Netflix has pulled out all the stops for the film adaptation of Richard Osman's bestselling novel, The Thursday Murder Club – boasting a stellar cast and a renowned director at the helm.
Located in the charming Coopers Chase retirement village in Kent, the tale centres on four astute pensioners who gather weekly to examine cold cases. However, when an actual murder lands on their doorstep, they exchange tea and gossip for detective work.
At the director's chair sits Chris Columbus, the filmmaker responsible for the initial two Harry Potter movies, Mrs Doubtfire and Home Alone. His tenure on the Potter series fostered a genuine appreciation for Britain and its distinctive wit.
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"During Potter, I spent five years living in the UK," he explains. "I grew quite fond of the dark, edgy British humour and I managed to incorporate some of that into those films and much more of it into The Thursday Murder Club."
Securing a screenwriter to adapt Richard Osman's material proved challenging. "I was a fan of the books, but the initial scripts I read veered far from the novel," Chris reveals. "I felt this was a mistake and I wanted to preserve what everyone loved about the book." Enter actress and comedian Katy Brand.
Chris remarks, "When I met with Katy, I was convinced she not only understood what made the novel so popular, but she also had the vision to write a film that was faithful to the source material."
Leading the star-studded cast is Helen Mirren, who takes on the role of Elizabeth Best. Known for her diverse roles ranging from hardened assassins to Queen Elizabeth II, Helen now portrays a character with a mysterious past.
"We can tell she was someone powerful and substantial, but it's all a bit secret," Helen reveals. "Was she a high level politician? Was she a high level operative in MI5 or MI6? She never quite talks about it, but we get a sense. She's tough, she's smart and she has witnessed some heavy duty things."
Joining her is Pierce Brosnan, famed for his James Bond roles. He swaps espionage for comedy as he steps into the shoes of Ron Ritchie.
"Ron is a stout fellow of good character," Pierce shares. "He doesn't particularly want to be at Coopers Chase, but there's a time in life when you just have to hang up your spurs."
Ben Kingsley plays Ibrahim Arif, a psychiatrist whose skills are crucial to the club's investigations. "He's clearly empathetic because he's a psychiatrist and he needs to interpret patterns of human behaviour in order to heal," Ben explains.
"Now he can bring those same skills to a forensic quest to solve unsolved police cases through empathy, knowledge of patterns of human behaviour, compassion and imagination."
Elizabeth forms a close bond with newcomer Joyce Meadowcroft, a recently widowed woman eager to fit in. The character of Joyce is brought to life by Celia Imrie.
"Sir Laurence Olivier always said you've got to like the person you're playing – and I really did," says Celia. "Joyce has an innocence about her.
She's unsure of herself but fun, enthusiastic and a good sport. At the beginning of the film she wants, very much, to be included and is especially keen to make new friends."
The quartet encounters PC Donna De Freitas, portrayed by Naomi Ackie, a police constable they assist unofficially – much to her boss's annoyance.
"It was a really big pull for me to work with these juggernauts of British screen, who I've looked up to for a long time," says Naomi. "Having them consolidated into one project was really great. They are so gracious with their talent and it's been a real joy getting to know them."
The drama extends beyond the murder mystery. David Tennant enters the fray as Ian Ventham, co-owner of Coopers Chase, whose development schemes could push residents out.
"He's not the most sympathetic character," David says. "He's just someone who's got himself in a very particular situation and doesn't have the people skills to get through life with as much charm as one might hope he should have."
The adoration for the novels also runs deep amongst the cast. "I was one of the many millions who read the book and loved it," says Helen.
"I was utterly charmed by it. My friends who read the book said, 'If they ever make a movie, you have to play Elizabeth.'" For Pierce, the project was an opportunity to work with Chris once more. "He's an old mate," he shares. "He seems to pop up every 10 years or so with fantastic roles for me. He sent me the script and I loved it."
The Thursday Murder Club is released on Netflix on August 28th.
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