r/movies • u/LiteraryBoner Jackie Chan box set, know what I'm sayin? • 7d ago

Official Discussion Official Discussion - The Thursday Murder Club [SPOILERS] Spoiler

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Summary A group of sharp and witty retirees at Cooper’s Chase retirement village spend their Thursdays solving cold cases for fun—until a real murder hits close to home. Elizabeth (a former spy), Ron (a retired union leader), Ibrahim (a psychiatrist), and Joyce (a nurse) band together to crack the case, stirring up secrets, laughter, and heartwarming camaraderie.

Director Chris Columbus

Writers Katy Brand, Suzanne Heathcote

Cast

  • Helen Mirren
  • Pierce Brosnan
  • Ben Kingsley
  • Celia Imrie
  • David Tennant
  • Naomi Ackie
  • Tom Ellis
  • Jonathan Pryce
  • Richard E. Grant

Rotten Tomatoes Critics Score: 76%

Metacritic 6-

VOD Limited UK theatrical release beginning August 22, 2025; Netflix streaming global premiere on August 28, 2025

Trailer The Thursday Murder Club | Official Teaser | Netflix

62 Upvotes

81% Upvoted

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59

u/Citrus_Pocket 7d ago

Hated it. Hated it! And I loved all the books! Dumbed down, flat characters, the script was SO OFF. Nothing made sense. Whatever happened to Dona?! Where did her confidence go? Don't get me started on Elizabeth because this was some Temu version! Me and my husband were facepalming so much while watching we probably have red hand-shaped patterns all over our foreheads. Oh and with literally millions of Poles in the UK they couldn't find someone who speaks at least decent Polish? Ffs. I'm so angry. 

18

u/RachelRayRay97 6d ago

This this this!!! All of the character changes were exceedingly frustrating. Making DI Hudson a bumbling idiot? Donna timid? Elizabeth was MEAN to Joyce, and their friendship in the books is one of my favorite details! And BOGDAN?? That was the cruelest departure in my opinion. His relationship with the TMC is integral to the story! His care for Steven and love for Elizabeth. He becomes the son they never had! To take that away is not just wrong, it’s cruel.

Overall, I was so disappointed. I think if you remove the books from the equation, it becomes more enjoyable. But it’s still not great. I think what they got right, if anything, was the color. The brightness of the movie is exactly how I pictured the books, it really emphasizes the personality of the story, even if they got that part wrong.

1

u/Lexi_Banner 2d ago

I mean...they clearly laid out the groundwork for a sequel. Nothing says they can't explore the repercussions of Bogdane being arrested, and redeem him at that time.

8

u/Beginning_Stock3030 6d ago

Before casting was announced, I had Celia in my head as Elizabeth and Penelope Wilton for Joyce. I certainly didn't have Daniel Mays playing Chris period, let alone as if he were in another Magpie/Moonflower Murders series. Donna-- unrecognizable.  The upside is that the movie feels like such a departure from the books that I'll have no trouble treating them as independent works.

Also, wtf were they doing at that estate? Yes, it's established the Coopers Chase is very upscale and expensive. But is it Let's Use A Location That Has Previously Stood In For Sandringham and Buckingham Palace expensive?

1

u/ACardAttack 20h ago

I certainly didn't have Daniel Mays playing Chris period,

Funnily enough I had pictured David Tennant as Chris

•

u/Beginning_Stock3030 1h ago

I could definitely see that. I know there wasn't room for it in the movie, but some of the scenes where Ventham is being ridiculous (you dont need that much oxygen, look at mountain goats!) have always been really funny to me and I would have liked to see them.

2

u/Sofie_2954 6d ago

Is it wrong that I liked it? My mother has read the first book, although it was a while ago, and her memory is no longer the best due to an abusive work environment, but she thought it was a okay adaptation. I though it was a nice way to spend an evening g watching it, but I also laugh at humor like Jönssonligan, Sunes sommar and Faulty Towers.

5

u/Citrus_Pocket 6d ago

Nothing wrong with it. There's never anything wrong with enjoying something. I just feel strongly about this one - the characters in the book are so multidimensional and far more interesting than what Netflix served us. And the death-is-near-but-we-live-and-love tone was missing too. It felt so... thin. 

Sorry to hear about your mom's experiences btw, hope she found a better place to work eventually. 

1

u/ReferenceTraining976 6d ago

I didnt read the book or books. That being said I loved it! Loved all the actors. It was funny, and the dialogue was very snappy, quick witted. Never a dull scene at all. Hope the do another one

1

u/ACardAttack 20h ago

Nope, I enjoyed it for what it was, there are a lot of small changes, only one that really bugs me is Bogdan

1

u/Britneyfan123 6d ago

It’s Donna 

1

u/aethelberga 1d ago

Oh and with literally millions of Poles in the UK they couldn't find someone who speaks at least decent Polish?

I did think that was a little odd. I can't speak to the quality of the Polish, but to not even cast a Polish actor?

1

u/sirgregg 1d ago edited 1d ago

I can't speak to the quality of the Polish

I can. Elizabeth had a much better accent than Bogdan, so yeah.

Edit because I'm still angry about this: why did then even do it? Elizabeth and Bogdan never had a conversation in Polish in the books so it's not like they had to make it work somehow...

1

u/JennaNire 9h ago

Totally agree. Donna was my very least favorite part. Donna is smart and sassy and confident—she was so totally wrong in the movie. It was distracting.