A polished gem from 1995, this disarmingly sweet and dramatically insightful love story provided a charming showcase for Chris O'Donnell and, especially, then-newcomer Minnie Driver, whose performance drew critical raves and boosted her career to Hollywood. Smoothly adapted from the novel by Maeve Binchy and set in Ireland during the 1950s, the story focuses on Benny (Driver), a somewhat plump, plain-looking young woman attending university in Dublin who meets and quickly falls for Jack (O'Donnell), a handsome star of the university's rugby team who surprisingly reciprocates her glowing admiration. They're drawn together as soul mates, and their love is dramatically contrasted with a subplot involving Benny's more conventionally beautiful friend Nan (Saffron Burrows), whose appetite for older men leads her into a misguided and ultimately tragic relationship. A betrayal by Jack sets the stage for potential heartbreak, but director Pat O'Connor prevents these carefully drawn characters from resorting to sappy melodrama. They have lessons to learn about life and love, and Circle of Friends teaches those lessons with grace, humor, and heartfelt sincerity. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Rating:
Summary: Circle of Friends
Comment: The DVD was in great shape. It arrived timely. I would definitely buy from them again

---

Customer Rating:
Summary: Split the difference between the novel and Hollywood
Comment: I know that this is quite different from the original story, but it's still a good movie. It's Hollywood-ized, but it's not so Hollywood-ized that it just flings Benny back into Jack's arms as if nothing happened.

I hadn't watched this and years and popped the DVD in to see if I wanted to keep it or resell it. I think I'll keep it. I'd forgotten how good a movie it is. It's such a relief these days to see a film with so many reasonable, believable characters when so many movies now seem to sell themselves on outlandishness.

It was HUGELY refreshing to see a girl who really is big--tall and solid--playing a character that's supposed to be big. She is not at all unattractive and is not portrayed as plain, awkward, or "nerdy" (as un-beauties usually are). She's just not a silver-screen sylph, and thankfully the movie doesn't punish her for it or make a lot of ugly-duckling jokes at her expense. Hooray, Minnie Driver!

Geraldine O'Rawe is also great, feisty but not heartless, sensible, and intelligent. Saffron Burrows has less of a part but it's clear that she's naive and got in over her head, and not just a heartless vamp. It's clear why the three girls are friends but the characters are not played so much alike that they seem flat. Colin Firth is utterly colorless, but he has a minor part, and his flatness is appropriate for the role (Mr. Darcy fans will probably be disappointed, though).

---

Customer Rating:
Summary: Wonderful as a Movie
Comment: This was a charming movie in which Minnie Driver was such a delight. Great supporting cast. Notice all the bad comments are from people who read the book first and were disappointed it wasn't what their imaginations produced from the authors' words. They don't seem to know what it takes to produce a movie. It can't be a six hour movie. This is supposed to be about the movie-Not the book. If you see the movie first and then the book....It will give a deeper and richer look at the story not possible in less than two hours. Geez..... get a clue.

---

Customer Rating:
Summary: Elizabeth Essenfeld Says
Comment: This is such a feel-good, coming of age movie that grows old. Introducing Minnie Driver stepping out of her usual role as an insecure timid school girl and Chris O'Donnell years before he was competeing as 'McDreamy'. Together they provide such a lovable pair, you can't help but feel compassion for their pain while rooting for their happily-ever-after ending.

---

Customer Rating:
Summary: Love gained, lost and regained in Ireland
Comment: Set in 1950's Ireland and focuses on the lives and loves of three childhood friends. growing up and attending university at Trinity College, Dublin.
Plain looking and sensitive dreamer Benny (Minnie Driver), and her best friend quiet and observant Eve (Geraldine O'Rawe), who has been brought up by nuns, go to college and are reacquainted with their childhood friend, the socially and sexually precocious Nan (Saffron Burrows).

Benny finds love with medical student and college rugby star Jack Foley (Chris O'Donnell), while her parents have set their sights on her marrying the creepy Sean Walsh (Alan Cumming).
Meanwhile Nan has a passionate affair with a gentleman from a landed Protestant gentry family, Simon Westward (Colin Firth).
After being impregnated and jilted by Simon, Nan sets her sights on Jack, making for heartbreak all around. Betrayed by Nan, she can always count on the love and fierce loyalty of her friend Eve.
Eve is my personal favourite, quiet but feisty in her won way and always loyal, and pretty in a cute elfin way.

This movie is set in green and beautiful Ireland, and is a story of love gained, lost and re-found.
Touching and gentle, with just the right mix of all, and a memorable set of characters, this movie was one of the best of the 90s.Set in 1950's Ireland and focuses on the lives and loves of three childhood friends. growing up and attending university at Trinity College, Dublin.
Plain looking and sensitive dreamer Benny (Minnie Driver), and her best friend quiet and observant Eve (Geraldine O'Rawe), who has been brought up by nuns, go to college and are reacquainted with their childhood friend, the socially and sexually precocious Nan (Saffron Burrows).

Benny finds love with medical student and college rugby star Jack Foley (Chris O'Donnell), while her parents have set their sights on her marrying the creepy Sean Walsh (Alan Cumming).
Meanwhile Nan has a passionate affair with a gentleman from a landed Protestant gentry family, Simon Westward (Colin Firth).
After being impregnated and jilted by Simon, Nan sets her sights on Jack, making for heartbreak all around. Betrayed by Nan, she can always count on the love and fierce loyalty of her friend Eve.
Eve is my personal favourite, quiet but feisty in her won way and always loyal, and pretty in a cute elfin way.

This movie is set in green and beautiful Ireland, and is a story of love gained, lost and re-found.
Touching and gentle, with just the right mix of all, and a memorable set of characters, this movie was one of the best of the 90s.

---