Now Showing: The Thursday Murder Club (2025) — A Cozy Delight of Crime and Charm

I’ll be honest: most of my heart still lives in movies and shows made before 2010. That’s where I find the real magic, the comfort rewatches, the stuff that lasts. But every so often I wander into modern cinema hoping to be surprised, hoping to find that spark again.

🍿Now Showing🍿 is where I tell you if the new kids on the block actually deliver.

Netflix

Who knew homicide could be so heartwarming? The Thursday Murder Club proves it can.

The Thursday Murder Club is a precious little movie about four elderly pensioners living in an uppity senior home who are obsessed with researching cold cases. Until one day, a very real, very close-to-home murder falls right into their laps.

Netflix

The cast is beautifully crafted, each member providing their own quirks and charm. Helen Mirren is a masterpiece, still infinitely cool in her golden years. Pierce Brosnan somehow manages to be more suave than he was as James Bond whilst employing a humor I didn’t know he had in him. Ben Kingsley is an absolute delight with a flair for the dramatic, while Celia Imrie remains a comedic treasure, subtle and lovely. And Naomie Ackie? She’s brilliant as the eager young policewoman who’s constantly underestimated by her male counterparts, though she’s clearly the most intelligent and capable person in the room. Their chemistry and charm are the engine of this film, and it hums along so effortlessly that any minor script flaws just fade into the background.

What makes The Thursday Murder Club work so well is that it embraces coziness while smoothly evading TV-movie fluff. It doesn’t pretend to be an Oscar contender or an intellectual masterpiece — and that’s its strength. It’s supposed to be a comfy, cozy, hilariously precious little movie. It’s the cutest thing to watch these retirees weaponize society’s habit of underestimating the elderly. People don’t take them seriously, so they lean into it, using it to gather intel and work the case. The result is both hilarious and heartwarming, making me oddly excited, rather than scared, to grow old.

I didn’t realize until after my watch that this was based on a novel, but now I have every intention of reading the series. Not knowing the source freed me from nitpicking any changes, and what I got was a story that balanced whimsy with poignancy.

The film doesn’t shy away from the realities of aging — dementia, family drifting away, friends being moved to the hospice wing — and this grounds the cozy, witty story in reality. It deepens our affection for the characters. It’s a gentle reminder that humor and joy don’t vanish with age, and that vulnerability can sit comfortably alongside wit.

Netflix

Chris Columbus creates visuals that are colorful, rich, and idyllic, giving Cooper’s Chase a personality of its own. He builds a world that perfectly aligns with the genre, mood, and purpose of the story which is to make the viewer feel infinitely cozy and safe whilst also tackling the macabre. The juxtaposition is the whole point of a cozy mystery and Columbus nails it.

The Thursday Murder Club isn’t here to shock you, or change the landscape of cinema. It’s here to wrap you in a blanket, hand you a cup of tea, and tell you a murder story that makes you laugh as much as it makes you care. It’s less about whodunit and more about who you want to grow old with. And honestly? That’s enough. This is a great movie.

Star Rating: 4 — a great movie