Circle of Friends (1995)

'Circle Of Friends' is set in 1950's Ireland. The movie focuses on Benny Hogan and her best friend, Eve Malone. The story centers around Benny and Eve as they enter student life at ... See full summary »

Director:

Pat O'Connor

Writers:

Maeve Binchy (novel), Andrew Davies

Stars:

Chris O'Donnell, Minnie Driver, Geraldine O'Rawe

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Chris O'Donnell	...	Jack Foley
Minnie Driver	...	Bernadette 'Benny' Hogan
Geraldine O'Rawe	...	Eve Malone
Saffron Burrows	...	Nan Mahon
Alan Cumming	...	Sean Walsh
Colin Firth	...	Simon Westward
Aidan Gillen	...	Aidan Lynch
Mick Lally	...	Dan Hogan
Britta Smith	...	Mrs. Hogan
John Kavanagh	...	Brian Mahon
Ruth McCabe	...	Emily Mahon
Ciarán Hinds	...	Professor Flynn
Tony Doyle	...	Dr. Foley
Marie Mullen	...	Mrs. Foley
Marie Conmee	...	Mrs. Healey

Storyline

'Circle Of Friends' is set in 1950's Ireland. The movie focuses on Benny Hogan and her best friend, Eve Malone. The story centers around Benny and Eve as they enter student life at University College, Dublin. Here Benny and Eve reunite with their childhood friend, the ice-cool Nan Mahon, the 'college belle'. They also encounter the handsome and charming Jack Foley, whom Benny quickly falls for.

---

Plot Keywords:

ireland | student | 1950s | moral | love | 

---

Taglines:

For everyone who ever thought the person they loved was out of their reach

---

Genres:

Drama | Romance

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for sexual content

Details

Country:

Ireland USA UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 March 1995 (USA)

Also Known As:

Círculo de amigos

Filming Locations:

Burnham Beeches, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Box Office

Gross:

£2,120,050 (UK) (16 June 1995)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Lantana, Price Entertainment, Rank Organisation, The

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Dolby SR

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

To make Chris O'Donnell appear to be much taller than Minnie Driver than he really is, she had to walk in a ditch when they were filming the scene of their stroll in Knockglen.

---

Quotes

Bernadette 'Benny' Hogan: I don't know why you let me go to University. It's like taking me to the top of the mountain and showing me the world, and then marching me back down, and saying, "That's what you can't have Benny, you silly great fat article. Here's what you can have: Knockglen for the rest of your life and married to Sean bloody Walsh!" I'd rather be married to a bloody lizard!

---

Connections

Features On the Waterfront (1954)

---

Soundtracks

"Love Is A Many Splendored Thing"
Written by Paul Francis Webster and Sammy Fain
Performed by Long John Jump Band

User Reviews

Friendship

Perhaps not having read Maeve Binchy's book, in which this film is based, and never seeing the film when it was released, helped this viewer to enjoy it, perhaps more than most people that saw it in its commercial debut. Pat O'Connor and his adapter, Andrew Davies, give us a portrait about the friendship of three young girls in the story, as they go from childhood to womanhood in the Ireland of some time ago.

We meet the three friends as the film opens. There are Benny, Eve and Nan, who are inseparable. They grow up and their relationship continues right through adulthood. The three friends go to university and we see them attending Professor Flynn's class, which seems to be the girls' favorite teacher.

Nan, the prettiest of the three has no prospects of marrying into money. She decides to go after Simon Westwood, a wrong choice that turns out even worse when she discovers he couldn't care less for her. He just wants to marry money and she doesn't have it. Eva, the orphan girl brought up by nuns, has no prospects either, but she has a cottage in the country that Nan finds convenient for exploring her sexuality with Simon.

The best adjusted of the three friends is plain Benny, who seems destined to marry her father's clerk, the reptilian Sean. She has her eyes set on Jack Foley, the hunky jock. Jack in turn likes her, but things intervene between them.

Minnie Driver, is a marvelous presence in the film. She makes the plain Benny come alive. Saffron Burrows is perfect as the vain and beautiful Nan. Geraldine O'Rawe plays Eve. Chris O'Donnell is Jack Foley, who makes a good impression. Alan Cumming, Colin Firth and Ciaran Hinds are perfect in their supporting roles.

"Circle of Friends", while not breaking any ground, is still a good movie to watch because Pat O'Connor's direction and the ensemble acting cast.