I love a good murder mystery although my favorites are ones with a bit of whimsy, style and/or a sense of humor. Based on a novel series by former television presenter Richard Osman, this crime comedy film, “The Thursday Murder Club,”  is comfortable and inspiring for those of us in our twilight years. Starring Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Ben Kingsley and Celia Imrie as the titular club members and featuring David Tennant and Jonathan Pryce, this film is a delightful introduction of a group of elderly amateur sleuths solving cold cases at their retirement home.

This retirement home is on a lovely estate with large rooms, each decorated to give us hints of each person’s character. The leader of the group, Elizabeth (Mirren), doesn’t actually live there. Her husband, Stephen (Pryce), was a writer, but he’s losing his mind to dementia. He has good days and bad days.

Retired union leader Ron (Brosnan) is the father of a retired sports hero, Jason (Tom Ellis). Jason is trying reality TV to keep his public recognition high and Ron doesn’t always approve.

Ibrahim, a retired psychiatrist (Kingsley), brings helpful insights into the criminal mind. There is a fourth member who unfortunately is now in hospice care.

Joyce (Imrie), is a retired nurse, who, despite her daughter Joanna’s (Ingrid Oliver) objections, decides to move in. Recently widowed, she wants to find new direction in her life. The group’s cold case needs some medical expertise and in consulting her, make her a temporary member of the club which meets in the jigsaw puzzle room on Thursdays.

A recent transfer from London, police officer Donna De Freitas (Naomi Ackie) makes the acquaintance of the group members. Elizabeth uses De Freitas’  disappointment with tea making duties to help get information and that involves the senior investigating officer DCI Chris Hudson (Daniel Mays) who is more resistant to civilian involvement in investigations. De Freitas becomes important when the group suddenly has a fresh murder case that involves the management and even survival of their retirement home.

Fans of Tennant will be disappointed to know he doesn’t survive long enough to grace the second half.

The screenplay by Katy Brand and Suzane Heathcote and the direction by Chris Columbus (“Home Alone,” “Mrs. Doubtfire” and “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets”) keeps the action flowing and doesn’t bog down with too much exposition for an origin story.

The diversity is there. Kingsley is of Indian descent. Ackie (“Mickey 17”)  is Black, her parents are second-generation immigrants from Grenada.

“The Thursday Murder Club” is an easy going, humorous addition to the British murder mystery genre and I hope it will return with more installments, giving an opportunity for older stars to shine. “The Thursday Murder Club” was released on Netflix on 22 August 2025.