The Thursday Murder Club arrives on Netflix on Thursday, August 28 .
