--- title: "The Thursday Murder Club: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-thursday-murder-club/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/the-thursday-murder-club" critics_score: 62 critics_reviews: 6 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # The Thursday Murder Club (2025): what the critics said Critics' score 62 from 6 reviews: 3 positive, 1 mixed, 2 negative. The reviews split widely on The Thursday Murder Club, though nearly all of them agree on the cast. Most critics find Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Ben Kingsley and Celia Imrie good company, and the warmer notices treat the film as a pleasant, low-stakes cosy whodunnit that does what it sets out to do. The reservations cluster around the adaptation itself: the novel’s plotting is streamlined, its material on mortality thinned out, and several critics say the result feels closer to Sunday-night television than to a film, with Chris Columbus’s direction described as clean but flat. The dissent is sharp rather than mild. The i Paper calls it a disaster that fails the books, NME finds it boring and un-cinematic, and Empire objects to a patronising view of ageing. The Times is the notable outlier at the other end, praising the camp tone and a quietly sad undercurrent. Readers of the book are repeatedly warned to expect less than they remember. ## The AV Club — Caroline Siede Rating B. 22 August 2025. A charming, warm comedy elevated by its phenomenal cast of classically trained actors, which keeps the sprawling plot affable despite familiar elements. The ensemble's lively performances, especially Helen Mirren's, make it a pleasant watch worth returning to for potential sequels. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/the-thursday-murder-club-review) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Caryn James Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 22 August 2025. The film is a modestly entertaining but conventional cozy mystery that leans on its glittering cast and slight self-awareness to offset generic plotting and stock tropes. Pierce Brosnan is highlighted as the standout scene-stealer among the retirees. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/the-thursday-murder-club-review-helen-mirren-netflix-1236347291/) ## Empire — Laura Venning 22 August 2025. The critic calls the adaptation disappointing, with weak humour and twee elements that fail to land despite the cast. They single out the patronising portrayal of ageing and lack of perception as key flaws. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/the-thursday-murder-club/) ## Evening Standard — Vicky Jessop 22 August 2025. The critic finds the film a joyous, best-of-British romp with warmth and laughs, praising the stellar cast led by Mirren, Brosnan, Kingsley and Imrie. They single out the simplified storylines from the book and overly saccharine ending as drawbacks. [Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/the-thursday-murder-club-review-helen-mirren-richard-osman-b1244068.html) ## Financial Times — Danny Leigh Rating ★★★☆☆. 28 August 2025. The critic sees the film as a solid but unremarkable star-laden adaptation of cosy crime that may not fully satisfy book fans. They single out the casting and Middle Englishness for note while questioning whether viewers will return for more. [Read the review](https://www.ft.com/content/b7ffdd12-8d7f-4aed-837b-afb9af9af816) ## Los Angeles Times — Robert Lloyd 27 August 2025. The streamlined film adaptation offers a fun cast in appropriate roles and fulfills its assignment as a pleasant, if not nuanced or suspenseful, two-hour diversion. Fans will enjoy the company but the book is recommended for more depth. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2025-08-27/thursday-murder-club-review-richard-osman-netflix) ## Radio Times — David Brown Rating ★★★☆☆. 22 August 2025. The critic describes it as a safe and cosy whodunnit that feels more like a Sunday night TV drama than a film, thanks to clean but unremarkable direction by Chris Columbus. It benefits from an exemplary cast and some fleeting touches of pathos on belonging and mortality. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/app/the-thursday-murder-club-review-a-safe-and-cosy-whodunnit-with-touches-of-pathos/) ## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw 22 August 2025. The critic finds much to enjoy in this funny and likable Netflix adaptation of the bestseller but calls it slightly bland and undemanding overall. They single out the senior-citizen X-Men dynamic of the club and its self-aware gags for praise. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/aug/22/the-thursday-club-review-richard-osman-bestseller-provides-solid-star-stuffed-entertainment) ## The i Paper — Francesca Steele 22 August 2025. The critic deems the film a disaster that fails to do justice to the books, with lacklustre acting and a limp script that never nails its tone. They single out the simplified plotlines and awkward direction as major issues. [Read the review](https://inews.co.uk/culture/film/thursday-murder-club-netflix-review-best-british-cast-still-disaster-3868288) ## The New York Times — Glenn Kenny 28 August 2025. The adaptation clicks thanks to its excellent casting of Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Ben Kingsley and Celia Imrie as the retirees solving crimes. The film benefits from the charming quirks and skills the characters bring to the cozy whodunit. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/28/movies/the-thursday-murder-club-review.html) ## The Times — Kevin Maher Rating ★★★★☆. 22 August 2025. The critic praises the camp tone, Helen Mirren’s ironic performance, and the film’s blend of comedy with a quietly sad undercurrent about ageing and death. They single out the dance sequence with Mirren and Pryce as the film’s most meaningful moment. [Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/film/article/the-thursday-murder-club-film-review-helen-mirren-pierce-brosnan-dbc5fkxtg) ## Time Out — Phil de Semlyen Rating 3 out of 5 stars. 8 August 2025. The critic calls it a jovial, low-stakes cosy yarn with an upbeat vibe and fine ensemble performances, likening the retirement village setting to 'Hogwarts with dodgy knees'. It streamlines the novel's plot and emotional depth on mortality but remains enjoyable escapist fun. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-thursday-murder-club-review-2025) ## Variety — Manuel Betancourt 22 August 2025. Chris Columbus's adaptation is an amiable and inoffensive contemporary whodunit of simple pleasures that banks on its familiar rhythms and game cast to entertain. It is a cozy, simple affair that neither challenges nor frustrates but passively amuses. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2025/film/reviews/the-thursday-murder-club-review-netflix-whodunit-1236495369/) ## Collider — Maggie Lovitt Rating 9/10. 22 August 2025. The critic praises the film as a delightfully charming cozy murder mystery with an impeccable cast that hits all the highs of the genre. They single out the ensemble performances, particularly how the older actors lead the story effectively. [Read the review](https://collider.com/thursday-murder-club-review-netflix-pierce-brosnan-helen-mirren/) ## Deadline — Pete Hammond Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 26 August 2025. The critic finds it predictable but enjoyable comfort food perfect for streaming, praising the veteran all-star cast of Mirren, Brosnan, Kingsley, and Imrie as golden age royalty. [Read the review](https://deadline.com/2025/08/the-thursday-murder-club-review-helen-mirren-pierce-brosnan-1236496458/) ## NME — Paul Bradshaw Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 22 August 2025. The critic finds the Netflix adaptation pretty bad and dead boring, blaming director Chris Columbus's aggressively un-cinematic style and a thin, lifeless script that wastes a terrific cast on flat characters, flat jokes and a signposted plot. [Read the review](https://www.nme.com/reviews/film-reviews/the-thursday-murder-club-review-helen-mirren-pierce-brosnan-richard-osman-3885566) ## The Wrap Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 22 August 2025. The critic argues the film is too polished and prestigious, losing the quaint charm of cozy British mysteries in favor of lavish production and famous names, resulting in a flavorless plot machine. [Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/thursday-murder-club-review-netflix/) ## Paste — Lacy Baugher Milas Rating 8.5. 22 August 2025. The review highlights the stacked cast elevating a delightful cozy mystery, praising the vibrant older characters and their friendships. It notes it's not groundbreaking but charming and focused on later-in-life stories. [Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/netflix/the-thursday-murder-club-review) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/the-thursday-murder-club.md