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Circle of Friends
Circle of Friends
	Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Pat O'Connor
Written by	Andrew Davies
Based on	Circle of Friends by; Maeve Binchy
Starring	Chris O'Donnell; Colin Firth; Minnie Driver; Geraldine O'Rawe; Saffron Burrows;
Cinematography	Kenneth MacMillan
Edited by	John Jympson
Music by	Michael Kamen
Distributed by	Savoy Pictures (United States); Rank-Castle Rock/Turner (United Kingdom)
Release date	17 March 1995;
Running time	103 minutes
Countries	Ireland; United Kingdom; United States
Language	English
Budget	$15 million
Box office	$45 million

Circle of Friends is a 1995 film directed by Irish filmmaker Pat O'Connor, and based on the 1990 novel of the same name written by Maeve Binchy.^[1]

The movie was well received by critics and was a box office success.^[2]

Plot

Set in 1950s Ireland, the film opens with the First Communion of three friends in the small town of Knockglen: Bernadette "Benny" Hogan, Eve Malone and Nan Mahon. Benny is the beloved and well-fed only child of the local tailor, Eve is an orphan reared by nuns, and Nan is destined to be defined by her beauty. Nan's family moves away to Dublin, and the story skips ahead six years to when the three friends are reunited at University College Dublin.

Benny's loving but overprotective parents insist that she live at home and commute to university. They also hope she'll marry her father's assistant, the creepy Sean Walsh. Eve's education is financed by the local landowning family, the Westwards, who employed her father before his death. She has inherited a cottage in Knockglen but boards at a Dublin convent during the week.

Benny soon falls for Jack Foley, a handsome rugby player studying medicine. She initially assumes she isn't sophisticated or pretty enough for him, but after spending time together at the College Ball they begin dating. Eve also begins a relationship with Jack's friend Aidan, and hosts weekend parties for her university friends at her cottage. Nan becomes involved with Simon Westward, heir to the estate in Knockglen. They begin secretly visiting Eve's cottage during the week to have sex.

When Benny's father dies, she suspends her studies to care for her mother and run the family shop. Sean attempts to woo her, although Benny finds him repulsive. She notices funds are missing from the business and suspects Sean is responsible, but lacks proof. Eve begins to suspect that someone has been going into her cottage while she's away. Nan suggests that the cottage might be haunted.

Nan becomes pregnant and tells Simon, sure he will marry her. He instead offers her money for an abortion in England. Nan runs into Jack, who has not seen Benny since her father's funeral. She convinces him to take her to a party and lures him into sex, later pretending that he got her pregnant. Jack is honourable and offers to marry Nan. He tells Benny and she is devastated.

Eve throws another party at the cottage. Nan convinces Jack they should attend, though he feels uneasy about it. Eve, having guessed that Nan has secretly been meeting Simon at her cottage, confronts Nan and waves a bread knife at her. Nan backs away, falls through a glass door, and is severely cut. Jack attends to her injuries. Benny leaves the party.

Benny searches Sean's living area for evidence that he has stolen from her family's business. Sean finds her there and attempts to sexually assault her. She fights him off, and in the struggle uncovers the hiding place for the money he has embezzled. Benny orders Sean to leave before she calls the Guards.

Nan decides to begin a new life in England. After Jack sees her off, he tries to win Benny back. He explains that aiding Nan convinced him that he was really meant to be a doctor. He says that he never loved Nan, and is in love with Benny. Benny tells him his actions have changed her and their relationship and they must take their time.

In a voiceover, Benny says Jack addressed his studies and pursued her, while she moved to Dublin to share a flat with Eve. A paper Benny writes causes a stir and points towards her career as a writer. In time, she falls in love with Jack again. The final scene shows her taking Jack to Eve's cottage. As he follows her inside, Benny says "Bless me father, for I have sinned," implying they have finally consummated their courtship.

Cast

Chris O'Donnell as Jack Foley
Minnie Driver as Bernadette "Benny" Hogan
Geraldine O'Rawe as Eve Malone
Saffron Burrows as Nan Mahon
Alan Cumming as Sean Walsh
Colin Firth as Simon Westward
Aidan Gillen as Aidan Lynch
Mick Lally as Dan Hogan
Britta Smith as Mrs. Hogan
John Kavanagh as Brian Mahon
Ruth McCabe as Emily Mahon
Ciarán Hinds as Professor Flynn
Tony Doyle as Dr. Foley
Tom Hickey as Professor Maclure
Jason Barry as Nasey Mahon

Differences from the novel

There are several differences between the film and the novel it is based on, with many supporting characters and subplots being omitted from the film. In the book, Benny and Eve grow up together in Knockglen and do not meet Nan until they begin university. Eve's relationship to the Westward family is also a more significant part of the book. Her mother was a Westward but the family disowned her when she married Eve's father, who worked as a gardener on the estate.

The most notable change is the romantic ending added to the movie, with Benny and Jack reunited. In the novel, Benny realizes that Jack isn't the perfect man she once believed him to be and that they wouldn't be happy together long term. She is able to forgive him, but refuses to get back together with him.

Reception

Circle of Friends was positively received by critics, as the film holds a 78% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 36 reviews.

References

^ Stark, Susan (30 April 1995). "A family tradition: storytelling - Hollywood hasn't affected author Maeve Binchy. She simply is expanding her circle of friends". The Jackson Sun. Jackson, Tennessee. p. 4B.
^ The Irish Filmography 1896–1996. Red Mountain Press. 1996. p. 71.