Circle of Friends (1995)

Plot so thin, it passes unnoticed.

When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.

Excellent characters with emotional depth. My wife, daughter and granddaughter all enjoyed it...and me, too! Very good movie! You won't be disappointed.

Mostly, the movie is committed to the value of a good time.

I like the ending in here much better then the book. In the book I think they implied they were just friends in the movie they got back together. Minnie driver is not gorgeous but shes talented. Chris was okay as the rich young man whose pressured to pursue a career hes not sure hes cut out for. The acting is pretty good, the storyline could be seen as boring but the acting and comedy makes it worth it. This was Ireland in the 50s so its a completely different world for some of us. Mini driver wasn't the best role for an overweight woman cause she was not so big, but other then that shes great for the part. The movie wasn't totally true to the book, in the book they met nan in college in the movie they knew her since childhood, and they made what they called confirmation but American catholics call it communion, not sure if it was a mistake or Ireland uses the word confirmation for that event. Like in the book, Benny was expected to marry the man who worked in the fathers shop who was going to take over the business. I don't know why They would rather her marry a poor shop owner who will only have money cause he was left the shop, over a doctor. So the the family might not carry on the family business when t the parents aren't around, its not like its the family name not carried, its a shop. Weird to me.

Although this movie lacked any sort of plot, and was forever flitting from one insignificant scene to the next, I was willing to watch it because of the fine acting performance by Minnie Driver and that there seemed to be a story shaping-up between her character and that of Chris O'Donnell's. When he left Bene sitting for almost the entire time of his party, opting to dance with her glamorous friend, instead, I should have been warned.When this cad (Jack) actually tried and succeeded in getting Bene to dance as she was about to leave, I should have realized the black nature of this script and screenplay. When Jack has coitus with the glamorous friend (played by Saffron Burroughs) and gets her pregnant (he is told), he decides to tell Bene, whom he has, by then, some real affection for. As he is getting off the bus or trolley to meet her, tell her and break her heart, I turned the movie off and threw it out. A film really has to offend me for me to score fewer than 7 stars. No real plot and an apparent delight in hurting those vulnerable means a cinematic failure to me, even with Minnie Driver's memorable character and performance. The fact that Circle of Friends was based on a novel is no excuse. Another one should have been used. A fresh and compelling screenplay could have been developed, loosely using the characters of Bene and Jack. Certainly, this movie was talent wasted.

I was surprised to see that this has only 6.5 average grading from IMDb users! This is a great film in any way possible. Acting, portrayal of characters, music and of course the story are all well beyond average. You will also appreciate that none of the characters is 2-dimentional, not even the "bad ones", like Sean and Nan. You can see behind the reasons of their actions, even if you don't agree with them.I remember renting this back in 1996, not expecting much from it. Then, I was was taken by the whole film, especially by "that chubby unknown but brilliant young actress". In that manner I was more than pleased when some years later I saw Minnie Driver becoming very well-known and being Oscar nominated for her role in "Good Will Hunting". Knowing now that she gained all those pounds just for the role of Benny, males me thing that deserved an Oscar nod and for this film! i particularly liked and Chris o Donnel for this and also for the message it gives about one being him or herself, instead of trying to be something else in order to gain someone's-anyone's approval or love! It was years after that that I also noticed that this was an adaptation of a book of Maeve Binchy one of my favorite authors. When I had the chance to watch this again, then I noticed and Colin Firth playing also. Another reason for anyone to watch it!!!

This rating reflects my ambivalent feelings about the movie...I seem to recall the novel (which I read some years ago) as having a little more depth than the sexual experiences (or lack thereof) of its three heroines. The film comes off as a bit of a soap opera, 1950's Irish style. Although I'm not Catholic myself, my main problem with the movie (and Maeve Binchy's novels, to some extent) is the constant irritating depiction of the Catholic church as an oppressive institution that exists more or less for the primary purpose of sexually repressing its adherents. Also, the producers should have done some very basic research into Catholic traditions. As another reviewer also noted, it is extremely obvious (and not only to Catholics) that the opening religious ceremony in the film is not the three girls' Confirmation at all but their First Communion. The movie thus lost credibility to me from the outset.The movie tells the story of three Irish friends who are embarking upon their college days...Benny, a rather biggish (supposedly) self conscious girl, Eve, a quiet orphan raised by nuns, and Nan, a lovely would be sophisticate who sets her cap for the young Protestant country squire, Simon. For business purposes, Benny's father is encouraging his shop employee, Sean, to court his daughter. However, Benny has fallen in love with a handsome college classmate and rugby star named Jack. Meanwhile, Nan and Simon are conducting a clandestine affair in Eve's cottage. After Nan discovers that she is pregnant, Simon indicates that he has no intention of marrying a girl of her social / financial status and suggests an abortion. To get out of her pickle, Nan then proceeds to seduce Jack and attempt to pass her baby off as his child. Read the above... doesn't it all sound like a soap? Who's sleeping with who? Anyway, carrying on...Minnie Driver gives a marvelous, sympathetic portrayal of Benny, a young girl insecure over her appearance, caught up in her first love and awakening desires, pursued by an unwelcome suitor, trapped with familial obligations following her father's sudden death, and ultimately betrayed by her boyfriend and one of her best friends. She's beautiful at the dance when she first reveals her vulnerability to Jack. I agree with those who claim that Benny is not sufficiently large for the role, not 'big as a rhinoceros' at all...attractive figure, just pudgy face...but that's a minor detail. Chris O'Donnell is perfect as her dashing young love, convincing in his devastated reaction to the news of Nan's pregnancy and choosing to unhappily but nobly do the right thing, marry the girl. He's much more sympathetic in the movie, where he has only a one night moment of madness with Nan, than in the novel, where it's more of an affair. Eve seems well cast, but Sean's pilfering, lecherous, peeping tom character is definitely overdone, almost a caricature, as others have also noted. Nan's character is well captured here, as the viewer (this one, at least) has sympathy for her genuine sense of giving herself to Sean when she loses her virginity, her betrayal by him when he hears of her pregnancy, and even to some extent her dastardly deed to both Jack and Benny for her own selfish interests. One point well brought out is that while Nan believes herself to have contempt for Catholicism, when it comes to abortion, we see that she has internalized at least some of the teachings of her faith.Of course the Irish music is fantastic and the country scenery beautiful, the green hills, streams, and meandering roads. I was less impressed that the professor's lecture topics just happened to involve the sexual practices of savages. I certainly don't recall that from the novel, though it's been awhile. What is the likelihood that this would have been the class subject matter for a coed freshman class in Ireland back in the 1950's?The film has a different ending than the novel, which will disappoint some readers. Normally this would infuriate me, but I found surprisingly that I didn't mind. In the book, Benny forgives Jack and remains friends with him, but, having gained confidence and a sense of independence, moves on with her life. Here of course we see a less complex storybook type ending with the couple getting together. Pity she has sex with him at the end...of course with a parting dig at the Catholic Church ('Bless me, Father, for I have sinned'). At least it's apparently at Benny's own instigation, not in response to pressure from Jack. The movie is really mainly sex...either wanting it, talking about it, or having it. Not much else to the story.So...yes, a mixed review. Not the best morals and a certain mocking of Catholic teachings (or Christian teachings, in general), but kind of a touching story of first love, a sympathetic heroine, and that lovely Irish scenery.