The Thursday Murder Club has arrived on Netflix, and this eagerly awaited adaptation brings Richard Osman’s 2020 novel to the screen and has already received mixed reviews.
My mum was the one who initially suggested the book to me. She enthused: “The characters are so relatable. I can picture them so clearly.”
Being already fond of Osman’s sharp humour, I was eager to discover if my mother’s praise was justified.
I found myself agreeing that every character leapt from the pages so convincingly that I’d formed my own vision of each one, from their looks to their fashion sense. The characters’ accessibility provided such comfort, and throughout the remaining books in the series, my affection for them deepened.
Given this connection, I desperately hoped the film would be exceptional, matching the book that had masterfully made me chuckle one minute and weep the next.
Consequently, I felt crushed when, having viewed the film, I recognised it simply wasn’t to be, and the novel ought to have remained untouched.
Initially, upon seeing the film’s cast list, I worried it might be, if I may say, rather TOO Hollywood.
I’m certainly not alone in questioning Pierce Brosnan’s casting as Ron, though I also felt Henry Lloyd-Hughes failed to match the Bodgan I’d envisioned.
Nevertheless, Helen Mirren and Celia Imrie’s portrayals of Elizabeth Best and Joyce Meadowcroft were perfect – as was the British wit.
Despite the casting, there were numerous departures from the book, including Bogdan’s ultimate fate.
Without revealing too much, Bogdan’s backstory was not given its due attention, resulting in a film ending that diverges significantly from the original source material.
Likewise, some poignant moments from the book, such as Father Mackie’s (Joseph Marcell) sorrowful secret, were left out of the film – another missed opportunity.
What could have been a deeply moving and enthralling cinematic experience ended up being, in my view, an awkwardly comfortable crime drama.
While Osman has defended the book and its film adaptation as entirely distinct entities, readers might be bracing themselves for disappointment.
The Thursday Murder Club is on Netflix