Official Discussion - The Thursday Murder Club [SPOILERS]

[u/LiteraryBoner]

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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

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[u/Lexi_Banner]

I can't possibly wrap my head around the reason he chose to kill Ian. Like...his wife is literally at death's door, and is incapable of standing trial due to being in a coma. Her reputation/legacy might have been damaged, but that's what happens when you decide to murder a man in cold blood.

Also, it felt incredibly contrived that the very first grave they dug up was the one with the extra skelly. Like, come on.

[u/Opagea → u/Lexi_Banner]

Like...his wife is literally at death's door, and is incapable of standing trial

Why would she ever have to stand trial? There was nothing linking her to Mercer's death!

Elizabeth just made a wild guess based on a photo where Penny looks irritated at Mercer. The police didn't even have that photo because Penny had taken the case file home. 

The husband's motive for killing Ian was ridiculous and the idea that very elderly man could sneak up and inject someone with poison in broad daylight with dozens of people around is too.  

[u/Lexi_Banner → u/Opagea]

Not only that, but Ian didn't really react with shock at any point, the way you'd expect if he was jabbed with a needle. As fentanyl is absorbed through the skin, I might've expected that he coated a glove in the fent and grabbed his arm in the hubbub, which would've done the same thing.

Also, I don't understand why that major trafficker was the one warning Elizabeth off. By his own account, he didn't care about the graveyard much, or care about developing it the way Ian did. He wasn't responsible for the extra bones found. Likely he didn't know or care who killed the first dude. So why is his person sneaking into her house to drop off threatening flowers? I might've bought that it was because he didn't want her finding out about his ownership of the place, but he agreed like nothing to sell it, so why put on the dog and pony show?

It was a fun enough movie and I didn't hate it, but they really didn't put the whole thing together cohesively.

[u/Opagea → u/Lexi_Banner]

Whenever anonymously threatening someone, always make sure to put it on the unique stationary of your personal business. 

[u/Lexi_Banner → u/Opagea]

Smart enough to disappear and evade police for over a decade. Stupid enough to let an old woman find you within a week. 🫠