Circle of Friends

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Circle of Friends

PG-13,

1995,

1h 36m,

Drama

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Watchlist

Watchlist

75%

32 Reviews

Tomatometer

73%

10,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

75%

Tomatometer

32 Reviews

73%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

At university in Dublin in 1957, awkward Benny (Minnie Driver) is introduced to handsome Jack (Chris O'Donnell), the son of a doctor who is unsure about following the family business. While Benny and Jack fall in love, Benny's old friend Nan (Saffron Burrows) is less fortunate. Nan wants to raise herself from her lower-class roots with a marriage, but her chosen man impregnates and abandons her. All three must grapple with conflicts between their physical desires and religious upbringings.

Caroline Westbrook

Empire Magazine

Mar 11, 2008

3/5

An enchanting, if denture-rottingly sweet, yarn.

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Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

Mar 11, 2008

Three female friends grow up in a small town in Ireland in the mid-50s and attend college in Dublin in this nostalgic soap opera that's vaguely evocative of Peyton Place, though generally less memorable.

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Emanuel Levy

Variety

Apr 27, 2007

C+

Old-fashioned and nostalgic, Pat O'Connor's nicely directed tale of friendship between three Irish girls features a strong central performance from Minnie Driver that promises a bright future in Hollywood pictures.

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Chase Burns

The Stranger (Seattle, WA)

Jan 20, 2022

Great film acting is often like bottling magic, but it usually involves an inscrutable face that hides an internal life that is rich and curious and ever-moving. Driver, like Clayburgh, has that type of enigmatic charm.

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Rob Thomas

Capital Times (Madison, WI)

Mar 10, 2006

3/5

Sweet Irish melodrama, with a hilariously oily performance by Alan Cumming.

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Kylo L

Jul 13, 2017

Whimsical tale of three friends navigating university life, rushing hormones, and biblical sins. Entrancing story that keeps you engaged. Early film for several of today's leading actors: Colin Firth, Chris O'Donnell, and Minnie Driver.

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Pat O'Connor

Director

Chris O'Donnell

Jack Foley

Minnie Driver

Bernadette `'Benny'` Hogan

Geraldine O'Rawe

Eve Malone

Saffron Burrows

Nan Mahon

Alan Cumming

Sean Walsh

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Synopsis

At university in Dublin in 1957, awkward Benny (Minnie Driver) is introduced to handsome Jack (Chris O'Donnell), the son of a doctor who is unsure about following the family business. While Benny and Jack fall in love, Benny's old friend Nan (Saffron Burrows) is less fortunate. Nan wants to raise herself from her lower-class roots with a marriage, but her chosen man impregnates and abandons her. All three must grapple with conflicts between their physical desires and religious upbringings.

Director: Pat O'Connor
Producer: Arlene Sellers, Alex Winitsky, Frank Price
Screenwriter: Andrew Davies
Production Co: Rank Organization, Bord Scannan Na hEireann, Price Entertainment
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Box Office (Gross USA): $21.7M
Runtime: 1h 36m
Sound Mix: Surround, Stereo

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