Displaying items by tag: Noemi Ackie

THE THURSDAY MURDER CLUB 

UK, 2025, 118 minutes, Colour.

Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Ben Kingsley, Celia Imre, Naomi Acte, Daniel Mays, Jonathan Pryce, David Tennant, Henry Lloyd-Hughes, Tom Ellis, Geoff Bell, Paul Freeman, Richard E. Grant, Ruth Sheen.

Directed by Chris Columbus.

For several years now, this reviewer included, many readers have been exhilarated by the series of novels about The Thursday Murder Club. They have been written by television personality, Richard Osman, familiar from earlier seasons of the British television quiz program, Pointless, and from his own show, House of Games. In his writings, Osman is a great creator of characters, bringing them alive, especially with eccentricities, is able to develop intricate murder mysteries and their solutions, and has a witty way with words and topical references to politics, media, which can always bring a smile.

And he has created this group of foUr elderly residents of an aged care community in Kent who meet in the common room every Thursday morning to explore and try to solve cold cases. And, for the film version, American director, Chris Columbus (Home Alone, Mrs Doubtfire), brings his genial touch to a screenplay by Katy Brand and Suzanne Heathcote which has done a wonderful job of gathering all the key elements of the novel for a two-hour drama. (Within 24 hours of its appearance on Netflix, the IMDb registered a high number of bloggers, many delighted, some with various quibbles as expected, and then, for this reviewer, unexpectedly, bloggers who seemed unable to wait to share their misery of disappointment and judgements of failure in the adaptation – and one wonders why this judgemental haste. But, on with this review of enthusiasm…).

Helen Mirren has no trouble in being Elizabeth with her espionage background. Ben Kingsley perfectly embodies the gentlemanly psychotherapist. It was hard, while reading, to imagine Pierce Brosnan as old union activist, Ron, but he rises to the occasion, obviously enjoying himself in the role. In the novel, former nurse, now widow, Joyce, is often more than daffy. Celia Imre is wonderful in the role although, perhaps, she has been written a little less daffy than in the novels. But, it all works.

And, there is a wonderful supporting cast of British character actors, Jonathan Pryce standing out as Elizabeth’s husband, a good man with developing dementia. David Tennant enjoys himself as the main villain but Richard E. Grant is unexpected as a sinister florist towards the end of the film.

The film opens with an example of the Thursday Murder Club in action, a cold case in connection with a former member who is now lying in coma, her sad husband in attendance. And, while this might have served as an introduction to the club’s activities and remained as that, it actually becomes quite integral to the development of the plot and the finale.

But, there are two other deaths which have to be investigated, especially in connection with the possible sale of the aged care home by a ruthless developer.

And, then there are the two representatives of the local police, the alert at Donna (Noemi Ackie who played Whitney Houston in the film biography recently) and the rather overweight, sweets-eating, less on the ball Hudson, played engagingly by Daniel Mays. (And the laugh out loud scene in the novel where the club cram him on the couch to pressure him is happily incorporated into the film!).

So far Richard Osman has written five of these novels, and the film then provides faces and mannerisms of the stars for those who continue to read the novels, making them come alive most enjoyably.

1. The popularity of Richard Osman’s books, characters and setting, murder mysteries and solutions, witty writing? The popular audience for this kind of storytelling? And the strong cast?
2. The setting, the aged care home, rooms, meeting places? The outside sequences, atmosphere? Police stations? The village streets? The cemetery, the demonstrations in the street…? The musical score?
3. The title, popularity of murder mysteries, the Agatha Christie tradition? The miss Marple tradition? The club, the members, the meetings, Elizabeth and her espionage background, Ron and his union background, Ebrahim and his psychotherapy, Joyce and her nursing background? Penn, police background, the cold case, her illness and coma, John caring for her? Elizabeth’s visits?
4. The initial case, the woman stabbed and thrown out the window, the alleged intruder, the boyfriend, the investigation, the police believing the boyfriend, his disappearance? The photos, the meeting, moves towards solutions? Joyce responding to the photo, the blood, they’re asking her opinion? Her becoming a member of the club? The complication with the discovery of the Bones in the cemetery, the identification, confrontation with John, the murdering of the boyfriend, disposing of his bones? Admission of the truth, John killing Penn, suicide, Abraham and his eulogy at the cemetery?
5. The situation with the home, bent, his character, divorce proceedings, his wife’s affair with Jason, ownership of the property, with Tony Curran? His plans for demolition, rebuilding flats, entertainment centre? Tony Curran and his Art board, the clash? Tony Curran, at home, the confrontation, his death, the investigation?
6. Vent, his relationship with Bogdan, putting him as the boss, to dig in the cemetery during the protest, the discovery of the Bones, the meeting with Elizabeth, his Polish background, his mother, Elizabeth listening questions, her finding him at home, playing with Stephen, chess? The friendship? Stephen, his shrewdness, that Bogdan had killed Tony Curran? Elizabeth discovering the racquet about passports, hurrying back home, U of Stephen being poisoned, the police, the revelation of the truth, bogged down and is later friendship with Stephen?
7. The discovery of the third owner, Elizabeth with the documents, Joyce and her relationship with her daughter, Joanna haughty, but examining the documents, giving the information about the ownership of the property? The mysterious identity, aunt Maud and the bouquet, the initials? The bouquet for Elizabeth, warning her off, her identifying the florist, the identity of the criminal, his savage reputation, disappearing? Elizabeth and the discovery of the passport racket, Tony Curran’s involvement, the truth about bogged down? Her deal with the criminal?
8. The police station, Donna, her background in London, race, the meeting with the club, her lecture, the case, serving coffee to the male police, Elizabeth and her visit to the police, the information, the deal? Hudson, his manner, overweight, heating? Discussions with Elizabeth, the deals, wedging him on the couch, plying him with cake…? Donna and her position, driving, the interrogations, the collaboration with the club?
9. The protest, vent and his visit to the elderly, the 10 minute consultation, Father Mackie and his protest, the crowds at the cemetery gate, man-to-man his arrogance, his collapse, his death? The post-mortem, poisoned?
10. The role of each of the members in the investigation, Abraham and his analysis, his notes, calm presence? Ron, the union background, protests, two wives, relationship with Jason, Jason and his boxing in the past, doing jobs for vent, television, admired, his statue and the photo, the ice-skating? The affair? Ron and his posing as bewildered, then his suit and posing as his son’s lawyer…? Joyce, skill as a nurse, at home, the touch of the Daffy, cakes? And Elizabeth in control?
11. Elizabeth, her relationship with Stephen, his going dementia, the tablets, playing chess, yet alert?
12. The resolving of the mystery of vent’s death? Penn and John? The funeral?
13. The finale, the audience enjoying the investigation, the quiet British style, the elderly, shrewdness, each playing their part?

BLINK TWICE

US, 2024, 102 minutes, Colour.

Naomi Ackie, Channing Tatum, Alia Shawkat, Christian Slater, Simon Rex, Adriana Arjona, Haley Joel Osment, Liz Caribel, Levon Hawke, Geena Davis, Kyle MacLachlan.

Directed by Zoe Kravitz.

We, the audience, are invited, whether we like it or not, to take a trip to a Fantasy Island, a horror Fantasy Island.

This is a first film cowritten and directed by actress, Zoe Kravitz. She has invested a great deal of imagination and ingenuity to creating it. It is very much a film of the #MeToo consciousness of the last 20 years or so. And, it brings to mind the criminal behaviour of predator, Jeffrey Epstein, and judgements on him and his behaviour.

But, it doesn’t quite start that way. We are introduced to function cocktail waitress, Frida (Naomi Mackie) rapt in photos on her phone, idolising the guest of honour, Slater King (Channing Tatum in what eventually becomes a demanding role). The function is in honour of Slater King, his regrets for his behaviour in his business career, now a champion of philanthropy.

With his charm, Frida and her roommate, Jess, find themselves, as the audience does, on a plane to Slater’s island. For the next half hour, the guests, half a dozen young women, with some men friends on the island, have what they call a good time, no, “great time”, eating, drinking, gourmet food and alcohol, lazing by the pool, for days on end, losing a sense of time… (Audiences who would envy such a great time,

they will enjoy this hedonistic holiday; those for whom there is more in life than idling it away, it seems a very long time before anything really happens.)

Obviously, there is a danger of spoilers when the action gets going. Perhaps best to say that a key issue is the role of memory. Is it important to go back into the past to remember, to help with explanations of events in life? Or is it better to let the memories go and to move into the future? And so, with this shift in the drama, some of the guests remembering, disturbed by memories, decide to go into action to save themselves and others…

Which means then that the great time turns into something of a messy time and mayhem.

Blink Twice has quite a strong supporting cast including Alia  Shawket and Adria Arjona as two of the young women, Christian Slater and Haley Joel Osment as two of the guests, Kyle MacLachlan as a psychiatrist, Geena Davis as something of the housekeeper of the island.

As might be expected, there is a challenging ending – and the audience having to go away to reflect on the #MeToo implications of what they have just seen.

1. A film from the Me-Too# era? Women and men? Misogyny and exploitation? The island and audience memories of Jeffrey Epstein and his crimes?
2. The film as reality and fantasy? Fantasy Island?
3. The title, the reference to gaze, to photography?
4. The introduction to Frida, the phone, the photos, swiping through, the photos of Slater King, the infatuation? Her friendship with Jess, roommates, shared experiences? The cocktail waitresses? At the annual event, memories of the previous year, the advice of their supervisor, to smile and mingle? Audience identification with the two young women? Younger audiences and identification? Older audiences observing?
5. The story of Slater King, played by Channing Tatum, his reputation, his companies, change of heart, his repeated apologies, the celebration, the host, the guests, the speeches, food and drink, the dancing?
6. Slater, the attraction to Frida, with her, her response, awkwardness, charm, the dancing, with Jess, the invitation to the island? Their leaving everything, the flight to the island?
7. The island, a fantasy Island, the plane, the beauty of the island, the isolation, the main buildings, the grounds, the terrain, giving up the phones? Slater as host, his continued attention to Frida?
8. The range of characters on the island, the young women, seeming friends, but not having met before, the response to Slater, their hopes? The men, Vic, older, his camera? Tom, short, baby-faced, indulgent? Cody, vain, pride in his cooking and announcements? Lucas, younger, thinner, hanger-on?
9. The first 40 minutes, sensual, the accommodation, the clothes, everything available, the food and meals, the lighting, the drink, the drugs, the pool? “A good time”, “a great time”, hedonism, self-indulgence, the effect on the guests, Slater as host?
10. The change in tone, the issue of Jess, her participation in the great time, but wanting her phone, wanting out, her cigarette lighter with her name, the disappearance, nobody remembering?
11. The theme of memory, Slater and Frida and the discussions about memory, not going back into the past, erasing memories, living in the present to the future? The discussions with the therapist, at the party, his visit to the island, collusion with Slater?
12. The mysterious local inhabitants, the old woman, Frida encountering her, not understanding her, the snake, the venom, the drinks? The local workmen? Those who served at the dinner?
13. Frida, uncomfortable, memories of Jess, the friendship with Sarah, Sarah and her memories of being on television, Survivor, their working together, understanding the drinks, the issue of memory, the role of Slater, the other men? Frida and her searching Slater’s room, the photos? Under suspicion?
14. The role of the other girls, caught up in the hedonism? The contrast with Frida and Sara, then manoeuvres, building to the set up, the mood to violence, the knives?
15. The role of Stacy, older, housekeeper, her ditzy manner, dropping things, the issue of the armchair and its place, sometimes sinister presence, with the young women, her death?
16. The uprising, the confrontation of the men, the stabbing of Cody, Tom in the pool, the attack on Vic, Lucas and his death?
17. The role of the therapist, the danger, working with Slater?
18. The unmasking of Slater, exploitation, his charm, his real character?
19. The irony of the ending, the annual show, Frida in charge, control, Slater and his subservient presence? The future?
20. A contemporary drama/horror/parable about men and women in the 21^st-century?