The Circle (2015)

An otherworldly evil is slipping into a small town in Sweden. Six unrelated girls have been chosen to fight this evil. Together they must overcome their differences in order to save themselves and the world.

Director:

Levan Akin

Writers:

Sara Bergmark Elfgren (screenplay), Levan Akin (screenplay)

Stars:

Josefin Asplund, Helena Engström, Miranda Frydman

3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Josefin Asplund	...	Rebecka Mohlin
Helena Engström	...	Anna-Karin Nieminen
Miranda Frydman	...	Vanessa Dahl
Irma von Platen	...	Minoo Falk Karimi
Hanna Asp	...	Ida Holmström
Leona Axelsen	...	Linnéa Wallin
Ruth Vega Fernandez	...	Adriana Lopez
Sebastian Hiort af Ornäs	...	Kevin
Vincent Grahl	...	Gustaf
Johanna Granström	...	Jannike Dahl
Sverrir Gudnason	...	Max Rosenqvist
Dick Idman	...	Taisto Nieminen
Gustav Lindh	...	Elias Malmgren
Ann-Sofie Nurmi	...	Mia Nieminen
Charlie Petersson	...	Wille

Storyline

An otherworldly evil is slipping into a small town in Sweden. Six unrelated girls have been chosen to fight this evil. Together they must overcome their differences in order to save themselves and the world.

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Plot Keywords:

high school | magic | friendship | witch | evil | 

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Taglines:

Magin vaknar. (Magic is awakening.)

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Genres:

Drama | Fantasy | Horror | Mystery | Thriller

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Details

Country:

Sweden

Language:

Swedish

Release Date:

18 February 2015 (Sweden)

Also Known As:

A Kör

Box Office

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$1,117,789

Company Credits

Production Co:

RMV Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

144 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The hardest character to cast was Minoo. Irma von Platen, who eventually won the part, was studying modern dance in Berlin when she was contacted about auditioning.

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Goofs

When Minoo is adding Rebecka on Facebook she first sends a friend request. Later she looks at the page and we clearly see that she and Rebecka are friends on facebook. Later Minoo gets a notice that Rebecka has accepted the request and Minoo acts as if Rebecka finally accepted the request.

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Quotes

Minoo Falk Karimi: I have to go home. I have so much homework. Well, you know that because you gave it to us.

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Connections

References Malcolm X (1992)

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Soundtracks

Medicine
Written by Elena Tonra (as E. Tonra)/Igor Haefeli (as I. Haefeli)
Performed by Daughter

User Reviews

Great directing and superb acting

So "Cirkeln" is finally here. Since the book is a bestseller and it has been translated in over 20 languages - The film has been hyped in Sweden as "the next big export" after Swedish international success with "Girl with the dragon tattoo" and "Snabba cash". I personally love the novel and was so afraid that the movie would'nt match it's expectations... There was never any need to be nervous about that.

Director Levan Akin has put together an extraordinary cast of young actors whom shows (possibly) the best ensemble performance I've ever seen in a Swedish film. The acting in Swedish films are almost always overacted and too theatrical but not in this one. Irma von Platen (Minoo), Helena Engström (Anna-Karin), Miranda Frydman (Vanessa), Josefin Asplund (Rebecka), Leona Axelsen (Linnea) and Hanna Asp (Ida) does a tremendous job as witches aka The chosen ones, with stand out performances from Platen, Engström and Frydman. I've never in my life seen so good chemistry between actresses in a Swedish film. Akin's smart way of presenting the girls in their respective environments gives the audience a clear look on every girl and you understand they're personal problems as well as their differences.

I must say that Akin's work as director and co-writer with Sara Bergmark Elfgren in this film needs to be praised since i never thought they could take so many characters and actually have them all make a significant input in the film. It is one of those few times you feel that the film adaptation holds the same high standards as the novel.

Cinematography is off the hook as well as sound. And the special effects are actually good and well crafted.

This is a true breakthrough for female actors and it shows once and for all that they are just as bad-ass as any male-hero (like that was ever up for debate). But the guys in this film should not go unnoticed. Gustav Lindh acts with quality in his 5 minutes on screen as Elias. Charlie Petersson shows pretty-boy-stardom as Wille. And Sverrir Gudnasson is just the right choice to play Max.

Overall a 9/10 and without doubt a gamechanger in Swedish cinema!