CeliaImrie – Credits Rolling

Based upon Richard Osman’s 2020 novel of the same name, The Thursday Murder Club follows four individuals who meet every week to try and solve cold cases. Elizabeth (Helen Mirren), Ron (Pierce Brosnan), Ibrahaim (Ben Kingsley) and Joyce (Celia Imrie) couldn’t be more different save for their love of true crime. When one of the co-owners of their retirement home is found dead, they finally have the chance to put their sleuthing skills to the test.

I did read the book shortly after it came out, but I really don’t remember it. What I do know is that I wasn’t a big fan and soon put it out of my mind. I did find my interest peaking when news of the film broke and especially with that cast. I honestly did not know what to expect going into it though I wouldn’t be surprised if me not recalling any details helped with the overall enjoyment.

Mirren, Brosnan, Kingsley and Imrie are practically British royalty. To have them star together in such an adaptation is a lot of pressure; we all know that mixing big names together doesn’t always have the desired effect. With that being said, I actually think they were perfect. Mirren helmed the film effortlessly – she was Elizabeth. There was also so much more to her character that we simply didn’t get to see so hopefully there will be more opportunities for that in the future. They all had their moments to shine, however. I do think that Kingsley and Imrie could have been a little bit more at the forefront though.

The rest of the cast was absolutely stacked as well, I can’t not mention them. Naomi Ackie is Donna, a police officer who ends up working closely with the Murder Club on the case. Tom Ellis is Jason, Ron’s son and former boxing champ. Jonathan Pryce is Elizabeth’s husband Stephen who has dementia. David Tennant is Ian, another owner of the retirement home who is into all sorts of dodgy business. And Richard E. Grant is Bobby, a mysterious man who has disappeared, but who has a specific connection to the case. I loved seeing who would pop up where and thought they all did brilliantly in their roles.

I wouldn’t be surprised if one of the reasons why I didn’t enjoy the book as much was because the mystery was more of an Agatha Christie whodunnit and not so much of an earth-shattering twist that I’m always gagged for. I didn’t mind that in the film. It made the whole atmosphere quite cozy and autumnal which is fitting considering we are soon entering the ber months. These aspects combined with the beautiful backdrop of Coopers Chase (a literal castle?!) complete with it’s stunning manicured lawns and a cemetery really just enhanced the whole experience.

Overall, I enjoyed The Thursday Murder Club more than I thought I would. I would one hundred percent be open to them adapting the other books so let’s hope that they do. This has also prompted me to revisit the book – maybe I will appreciate it more now.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️

In this story of love lost and love found, Marc (Dan Levy) is going through the loss of his mother when he dives headfirst into a comfortable marriage with the older and wealthier Oliver (Luke Evans). But when Oliver also dies unexpectedly, Marc is left with nowhere to hide. Hoping it will help, Marc enlists his two best friends Sophie (Ruth Nega) and Thomas (Himesh Patel) to join him on a trip to Paris that will surely be life changing.

Levy, who not only directed but also wrote, produced and starred in the film, has crafted a brilliant depiction of the stages of grief. It is how this grief is handled that differs for everyone involved and as the story unfolds for the audience, we see these three friends learn about life and loss as they are about to enter middle age. I always knew that Levy would be going places after his triumphs on Schitt’s Creek – this is just the icing on top of the cake for him.

The casting was well done and everyone plays their part perfectly. Levy, Nega and Patel are realistic as our trio. I like how they showed that each friendship is not always sunshine and rainbows. It’s normal to have disagreements and to be able to talk about them in a healthy way. The elusive Oliver, who we only see through flashbacks after his death, was brilliantly portrayed by Evans as was David Bradley as Oliver’s father Duncan and Celia Imrie as Marc’s lawyer Imelda.

Spanning across London and Paris, two of my most favorite cities in the entire world, I felt like I was being spoiled with the very best that a film could offer. The cinematography, especially in the latter, was beautifully shot as we spend most of the time here. I felt like I was immediately transported to the place and time and thought those nighttime shots with city illuminated in lights were beautiful.

One would expect a film called Good Grief to only be filled with sadness. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Thanks to the tight knit script, there are some laughs scattered throughout that help balance the overall tone. It is the perfect mix between drama and comedy that was needed. Though I didn’t cry while watching, the film still hit all the right note for me.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️.5