Circle of Friends (1995)

78% of critics liked it
(36 reviews)
65% of users liked it
(16,217 ratings)

Set in 1957, this romantic coming-of-age story follows three childhood friends from a small town in Ireland as they head to Dublin to attend Trinity College. Nan (Saffron Burrows), a year older than her friends and already in her second year at Trinity, is ambitious, romantic, and just a bit… More Set in 1957, this romantic coming-of-age story follows three childhood friends from a small town in Ireland as they head to Dublin to attend Trinity College. Nan (Saffron Burrows), a year older than her friends and already in her second year at Trinity, is ambitious, romantic, and just a bit reckless. She hopes to win the hand of Simon (Colin Firth), an older Protestant land-owner who would help her rise up the social and economic ladder. Eve (Geraldine O'Rawe), a bit more pragmatic and cautious, finds herself falling for a boy named Aidan (Aidan Gillen). Bernadette (Minnie Driver), called "Benny" by her friends and family, comes from strict parents who won't allow her to live on campus, forcing her to commute back and forth from classes every day. Bennie's father, a haberdasher, has always expected that his daughter, a bit plainer and plumper than her friends, will marry his shop's manager, an odd duck named Sean (Alan Cumming). But at Trinity, Bennie discovers that she fancies a tall, good-looking rugby player named Jack (Chris O'Donnell), and to the surprise of Bennie and everyone else, it turns out that Jack fancies her as well. Circle of Friends gave Minnie Driver her breakthrough film role after her initial success as a television actress in Britain. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: PG-13, 1 hr. 36 min.
Directed By: Pat O'Connor
Genres: Drama, Television, Romance, Art House & International

In Theaters: Jun 1, 1994 Wide
On DVD: Jan 9, 2001
Studio: HBO Video

Critic Reviews

Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader
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.
Emanuel Levy, Variety
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.
Janet Maslin, New York Times
Beyond eliciting warm, animated performances from his actors (with a cast that also includes Alan Cumming as a hair-raising suitor of Benny's), Mr. O'Connor gives Circle of Friends an enveloping look and sound.
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone
Driver's tough core of honesty and wit is bewitching. So's the movie.
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle
Young Benny has a nice smile, and she and Jack seem like pleasant people, but in the end (and in the beginning and in the middle) it's hard to get worked up about them.
James Berardinelli, ReelViews
A lot of films, especially love stories, seek a level of comfort through predictability, but this one goes too far.
Caroline Westbrook, Empire Magazine
An enchanting, if denture-rottingly sweet, yarn.
, Film4
A familiar tale of busty lasses and lusty lads, it's lent extra weight by fine writing and accomplished performances.
, TV Guide's Movie Guide
Driver, who delivers a piercingly subjective performance, is the linchpin of the film's quiet appeal.
Rob Thomas, Capital Times (Madison, WI)
Sweet Irish melodrama, with a hilariously oily performance by Alan Cumming.
Trevor Johnston, Time Out
The fizzing dialogue gets all the little details right, but the plot's nothing new, and the lingering shots of hibernian greenery aim straight for mid-Atlantic bland-out.
Robert Roten, Laramie Movie Scope
It's intelligent and moving and it never resorts to cheap melodrama.
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice
Wry, wise, and wonderful valentine to intimate matters of the heart.
Scott Weinberg, eFilmCritic.com
Sweet, funny, and full of the charming Minnie Driver.
Stephen Farber, Movieline
Definitely in the Masterpiece Theatre tradition; it's soft and safe, but extraordinarily easy to take.

Read all 15 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Candy R

Excellent adaptation of Maeve Binchy's novel. Minnie is brilliant.
Lanning :

Minnie Driver fans will want to see this for a look at her pre-Hollywood work. She gained 30 pounds for this role and still looks great. Colin Firth fans may want to skip this one, but Alan Cumming fans might want to see what a truly creepy character he can play. Chris… More
Minnie Driver fans will want to see this for a look at her pre-Hollywood work. She gained 30 pounds for this role and still looks great. Colin Firth fans may want to skip this one, but Alan Cumming fans might want to see what a truly creepy character he can play. Chris O'Donnell . . . well, as usual, nothing much to write home to mother about.
Leigh R

So great.
Daisy M

<a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i25.tinypic.com/11l3akn.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a> for sexual content Circle of Friend is more a girl movie with… More
<a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i25.tinypic.com/11l3akn.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a> for sexual content Circle of Friend is more a girl movie with teenage sexual problems, friendships,first love, betrayal and the Catholic traditions. All the characters were so likable, and the Irish locations were wonderful. Great performances by Minnie Driver and Chris O'Donnell, and Alan Cumming was great in this role, he played the bad role so well.( do you remember him as the NIGHTCRAWLER in Xmen?) Overall, a very beautiful movie with a lovely story. Simply beautiful, great directing and cast.
Sunil J

I kinda like it but Alan Cummings is such a creep in this.
Leo L

A favorite.