JonathanPryce – 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: ♥️♥️♥️

The Penguin Lessons follows Tom Michell (Steve Coogan), a down on his luck English teacher who has just arrived in Argentina to work at a boarding school. He befriends a penguin and his life is changed for the better.

One of the things that I loved about this film is that it is based on true events. Tom Michell wrote a memoir about this significant time in his life and I knew that I had to read it before the film was released. As with many book to screen adaptations, there were a few changes, but I think they enhanced the story and made for one of the most delightful cinema experiences I’ve had so far this year.

Coogan was superb as the main character. He was more or less what I had imagined while reading the book. There’s a lot you don’t know about him going in and although some of the layers are peeled back, I like how the focus isn’t really about him at all. It’s about the friendship he forms with the penguin.

Juan Salvador, the penguin, was without a doubt the scene stealer. He was just SO CUTE. The fact that they used real penguins as well just made it more authentic. The friendship that Juan Salvador formed with Tom was so heartwarming to watch. Actually, everyone was rather taken by the little creature from the school students, to headmaster Buckle (Jonathan Pryce) and the housekeepers Sofia (Alfonsina Carrocio) and Maria (Vivian El Jaber). Who could blame them?

There was conflict in Argentina during 1976. I appreciated how they brought this more into focus for the film since it wasn’t really expanded upon in the book. It wasn’t something I knew much about so I feel like I learned something. Sofia and Maria weren’t based on real characters, but they represented those who were affected by the events.

I knew that I was going to enjoy The Penguin Lessons, but I wasn’t expecting it to have such an impact on me. It made me laugh out loud and it also made me sob. There were so many important messages woven through too. It’s definitely the best films of 2025 so far and I highly recommend seeing it for yourself.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️