Rating: 
Summary: Circle of "Wonderful" Friends
Review: This movie was beautifully portrayed and beautifully acted. It was by far, Chris O'Donnell's best movie. Minnie Driver was excellent, she played Bennie with shimmering brilliance. The focus of the friendships is strong, and the characters are believable. Bennie was a character I could identify with very much, her close bond with her friends, and the love she shared with Jack. Strong lead actors and a great supporting cast make this film highly reccommendable.
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Summary: Beautiful, but the book was better (See my About Area)
Review: While I thought that the cinematic vision of Benny's story was beautiful to see and certainly very well-cast, the translation lost something when it went from book to screen. It was unfortunate that the producers felt the need to rewrite the plot into a more pat Americanized version in which they glossed over the flaws inherent in some of the characters, taking away their responsibilities for their actions and making them instead victims of their own destinies. Ultimately, the movie was a feast for the eyes and ears, but the book was food for the soul.
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Summary: Read the Book Instead!
Review: This is one of the worst transitions of book to film ever! A great novel about the growing confidence and independence of a young woman has been turned in to a story of a school girl crush. Do yourself a favor and read the novel by Maeve Binchey instead!
Rating:
Summary: Charming. Minnie Driver at her best.
Review: This quaint movie based on a book of the same name is charming and well told. The story revolves around three friends with very different aspirations. Minnie Driver plays Bennie Hogan, a frumpy young lady who is destined to spend the rest of her life running her families tailoring shop in her small home town. She is forever plagued by the attention of her fathers assistant, played by Alan Cumming (who plays sleazy rat very well) and becomes smitten with local college boy Jack Foley (Chris O'Donnell). Benny has two best friends, Eve and Nan. Nan is played by English Temptress Saffron Burrows. She wants to get out of the small town and she thinks that her meal ticket is rich boy Simon Westward (Colin Firth). Little does she know, Simon is just using her as a plaything and has no intention of ever making her his wife. When Nan turns up pregnant and Westward turns his back on her, she turns to her best friends bo, Jack for comfort. She tricks him and makes him think the baby is his. Eve, who was born to a poor family has only the gottage left to her by her parents to call her own. The friends think of it as a stolen hideaway in the woods where they can go to escape the world. Then one day Eve finds things amiss in the cottage and she figures out what Nan has been up to, and it turns ugly. This circle of friends has to be broken, but is there any mending it, or are these three girls destined to move on without one another?
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Summary: Circle of Jerks
Review: This movie is like a circle jerk. The first one to bust has committed the party foul.
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Summary: Colin Firth fans
Review: Check out CF's portrayal of the creepy snob that takes advantage of the pretty social climber. Hard to believe he could look that bad!
Rating:
Summary: Utterly charming !
Review: Fantastic flick ! Beautiful settings, charming storyline and brought to life buy a fantastic ensemble cast. The supporting cast is wonderful, but the movie belongs to it's 2 leads. Chris O'Donnell is fantastic as the all round Mr Popular "blue eyed boy", even his Irish accent is commendable, and not merely laughable like some before him (hint hint Mr Cruise). However, the film is completely stolen by Minnie Driver.....utter brilliance. Her character is impossible not to like, and Driver plays this to perfection. By the end of the movie I was in love with her character. Is it any wonder Ms Driver rocketted to instant stardom.
I was excited when this movie was released on DVD as I had almost worn out my VHS copy. The extra's are nice....a trailer, an info-trailer and a handful of teaser trailers. I would have loved to see some out-takes. I would have loved to see if the chemistry on screen spilled over to off screen. I'm sure it must have, surely they can't act that well.
I thoroughly recommend this movie to anyone who would like a little break from explicit sex and violence and settle down to a "nice" movie. MAGNIFICENT !
Rating:
Summary: What a treasure!
Review: I just watched this lovely little gem for the second time. I had forgotten what a truly charming and well-done movie it is. It was so interesting to watch Chris O'Donnell and Minnie Driver in their early years......from their performances, I can see why they are such stars today. They are wonderful actors. Driver's character, Benny, sees herself as unattractive and dumpy. She plays the role to perfection, with a touching sensitivity. O'Donnell plays Jack, a star rugby player with a big heart and a conscience, but a young man who is somewhat indecisive and not as confident as he appears to be. The characters are all portrayed with great honesty, humor, and grace while they learn lessons about friendship, loyalty, love, and life. Although sweet and endearing, this movie is never sappy and the characters never ask us to feel sorry for them. The cinematography was beautiful and the lilting Irish music was a wonderful compliment to the scenery of this gorgeous country. A thought-provoking film with a message.
Rating:
Summary: Get ready to fall in love with Ireland!!!!
Review: Circle of Friends, just from the amazing setting of Dublin, Ireland, to the outstanding performances of Minnie Driver and Chris O'Donnell, you cannot help but fall deeply in love with this movie. The one scene at the dance between Bennie and Jack brought me to tears. You will find yourself mad (Sean Walsh), in love, and completely and utterly pleased with the ending. A wonderful ladies night movie!!!
Rating: 
Summary: Good Movie but Desecration when you think of the BOOK
Review: For anyone that has read Circle of Friends...don't expect this movie to resemble the book.. minnie driver does a good job as benny hogan - i think she captures the character and her spirit well...she is a joy to watch... but i didn't like how many of the characters were depicted... benny's parents are shown as close-minded... kind of mean .. needlessly strict... in the book they're strict... but you still feel the love and they ignored Eve... who had a lot of personality in the book...but had no role at all in movie... I understand that a movie can't have all the parts of a book.. but at least the essence should stay the same... this would be a good movie if I hadn't read the book
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