Book to Film Adaptation: My Thoughts on The Thursday Murder Club Movie
I take no pride in being a hater, but I just finished watching the Netflix adaptation of Richard Osman’s internationally-acclaimed, best-selling book The Thursday Murder Club (4 stars), and I have some thoughts to share.
(This post may contain book and film spoilers)
Listen and let it be known: I’m a huge fan Richard Osman’s Thursday Murder Club series. In fact, a couple years ago, after finishing the third book, The Bullet That Missed (5 stars), I wrote a post on why TMC was one of my favorite cozy mystery series and how much I loved immersing myself in its fictional world alongside four witty, quirky, and unique septuagenarian friends Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim, and Ron (appropriately dubbed The Thursday Murder Club). Since that time (September 2023), my thoughts haven’t changed a bit. I still find myself excited to read new books as they publish (can this series last forever?) and I still can’t (and won’t) stop recommending the TMC series, especially to fellow readers who are looking for a fresh, fun whodunnit, a delightful cast of characters, dry British humor, and loads charm in every chapter. It’s just so good.
But let’s talk about why we’re here today: the book to film adaptation. Unfortunately, my general feeling and gut reaction is that this one was not it. Though I didn’t hate what I watched, I left the movie feeling disappointed and underwhelmed in many ways. I know it’s easy to be critical on these kinds of adaptations (because the book is always better amirite?), I just feel like the screenwriters and producers didn’t get the TMC quite right. And even worse, I think they did the book and it’s cast of characters a bit dirty. With so many details to cram into a two-hour slot, I understand the need to cut some of the backstory, but perhaps this adaptation would have fared better as a mini-series rather than a full-fledged movie. So much context was left out of the movie and there were exactly zero points of intrigue or suspense in the entire plot line. Like cliffhangers at chapter breaks in books, ending episodes with those same kind of cliffhangers helps the audience stay engaged and ready for what’s coming “next”. I didn’t get that from Netflix in this adaptation, which makes me sad, because the book handles that nuance so well.
Here’s what didn’t work for me:
Many of the characters and their development. To cover a few — 1) Joyce. Celia Imrie didn’t give Joyce… at all. Joyce’s character is kind, clever, inquisitive, and precious… aloof like a typical almost-80 grandmother. She’s not tech-savvy and often finds herself quite puzzled by Elizabeth’s pushiness, especially as she’s first getting to know her. Imrie didn’t fit the look and feel of how I pictured Joyce. It’s less about Imrie’s acting and more of the wrong actress being cast for the role. 2) DCI Hudson wasn’t cast or portrayed well. In the movie, he came across as younger and more arrogant, but really, he’s supposed to be your typical walking stereotype of a single, unhappy, middle-aged police officer — very messy, unhealthy, and “woe-is-me” — and more easily influenced. He doesn’t like Elizabeth and the TMC antics, but he becomes close with them towards the end when he realizes there’s no escaping them. I didn’t see any signs of this irritation and blossoming friendship in the movie. 3) Bogdan didn’t fit his description either. He read as big and burly with a soft heart despite his life’s struggles. And that tough life coupled with his soft heart is what makes him an ally for Elizabeth and the TMC. It was incredibly absent in the movie.
No character backstories. Having read the book, I’m well-acquainted with the main characters and their backstories. How they all come from different backgrounds and why they work so well together. I wish the movie provided some kind of glimpse to aid each of the character’s development. It felt so one dimensional — very “what you see is what you get”.
The lack of Joyce’s diary narration. One of my biggest gripes. In the book, Joyce writes in her diary, detailing in her own words what kind of adventures she and the TMC went on and what trouble they uncovered that given day. While the book covers POVs from everyone’s perspective, Joyce’s diary threads the storyline and it should have been there. Her narration is crucial to provide context, and the fact we didn’t get to see the diaries or let them fuel the narration at certain points seems like a really big miss.
Cooper’s Chase. It was giving castle, not a housing community for seniors. The property felt too ritzy in the movie, whereas the book painted it as a higher-end sort of average. Ian Ventham wanting to knock it down and make millions on fancy apartments makes much more sense in the book’s picture where you have an okay product on valuable land that you know you could enhance to make a fortune.
The TMC charm. The movie was completely devoid of the book’s charm (which I get can be hard to replicate BUT). The point of the TMC is that they’re all a bunch of amateur sleuths who like to review crimes and cold cases at their assisted living/retirement facility. They’re supposed to be unserious. They’re supposed to get themselves in trouble. They’re supposed to meddle in police investigations. They’re amateur septuagenarian sleuths poking around where they shouldn’t be. It’s not supposed to make sense because it’s not your average mystery or thriller.
Bogdan getting arrested. This detail change was CRAZY. I get there are ways to get Bogdan out of legal trouble for murdering Tony Curran should the adaptations continue, but it didn’t need to happen to begin with. Bogdan is such an important side character in the later books in the series and Elizabeth calling the police was 1) not very Elizabeth of her (Elizabeth is a people’s champ, she would never) and 2) calls into question how future movies would adapt his storyline (because they can’t just cut him out?). I don’t know, Bogdan’s arrest has a lot of readers upset and I get it.
The portrayal of Stephen’s dementia. I feel like they kind of minimized it on screen. You couldn’t really feel Elizabeth’s pain in the same way it read in the book. People who’ve experienced a loved one with dementia get it — it’s a debilitating disease, both in its early manifestation (when you have good and bad days) and towards the end. The emotional component felt a little lacking in the movie.
It’s not all bad though. Here’s some of what I liked, too:
Elizabeth’s character. I think Helen Mirren killed the role. If the movies continue on into subsequent book adaptations, I expect Mirren’s acting will shine playing Elizabeth, a character who, in my opinion, really evolves and shines, n later books.
The handful of moments that made me laugh. Especially when Elizabeth asked Joyce what WTF meant and Joyce ever so casually said “What the f*ck” — that was a good one.
Joyce and her cakes. In the book, there’s so much emphasis on Joyce’s love for baking cakes. I’m glad they kept it in there.
It still felt complete. The key details were there and there was a final resolution. I was annoyed by so many changes, but I wanted to keep watching. I had a good time reliving book one with my TMC friends — and it’s been a long, long time since I’ve read the book.
While I really wanted to love Netflix’s take on The Thursday Murder Club book to film adaptation, my thoughts are sadly… very mid. Some of the editing felt low budget and choppy, but more than anything else, it was the total lack of the charm factor that ultimately swayed my opinion. Though it’s not my least favorite adaptation, I don’t see myself wanting to go back and watch the movie like I’d want to reread the book. I don’t find myself excited about the prospect of a second movie, whereas I can’t wait for book five, The Impossible Fortune, to hit my mailbox on release day come end of September.
Perhaps for me, lover of the TMC book series, I’m too critical of the film adaptation. I still enjoyed my watching experience, but I just can’t shake my strong opinions haha. While some readers and watchers who didn’t read the book may enjoy The Thursday Murder Club adaptation, I won’t be surprised to see very mixed reviews on this one. But always remember to make your own opinions first before blindly following the opinions of others. We all love what we love — and this independent subjectivity is what makes the world go round :)
If you’re interested in the movie but haven’t read the book, I highly recommend reading the book first. But again, that’s just my opinion!
How’d you like the book to film adaptation? Did you read the book first?
Enjoy!
JBW